Give the Gift of Paso Robles

By Shonna Howenstine, City of Paso Robles Tourism Coordinator

After hearing a visitor say last year that they planned to purchase items made in or near Paso Robles during the holiday season, we agreed that the idea was genius and set to work compiling THE LIST. That's right, we would put into one place every item we know of that is made or can only be found in Paso Robles. Our shopping adventure took us through websites that in turn inspired our imaginations AND made checking off our shopping lists remarkably easy and fun. 

It turns out we have some serious talent in Paso Robles, making amazing items that have shown up in the trend-setting pages of magazines like  Better Homes and Gardens and Martha Stewart magazines; a selection that encompasses art, jewelry, cheese, books, and grass-fed beef; and an array of experiences that range from a Jeep ride through a vineyard to skydiving to stagecoach driving lessons. You can find wonderful gifts for foodies, adventurers, art lovers, kids, divas, manly-men and everything in between.

Okay, here's THE LIST:

Goods:

• Art, Sculpture and Pottery www.studiosonthepark.org, www.thefireflygallery.com, www.valefineart.com, www.piercemodern.com
• Balsamic Vinegar www.weolive.com
• Books by Local Authors http://bit.ly/FriendsPasoLibrary
• Chocolate www.rmcfpasorobles.com
• Cheese http://www.casswines.com/cass/page/creamery.jsp
• Clementine Cupcakes (of Better Homes and Gardens fame) www.clementinecupcakes.com
• Coasters (that say Paso Robles on them!) http://on.fb.me/gLDTGF
• Gourmet Provisions www.pasospices.com, http://bit.ly/CrissyMathers, www.vineyardgourmet.net, and www.pasoterra.com
• Fine Craft Items http://FineCraftStudios.com
• Goat Cheese and Goat Milk Products www.happyacresfamilyfarm.net
• Gift Baskets of locally made products www.oluvskin.com (to open here December 5th)
• Grass-Fed Beef Gift Pack www.parkfield.com
• Handmade Gifts (Martha Stewart mentioned her) http://bit.ly/EmilieM
• Hats http://DreamWoven.com
• Honey www.ntnah.com
• Italian Soda - Root Beer, Orange Cream, Cola and Black Cherry www.pithywine.com
• Lavender Products www.centralcoastlavender.com
• Mulling Spices www.pithywine.com
• Olive oil http://paso.weolive.com
• Olive oil skin care products http://oluvskin.com
• Walnut Oil www.limerockorchards.com
• Wine and Port www.pasowine.com
• Women's Clothing www.vinestreetapparel.com (also sold at Jayde in Paso)

Experiences:

• Art Workshops www.studiosonthepark.org
• Cooking Classes www.diningwithandre.com
• Lodging or Dining Gift Certificates www.travelpaso.com
• Hunter Ranch Golf Course www.hunterranchgolf.com
• Massage/Facial/Spa Day www.replenishmassage.com, www.twistway.com, www.kennedyclubs.com/serenity-at-kennedy/ and www.sageskinspa.com
• River Oaks Hot Springs Spa www.riveroakshotsprings.com
• Stagecoach Driving Lessons (for real) http://bit.ly/HarrisStageLines
• Steinbeck Vineyards Crash Course www.steinbeckvineyards.com
• Wine Tasting www.pasowinecentre.com or www.pasowine.com
• Wine Tours www.travelpaso.com

As always, anything you need to know about Paso Robles can be found at www.travelpaso.com.

Shonna Howenstine is the tourism coordinator for the City of Paso Robles and has lived in Paso since 1983, where her first favorite place to shop was The Mercantile. She can be reached at shonna@prcity.com if you'd like to your Paso-made product to be added to this list.