Paso Robles is well-positioned for excursions along the Central Coast. The most popular short trip is to Morro Bay (30 minutes west on Highway 41), where the volcanic plug of Morro Rock dominates the harbour and the waterfront has good seafood restaurants and kayak hire. The drive follows the Templeton Gap through the mountains and arrives at the coast with a noticeable drop in temperature.
San Luis Obispo, about 45 minutes south on US-101, is the county seat and a lively university town with a well-preserved historic downtown and the famous Madonna Inn — worth a detour for the sheer eccentricity of its themed rooms. The Thursday night farmers' market on Higuera Street is one of the best in California and a reason to time a visit for that evening.
Cambria and the nearby Moonstone Beach are about an hour northwest. This is a quieter stretch of coast with good walking, sea otters in the kelp beds, and the village's laid-back arts scene. Hearst Castle at San Simeon, 15 minutes north of Cambria, is a genuinely remarkable monument to Gilded Age excess — the tours of the main house and the Neptune Pool are worth the price of admission.
The James Dean Memorial at Cholame, 30 kilometres east, is a quick half-day trip for film history enthusiasts, best combined with a drive through the open ranch country of the Cholame Valley.