Experience the best of Paso Robles

Paso Robles lies in the oak-dotted hills of San Luis Obispo County, inland from California's Central Coast, and is one of the state's best-known wine districts. The town grew up around natural hot springs, and its Spanish name means pass of the oaks. The downtown has a tree-shaded park square surrounded by shops, tasting rooms and a Carnegie library.

Warm days and cool nights allow grapes to ripen slowly here: Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon do well, and so do Rhône varieties such as Syrah and Grenache. Mission San Miguel Arcángel, an 18th-century Spanish mission with painted walls inside, lies to the north. Hearst Castle and the coast at San Simeon and Cambria lie to the west, and Lake Nacimiento and Lake San Antonio are used for boating.

Tri-tip steak grilled over oak, olive oil, almonds and produce from the farmers' market in the park are the local tastes. Summers are hot and dry, the grape harvest in September and October turns the vineyards gold, and the hills are green in spring.