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Paso Robles, California
Retirees are Drawn to Easygoing Paso Robles, California for its Wine Culture, Rural Charm, Plentiful Festivals and Hot, Dry Climate
Lovely Paso Robles (also known as El Paso de Robles) is located amid rolling hills about half way between Los Angeles and San Francisco. A sleepy city that is starting to wake up thanks to its growing reputation as the center of an up and coming wine-producing region. It was originally known for its hot mineral springs and was once a favorite resting stop for outlaws Jesse and Frank James. Now this bucolic spot is surrounded by 26,000 acres of vineyards and nearly 200 wineries, producing more than 40 varietals, everything from Cabernet Sauvignon to Merlot and Zinfandel.
Paso Robles (population 32,000) also sports a quaint downtown, safe neighborhoods, great senior programs and low-key ambiance. The cost of living is well above the national average, partly because this is California but also because of the high quality of life enjoyed here.
Rustic not too long ago, today the city, known as Paso by locals, is undergoing some gentrification, and residences range from restored Victorians and classic California bungalows with red tile roofs to new luxury homes popping up in the nearby hills (tract homes, though, are also finding their way here). This is a place to retire if seeking a hot, dry, sunny region with an appreciation for everything wine.
Various events draws tourists throughout the year. Olive festivals, Americana festivals, classic car shows, summer theater presentations in the park, farmers' markets and the fun California Mid-State Fair each July are all well-attended. The region's plentiful and eclectic wineries offer activities, from sunset wine tastings with formal string quartets to wine and gourmet cheese events with celebrity chefs, every month, attracting wine connoisseurs and their friends from around the state.
The Paso Robles Senior Center is a part of the city's library and recreation department and is located in a 5,000 sq. ft. building. A library, wifi Internet and a wide selection of events and activities are available, including film viewings, workshops, book discussions, games, sporting events and a writers' workshop. Trips to Los Angeles' museums and theaters are routinely scheduled, and rides for people who do not drive are also available. The Center is a great place to volunteer.
The Pacific coast is roughly 45 minutes to the west, but two lakes, Lake Nacimiento and Lake San Antonio, are within a shorter drive and provide venues for year-round water recreation. Paso's downtown is quaint and picturesque and a winner of the National Great American Main Street Award. Horse-drawn carriages add charm, and pedi-cabs are an easy way to tour the delightful restaurants, tasting rooms, shops and galleries.
The city is also gaining a reputation as an equestrian center, with the National Stock Horse Association Snaffle Bit Futurity and the Hackamore Classic just two of several horse shows each year. With an abundance of outlying paved trails, this is also a great place for bicycle lovers. The strenuous 39-mile Vineyard Drive Loop and the gentler 21-mile Star Farms Loop are both popular rides, with picnic and wine tasting facilities found along both.
Adventist Health in Templeton, nine miles away, is the closest hospital and is a 114-bed, full-services facility. Residents are happy to report that Paso Robles has 244 physicians per capita (the U.S. average is 170).
Paso Express is the local public transportation. The city also offers a Dial-a-Ride service and an ADA para-transit service. Amtrak serves the city, and San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport, 25 miles southwest, is the closest public airport.
This is the central coast of California, and it is characterized by long, hot, dry summers (100°F or more during the day) and brief, sometimes cool, rainy winters. Autumn lingers, and spring often comes early. Summer temperature swings can be profound, as much as 50°F between daytime highs and overnight lows. Rainfall is only about 14 inches a year, most of it falling from October to April. Sunshine is in abundance nearly all year long. Surrounding hills are covered in dry grassland and oak woodland, a typical California chaparral landscape.
There are some drawbacks to retirement in Paso Robles. Compared with the rest of the U.S., Paso Robles also has a 1,721% greater than average chance of experiencing an earthquake and was actually struck by the San Simeon Earthquake in 2003. Damage was fairly extensive and led to the downtown being renovated, which is why the downtown is so cute today.
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