Paso Robles for Families
Wine country with kids along.
Paso Robles isn't only tasting rooms — there's a full roster of things to keep kids entertained too. Want the grown-up version? See things to see and do around town.
Museums & Attractions
- Paso Robles Children's MuseumHoused in the town's former volunteer firehouse downtown, complete with the original fireman's pole and a real fire engine kids can climb aboard. Two floors of hands-on play areas — a pint-sized market, a pizza kitchen, a theater, and an outdoor play area — plus hands-on craft projects.
- The Ravine WaterparkThis is a must in the summer if you've got kids along — slides, pools, and a lazy river right here in Paso, and a genuinely great way to beat the heat during wine country's hottest months. My tip: rent a cabana. It gets you a shaded home base for the day, and you'll be glad to have somewhere to retreat to between runs down the slides. If you don't have kids with you, head to The Cove — it's the park's adults-only area.
- Central Coast ZooThis charming small zoo in nearby Atascadero (formerly the Charles Paddock Zoo) is a great way to spend an afternoon. I love the flamingos, especially when they're sitting on eggs or have babies — they do their own choreographed dances, or at least that's what it looks like to me. The meerkats are endearing too, always watching you right back. The zoo is also part of a lot of the events around Atascadero Lake, including Brew at the Zoo and the Atascadero Wine Festival.
- Pioneer MuseumI love this small museum about the settlement of the old west and small town life in Paso Robles. Right near the Mid State Fairgrounds, it's a great place for kids and adults to get some local history. Free to enter.
More Family Fun
- Central Coast TrailridesGuided horseback rides on the historic 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch — a working cattle ranch otherwise closed to the public. Founded by the Hallett family in 2015, with horses matched to riders ages five and up and a range of experience levels, including first-timers.
- Mr. Putter's Family Fun CenterAtascadero's go-to for affordable family fun — a full 18-hole mini-golf course, a retro arcade with 70+ games, gemstone mining, and an escape-room-style puzzle parlor. A popular pick for birthday parties.
- Hop's Bounce HouseAn indoor bounce house play center in Atascadero. A shoes-off, clean indoor space with bounce houses sized for everyone from babies to tweens — a good rainy-day or hot-day escape, and a popular spot for birthday parties.
- Jack Creek FarmsA fifth-generation family farm out on Highway 46 West in Templeton — u-pick apples and berries, honey and olive oil tastings, a farm stand, and "Happy Acres," a kids' play area with farm animals and imaginative play stations. Best known for its fall pumpkin patch, once named California's best by House Beautiful.
- Park CinemasAn independently, locally owned movie theater right in downtown Paso Robles, showing current blockbusters on nine screens. It's got a wine bar for the adults, real-butter popcorn, and one of the biggest candy selections around — an easy rainy-day or after-dinner stop.
