Napa too Expensive? Then Visit Paso Robles Instead!
Local Wally
Stunning Views in Paso
Let me start by saying that I’m a huge Napa fan and writethe popular guide on Napa called NapaTouristGuide.com. In Napa Covid really messed things up and Napa tourism, once only second to Disneyland as the most popular tourist destination in California, took a nose dive. When Covid let up the crowds increased dramatically… but so did the pricing. Napa went from a fun weekend to a luxury weekend with tasting fees jumping up to a hundred bucks per person, sometimes more. Splurges like The French Laundry with their $390 pp dinner menu once seemed extravagant, but with some wineries charging over $200 pp to taste it almost seems like a deal.
Well, maybe for some but if you’re on a more down to Earth budget then Paso is calling. Tasting fees are still easily under $30 pp with a lot of wineries charging much less. Use your Priority Wine Pass (it’s $39 per couple if you need one) and get two for one deals, making Paso downright inexpensive.
As for food, OK, the food is not the same caliber as Napa but it’s also quite good. Here are some of my favorite restaurants but basically going out to dinner is still going to be very good, really good, but also isn’t going to cost you an arm and a leg.
Same with hotels - Some Napa hotels started charging double what they used to but in Paso you can still find normal hotel rates, you know, Marriott level rates for nice hotels.
What About the Wine and Winery Experiences?
Serious wine lovers will tell you that Napa makes better wine and I would generally agree but when I’m having fun wine tasting the level of nuance isn’t large enough to impact the experience. In other words, if I was stocking up my wine collection and wanted to impress the boss I’d probably still break out the Napa wine, but really Paso wines are so darn close to Napa and much more affordable that it won’t make much of a difference. And since it’s not hundreds of dollars for a bottle you won’t have to wait for that “special occasion” to open it up.
As for winery experiences it sort of depends on what you are looking for but in Paso you’ll find that most of the wineries are small and family owned, meaning that person behind the bar just might be the winemaker. The experience often feels more authentic in Paso so if part of your wine tasting experience you’re looking for is chatting about wine, perhaps leaving a bit along the way, or just having a casual conversation, Paso is it.
Napa, on the other hand, has many more impressive and historic wineries. Full blown castle? Check. Tram ride? Check. Expansive picnic area? Check.
But Paso wineries offer views, quiet areas under the oak trees, live music, and plenty of options for gourmet food to pair with your wine. And crowds are much more manageable in Paso. They’re different, but don’t think of Paso as in any way inferior. I
Visit Paso Now
Paso is on the cusp to becoming the next big thing but right now it’s still a bit of a wine lovers secret. The wines are exceptional, the experience authentic, the people friendly, and the prices still very reasonable. Who knows, maybe in 10 years we’ll look back on this article and say “those were the days” but for now these ARE the days. Come visit, you’re going to love it, and let me know what you think.