Biking and Wine? A Fun Paso Robles Wine Tour Along Its Famed Wine Trail

There are many ways to do a Paso Robles wine tour — by Uber, on a wine bus or conning one of your friends to be your designated driver. But we personally think there’s no better way to experience Paso Robles wine country than by bike. Wait, biking and wine? Is this a good idea? Don’t worry, you won’t end up passed out in a ditch… Well, probably not. We all have those friend who might defy the odds.

Check out our latest adventure and we’ll show you how it’s done. And pretty soon you’ll see why a Paso Robles wine tour is best done by bike.

How Long Does It Take To Travel From LA To Paso Robles?

The total drive time from LA to Paso Robles really depends on the amount of traffic. Luckily, we didn’t have much and arrived in just under 3.5 hours. More than likely, Google Maps will give you 2 options to drive north — either going up Interstate 5 (aka “the 5” in Cali speak) or going along Interstate 101 (“the 101”) to Santa Barbara. Without a doubt, take the 101 which hugs the ocean before cutting inland through Santa Barbara’s wine country and other cute little towns like Los Olivos. This route might not be the most direct, but it is a lot more scenic. The amount of extra time really depends on the traffic. For our drive, it took us 6 extra minutes out of our way (but it’s southern California and could take a lot longer!).

Why Should We Visit Paso Robles?

Paso Robles doesn’t get as much attention as the big wine regions in northern California like Napa and Sonoma. But we don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. Paso Robles, or “Pass of the Oaks,” is located halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, in San Luis Obispo County. It is close to the mountains, beaches and deserts — perfect for couples who might not agree on one activity over the other. You literally could start off your day hiking the coastal mountains, then relax on the beach before hitting up some wine tasting rooms. If you have kids, I recommend booking an Airbnb in downtown Paso Robles. At night, we loved just strapping the kids onto us and exploring downtown by foot. Even if you don’t have kids, you’ll appreciate the proximity to everything.

We’ll map out the perfect biking itinerary so you don’t have to. In total, we made 5 stops along our Paso Robles wine tour. Each stop has a completely different vibe, so you’ll have fun comparing and contrasting the experience. Though, rest assured, each location has a relaxed dress policy. So you won’t feel completely out of place walking in with shorts or spandex.

But first things first, you’ll need to rent a bike (if you didn’t bring it with you). We rented a pair of bikes from Paso Bike Tours and Rentals. The company is open year round and will drop off the bike rentals to the front door of your accommodations. The easiest way to arrange is by texting them directly at 805-440-5085. Rentals start at $49 per bike and they take credit card. I suggest having them drop off the bikes the night before your bike tour. That way, you can hit the road first thing in the morning.

Biking And Wine: An Overview Of The Paso Robles Wine Tour

The total bike ride is about 15.5 miles long. If you did it non-stop, it would take about 1.5 hours to complete. However, the biking portion of the tour will fly by. We couldn’t believe how fast and easy the bike ride felt. Each stop will allow you to refresh and refuel. It doesn’t get much better than biking along this wine trail.

We did this tour on a Wednesday, and while some tasting rooms were closed, we had no issues putting together a solid line-up. One of the most relaxing parts of the day was just riding along the rolling hills through the farmlands. We especially loved the horses that came galloping towards us for a photo opp (or a snack, which is probably more likely!).

Originally we had a few different wineries on the tour, but we had to modify since my bike tire blew out. Luckily, our rentals came with a spare tire and all the tools to fix it. However, we’ve never fixed a tire in our lives. Kevin quickly pulled out his iPhone and watched a YouTube video on how to change a tire in just 5 minutes.

While the YouTuber somehow changed his bike tire in 5 minutes (show off!), it took us about an hour. Okay, maybe an hour and half! But despite a slight detour, and greasy hands, we were able to modify our Paso Robles wine tour on the fly. Plus, we learned something new. YouTube is full of lies! No, just kidding. We were pretty impressed with ourselves though.

Stop #1, Let’s Get Caffeinated For Our Paso Robles Wine Tour

Biking to Starbucks: 1.2 miles or 10 minutes of cycling
Relaxation time at Starbucks: 10-11 AM

This Paso Robles wine tour will include 5 stops. We’ve mixed in wineries as well as non-wine drinking stops since we’re lightweights when it comes to alcohol. However, this itinerary can easily be modified if you’re looking to get a few more tasting rooms in under your belt. There are so many tasting rooms located along Paso Robles Union Road wine trail. Many of the wineries are small, boutique operations. So we recommend booking all tastings in advance directly with the winery. We’ve included the timing of each stop as well.

We suggest departing your downtown Paso Robles accommodations around 9:30 AM and biking towards Starbucks (located at  1205 24th St., Paso Robles). It’s a mostly flat ride, with a slight uphill as you near Starbucks. In total, it should take about 15-20 minutes to cycle to Starbucks. We relaxed on the outside patio for about 1 hour sipping our coffee and enjoying a light breakfast before wine tasting for the day.

Stop #2: Take In The Views At Pear Valley Winery

Biking to Pear Valley: 5.6 miles or 30 minutes of cycling
Reservation time at tasting room: 11:30 AM, staying until 1 PM

After enjoying some coffee and relaxation, you’ll be ready to hit Union Road. This bike-friendly country road is perfect for riding. This will be your longest stretch of cycling during the tour as you head out about 5.6 miles to Pear Valley Vineyard. We loved the entry to Pear Valley Vineyards. As you ride through the gates, you’ll be surrounded by fields of vineyards as far as the eye can see on both sides of the road.

We grabbed a seat outdoors at one of their large wooden tables and shared their classic 6 tastings for a $20 tasting fee. You’re able to select which wines you’d like to sample, and we mostly stuck with the chilled whites since it was such a warm day. Don’t forget to hydrate as well. We were really thirsty — clearly changing a bike tire is draining. We must have drank about 5 pitchers of water alone here. Oh, and did I mention, they have a nice bathroom?

Stop #3: Grab A Bite To Eat At Bronco Burger

Biking to Bronco Burger: 4 miles or 10 minutes of cycling
Arrival time: 1:15 PM,  staying until 2 PM

It’s all about comfort food here. We’d like to think we earned the calories by this point. Bronco Burgers has casual outdoor seating. It makes an easy, and cheap, stop along your biking tour. You’ll find all the classic roadside burger fixings here — cheeseburgers, french fries, onion rings. But you’ll also find salads and options for vegetarians. Best of all, you’re just a hop, skip and a jump away from your next tasting room.

Stop #4: Unwind At Brochelle Vineyards

Biking to Brochelle Vineyards: .5 mile, or 5 minutes of cycling
Reservation time at tasting room: 2 PM, staying until 3:30 PM

You’ll be in no rush once you arrive at the beautiful tasting room at Brochelle Vineyards. This small winery is all about the special touches, including the outdoor space tastefully decorated for the fall. Oh, and the wine is incredible. We had a hard time picking out which one we liked best. With each pour, I’d proclaim, “This is the best one yet.”

We were still a little hungry and ordered a gouda to pair with our tasting. We decided to hit up this tasting room after getting a free tasting card at Pear Valley Vineyards. Be sure to ask for 2 free coupons and your tasting will be completely free. Who doesn’t love a deal?

Brochelle is best known for its Zinfandel, which they call “happiness in a glass.” We have to agree! It was jammy and tasted so fresh on this hot day. We were also told it was the perfect patio wine. Our server explained that the full-bodied wine pairs perfectly with steaks or a plate of brownies. Okay, you have Kevin’s attention. And you better believe we picked up a bottle of Zinfandel to go. And guess who had to make the brownies? One guess…

Stop #5: The Final Winery On Your Biking And Wine Tour

Biking to Allegretto Vineyards: 1.7 miles or 10 minutes of cycling
Reservation time at tasting room: 3:45 PM, staying until 5 PM

Where is our day going? We made our way off Union Road to check out the stunning Allegretto Vineyard Resort. This stop is like nothing you’ve seen yet on this tour. This sprawling Tuscan villa looks like it’s been here for centuries. But in reality, it’s construction began in 2014.

Allegretto Vineyard Resort is the vision of Douglas Ayres, who was awed by the beauty of Paso Robles while passing through. He was so inspired by his visit that he purchased a  17-acre premium cabernet sauvignon vineyard. This was followed by the purchase of a 20-acre pasture where he planted a wide range of grapes from Viognier to Cabernet Sauvignon. He also constructed a hotel on the property. We were amazed just wandering the grounds.

Whether you’re staying at the hotel, or popping in like us, you’ll want to spend some time relaxing in their tasting room located in the inner courtyard of the resort.

Kevin and I shared a tasting ($25), which included 2 wines and 3 reds. Our favorite? Their 2015 Willow Creek Cabernet Sauvignon paired with dark chocolate. The Cabernet Sauvignon naturally has dark chocolate notes with currents. The chocolate pairing  brings out those dark chocolate notes, creating an explosion of flavor in the mouth. Does life get any better than this?

Wrapping Up The Paso Robles Wine Tour

You’re just 15 minutes by bike back to your accommodations in downtown Paso Robles. We did it! Not only did we get to see this gorgeous area up close, but we even learned how to change a bike tire. True confession — I would have been totally okay if we skipped that part. But at least we had some wine to help calm us (i.e. me) back down. Talk about an adventure. If you’re active like us, there’s no better way to explore Paso Robles. We arrived back into downtown Paso around 5:30 PM — perfect timing to freshen up and explore Paso Robles by foot with the kids strapped to us. One thing is for sure — we slept well that night!

Looking for other ideas in Paso Robles? Consider a visit to Daou Vineyards, one of Paso Robles most spectacular wineries. Have more time? Check out our top picks for a romantic getaway in Paso Robles and our 3-day itinerary in Paso Robles. And of course, if you are looking for more ideas to do during COVID, here are our top 5 fun ideas to do at home.