Exploring Paso

Paso Robles (pronounced “ROH-buhlz,” or “ROH-blays” to some locals) is located in the coastal mountain range of central California. Paso Robles, or “Pass of the Oaks,” is close to mountains, beaches and deserts. The area has an ideal climate and terrain for our spring cycle camp. Close by there are thermal springs, which are said to have healing powers that will certainly make you a better cyclist! And as we know from cycling around numerous vineyards, it has become a wine-making mecca with more than 170 wineries, 26,000 vineyard acres and 40 varietals of wine. Beer and distilled spirit lovers aren’t left out of the fun, as more and more craft breweries and craft distilleries are cropping up around town.

Hearst Castle is nearby in San Simeon and they offer tours daily. Coastal towns of Cayucos, Cambria, San Simeon, Morro Bay and Avila Beach are all worth visiting. There are numerous restaurants, shops, and historical sites within Paso Robles and in nearby Templeton. With so much to do and so little time, we offer a few suggestions of things to do on your days/evenings off. Please feel free to use the comment section below to offer your own recommendations to the group.

“It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels”
-Heinz Stucke, German long-distance cyclist

SENSORIO

A 15 acre walk-through artwork, Field of Light is a sculptural composition that covers Sensorio’s rolling hills with an array of over 58,800 stemmed spheres lit by fiber-optics, gently illuminating the landscape in subtle blooms of morphing color.

NY Times ranked it #6 of Places to Go in 2020

The art installation is very popular and will likely sell out well in advance of our week in Paso, so if you want to go it is recommended that you get tickets early.

MUSHROOMS and BLUE CORN WAFFLES

A couple of us recently went to Mighty Cap Mushroom Farm for their Experience Tour, and no, not the magical kind! At that time it was just a small little farm a quick drive north of the hotel and Chris provided a personalized tour of his indoor mushroom farm. Today they have grown and are now in Tin City. If you want to know where some of Paso Robles’ finest restaurants procure their sublime mushrooms for their favored dishes, check out Mighty Cap.

Another fun discovery, hidden between a couple buildings in Cambria, is Hidden Kitchen. They are known for their yummy savory or sweet blue corn waffles as well as smoothies. If you’re looking for another option while in Cambria and have some extra time, Laura strongly recommends this place. The Cayucos location also has blue corn tacos!

BREWERIES AND DISTILERRIES

There are a number of breweries in Paso Robles. Many of us make a habit of stopping by Firestone Walker after a ride for beer and lunch. This year marks the 25th anniversary of their Barrel Aged Blend. California Coast Beer Co. the largest outdoor space in downtown Paso Robles. Featuring a 10-barrel system, they specialize in classic American ales and lagers, and Belgian-style beers.

Paso Robles has a growing number of distilleries making a name for themselves. Leftover grape juice from the region’s wine production isn’t wasted. It makes up the base alcohol for distilled spirits, which you can sample at various stops along Paso Robles Distillery Trail, including Tin City Distillery, Krobar and Re:Find Distillery. Most distillery tasting rooms are located on vineyard grounds, “just around the back” from the wine-tasting rooms.

RIVER OAKS HOT SPRINGS AND SPA

River Oaks Hot Springs Spa has been a secret source of rejuvenation and relaxation for some Paso Gran Fundo cyclists. The secret is out! River Oaks offers a wide variety of services such as massage, herbal wraps, facials, and leg waxing. Whether it’s soaking in their artesian thermal mineral springs under the starlit sky (10 private tubs are fed from springs bubbling up at 117 degrees F), or relaxing in the shade of a private open-air spa, you will be reborn in the opulence of nature in a tasteful, uncluttered environment. The dramatic views of Paso Robles rolling hills and vineyards, the reflective lake, and of course, the magnificent artesian thermal mineral waters are the true luxuries of River Oaks Hot Springs Spa. You’ll be refreshed and ready to pull the peloton on another long bike ride!

AVILA BEACH

Most years we head down near SLO to begin one of our rides. An option for a post ride lunch is to have a change of clothes in your car and drive into Avila Beach. The promenade area has a couple of coffee shops including our favorite, Kraken Coffee. Right off the promenade is Peloton Cellars, a bike themed wine shop and tasting room. They have a great selection of bike themed clothes and gifts. The Libertine Brewing Tasting Room is also in the heart of the downtown Avila Beach area. Who wants to sit on the beach, eat lunch, and listen to to a great band on the promenade? It might be a lovely way to take in more of Avila Beach before heading back to the Adelaide for dinner on your own!

ESTRELLA WARBIRD MUSEUM

While the Estrella WarBird Museum is dedicated in part to show the restoration and preservation of military aircraft, military vehicles and memorabilia to those who flew and worked on military aircraft, their “approach however is not to glorify conflict but rather to make a future generation aware of the fact our way of life does not come without sacrifice.” At the museum you will find jeeps, side arms, early year aircraft, fighter jets recently retired from active duty, antique ambulances, bombardier sites to modern missiles, one of the earliest pilot’s licenses issued by the FAA, unique personal items carried into combat during the previous century, artifacts of airplanes which made aviation history among other artifacts.