Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County of California is world famous for its wineries, over 200 of them to be exact. But Paso Robles is not just about wine. There is much more to the area for the entire family. This town and San Luis Obispo County in general are perfect locations for agritourism.
Take Paso Robles farm tours, for example. There is a lot for everybody to choose from: do you like alpacas? horses? lavender? honey? apples? Would you like to learn about olive oil production or beekeeping? All in a fun, family friendly way. Central Coast offers some of the best California farm tours in my opinion.
Below I have curated the list of best Paso Robles farm tours with an easy to use Google map at the end. It covers a variety of farms in San Luis Obispo County.
Don’t you hate it as a traveler and a busy parent when someone presents to you a list of attractions and it turns out that it is incomplete and/or deceiving and you have to waste your time weeding through it to find the information that is really of value to you?
There is a separate SLO farm trail map available online, i.e. the map of farms in San Luis Obispo County (not created by yours truly) but it is totally confusing and unhelpful. You would expect to easily find great Paso Robles farm tours on it but you can’t. Why so? Because many locations on the map are not really farms and don’t offer any tours or any educational experiences. Some of them are just produce stores or even unrelated businesses like a plant nursery that only does wholesale sales and is closed on weekends.
Only recently I found out the reason behind this mishmash: the SLO farm trail map only includes businesses that are willing to pay a hefty sum to be included on the map and so lots of truly great San Luis Obispo farms tours and farm experiences are not on it!
So here is an honest disclaimer about my Paso Robles farm tours map:
- None of the farms on my Paso Robles farm tours map paid me to be included in this list
- We visited ALL of these San Luis Obispo County farms and tried ALL of these tours and related experiences
- We chose one leader in each category, two at the most, because let’s face it, if you have just a week of vacation or worse, just a weekend, you wouldn’t want to go to 5 apple farms. You would want to try “the best in class” in each category, wouldn’t you?.
- This Paso Robles farm tours map is not set in stone. I will be updating it once we find more great San Luis Obispo County farms to add to the list – save this map so that you don’t lose it for future trips.
My map of Paso Robles farm tours includes not only farms in Paso Robles town proper but also in neighboring towns within a reasonable driving time from Paso Robles, roughly, within 45 minutes driving radius which covers a decent area of San Luis Obispo County with several Central California farm tours.
BEST Paso Robles farm tours and farm related experiences
Paso Robles farm tour if you like ALPACAS
If you are a fan of alpacas then you must visit Capaldi Ranch in Paso Robles. You will be able to learn about alpacas, feed them and even hug a couple. But this is not all: Capaldi Ranch has many different friendly animals: sheep, goats, horses, cows, chickens and dogs. The herd dogs love to interact with humans and they are so cuddly! They ask you for pets all the time you are on the farm.
Weather permitting you will take a ride around the ranch on a buggy. At the end of the tour you will be able to see a demo of how alpaca wool is turned into thread and shop for a variety of cute alpaca wool products.
If you can, schedule your visit end of February – early March. Capaldi Ranch has dozens of almond trees that burst into bloom this time of year. It is the sight to behold!
Paso Robles farm tour if you like GOATS
If you like goats you should tour Giving Tree Family Farm in Santa Margarita. The same as with Capaldi Ranch, even though the focus of the farm is on goats you will be able to see other animals on the farm: pigs, turkeys, alpacas and even a couple of emus.
Capaldi Ranch and Giving Tree farm tours are quite different, I can’t say “choose one over the other”. I believe if you love farm animals you need to experience them both and that is why I put them both on our list of best farm tours in Paso Robles Area.
Paso Robles farm tour if you like HORSES and UNIQUE FARM EQUIPMENT
If you like horses and a bit of the “Old West” flair Harris Stage Lines in Paso Robles is the place for you. During their tour of the ranch you will be able to see antique stagecoaches and farm equipment, meet the horses and at the end take an exciting ride on Concord Stagecoach driven by the horses – all in the atmosphere of the true Old West. It is so much fun!
Other experiences that Harris Stage Line offers: horse driving lessons, kids birthday parties and group events.
Paso Robles farm tour if you like OLIVE OIL
There are several olive oil farms in Paso Robles area because the climate here is perfect for growing olives. We visited several of them before we decided which one should be on our list of best farm tours in SLO county. Only farm will give you a deeply educational, interesting and engaging experience – Kiler Ridge Olive Farm.
If you don’t have much time you can just stop by for olive oil tasting at Kiler Ridge but I strongly suggest devoting a couple of hours to one of their educational tours, especially if you have older kids. We loved olive oil production tour, it is long, almost 2 hours (young kids will be bored) but you learn a lot. And definitely do the tasting after the tour for the complete experience.
Paso Robles farm tour if you like APPLES
You can find many apple farms in San Luis Obispo County but many of them just offer a fruits store where you can buy apples and some other produce but nothing more in terms of an educational experience. If you want an experience and not just going grocery shopping then try Gopher Glen Apple Farm.
This is the only apple farm that I know of in San Luis Obispo County that offers FREE apple tasting during which you can learn a little bit about different types of apples, most of which you have never even heard of. After the tasting you can decide which apples you would like to buy or not at all, it is up to you.
I wish they had a farm tour – I would come back in a heartbeat!
Please, note that Gopher Glen, as many other apple farms, open only seasonally between the months of July and December.
Paso Robles farm tour if you like LAVENDER and HONEY
If you love lavender and/or honey then you should definitely visit California Lavender Honey Farm. Why visit just a lavender farm when you can get so much more from your tour in addition to lavender? And let’s be honest, younger kids will be bored at a farm that focuses just on lavender. Trust a mom with 2 kids, we have been to a local lavender farm tour where even I voted to leave early because it was your typical one size fits all, put me to sleep now group experience.
California Lavender Honey Farm offers educational family friendly tours that cover, as the farm name suggests, lavender (with a stop at their lavender field), beekeeping and the amazing world of bees (with a stop at the unique Bee Museum pictured as a cover image for this article) but also the vegetable garden and the greenhouse, olives and olive oil, sustainability and much more. Depending on your interests your tour can be adjusted to spend more time at a certain “tour stop” because these are not standard group tours, these are “by appointment” tours fitted to your needs.
At the end of the tour you will have the opportunity to do FREE tasting of the honey and any veggies that they have in season, purchase produce from the fresh produce stand and wonderful hand made gifts such as beeswax candles, soaps, and salves.
You will also be able to take gorgeous pictures with the Farm’s adorable purple barn, rolling hills and plenty of cute seasonal decor with a backdrop of Paso Robles’ famous vineyards.
An honest disclaimer: California Lavender Honey Farm tours are run by yours truly, a child educator by profession, who can adjust the tour according to your kids ages and family needs.
If you like PUMPKINS
There are lots of pumpkin farms in Paso Robles Area and San Luis Obispo county at large. Our most favorite one of them all is Chesebrough Farm in Templeton. This pumpkin farm, the same as most other pumpkin farms, is open in October only. Here are the reasons why we like it:
- It has the biggest variety of pumpkins and squashes by far than any other farm in Paso Robles area, both edible and decorative, which are lined up in the most beautiful fashion.
- For the ones that are edible the farm owners would be happy to give you advice on how to cook them.
- There are lots of Fall themed installations to take pictures with your family.
- You can also buy the most delicious pomegranates here, right from the tree.
- This Farm is located in a very rural area, away from any main roads and it has that wonderful, true country feel. In comparison, there is a farm located in Paso Robles area right on HW 46 with heavy traffic along this main thoroughfare that just does not have the same great farm vibe.
- Chesebrough Farm is not crowded at all. If we take the same farm that I mentioned in #5 for comparison, their premises are much more crowded, the pumpkin displays are much, much smaller and the line to check out is totally not worth it.
If you like CHEESE and ICE CREAM
If you like ice cream and cheese there is no better place to stop by than CalPoly Creamery. Ok, this is the only place on this list that is more of a store than a farm but TRUST ME, you will not regret stopping by this creamery and here is why.
CalPoly Creamery is part of CalPoly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences. CalPoly students work here as part of the University’s “learn by doing” approach. The Creamery is located in a rural setting among grazing cows who give milk to create these delicious cheeses and ice creams.
You can do a drive-through to get delicious ice cream and cheese to go but also get a scoop or two of ice cream to eat right there, watching the cows thus, completing the full “circle of life” of this yummy goodness. Your visit also supports CalPoly students which is very important to them.
Please, note that the drive through is only open on Fridays from 12 to 4 pm.
If you like a great FARMER’S MARKET
Downtown SLO Farmers Market is a MUST visit. It showcases many wonderful farms in San Luis Obispo county but it is more than just a farmer’s market. It is a big outdoor festival with music, exhibits for kids, delicious food cooked right in front of your eyes and so much more.
Downtown SLO Farmers Market is a way of life in San Luis Obispo County. You really need to experience it. Plan to spend at least a couple of hours: stroll the streets, check out all the booths, have dinner and just enjoy yourself. It is an evening farmer’s market every Thursday in downtown San Luis Obispo.
By the way, if you are not able to stop by CalPoly Creamery on a Friday they typically sell their products at the Downtown SLO Farmer’s Market.
If you like BIG FESTIVALS
San Luis Obispo county is famous for its farm themed festivals. You will get the best possible experience in agritourism if you visit these yearly events in San Luis Obispo County.
Best of the West Antique Farm Equipment Show
Best of the West is a 4 days festival that takes place over Memorial Day weekend at Santa Margarita Ranch in Santa Margarita. It is a super fun event with lots of activities for the entire family: you can watch tractor parade and military parade; you can observe blacksmith demos, earth moving demos and ploughing demos. You can even do a tour of the ranch on a vintage train!
This is a one of a kind Festival that is not to be missed. Check out our fun video report from the Festival:
California Mid-State Fair
Nothing celebrates the concept of farming better than a county fair. I have been to several county fairs in the Midwest and in California and I honestly believe that California Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles stands a head above the rest. It feels like it has a lot more to offer to the visitors.
For instance, you can find out which winery became the Winery of The Year and which wines won which medals, so that you know where to go and what to buy as a consumer while you are here in the wine country.
There is also a gorgeous flower arrangements competition as part of the Fair that I personally really love.
I like that the Fair is located right in the heart of town and not in the open field as most other state fairs do. So it is easy to get to, there are paved walkways and a good amount of shade, which is important in San Luis Obispo county in July, when Mid State County Fair takes place.
And their performers schedule is always top notch – this year’s headliner is going to be Tim McGraw!
Pioneer Day
Pioneer Day is a fun festival that takes place in Paso Robles on the second weekend in October. The pinnacle of it is Pioneer Day Parade that showcases antique farm equipment, equestrian groups, horse drawn wagons and carriages, some farm animals, marching bands and even vintage automobiles.
In addition to the parade, there are different contests happening throughout the day, such as: Children’s Pets contest, Little Cowboy/Cowgirl contest, Horseshoe Pitching contest, etc. The Pioneer Museum in Paso Robles will also have some special activities.
San Luis Obispo Farms Map / Paso Robles Farm Tours Map
I have created an easy to use map for you that shows all the San Luis Obispo farms / Paso Robles farm tours and farm experiences that I have described above.
The map overview:
And here you can access the live interactive San Luis Obispo County Farms Map in Google Maps format that you can use as your SLO farm trail map.
I hope you will enjoy your trip to San Luis Obispo County and will be able to check out many of these Paso Robles farm tours and farm themes experiences.
If you found this article useful, please, share it with other as it may help them with their travel plans too.
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