Paso Robles wineries offer a lot more than wine tasting: think ziplining, ax throwing, horseback riding, disc golf, and even camping among the vines. Our maverick winemakers color outside the lines with their wine, and plenty of them do the same with the tasting room experience. Here are 13 wineries with a genuinely unique activity built into the visit.

Key Takeaways

• Ancient Peaks Winery pairs tastings with six ziplines, guided wildlife tours, e-bike rides, and two on-site escape rooms via its sister company, Margarita Adventures.
• Dark Star turns a relaxed tasting into a game night with ax throwing, darts, an observation beehive, and DIY (you grill them) burgers.
• Castoro Cellars’ Whale Rock Disc Golf Course is free for wine club members ($5 day pass for everyone else), and no reservation is needed, just check in at the tasting room.
• Pianetta Winery lets you camp among the vines on its 95-acre ranch, in your own tent or its Airstream Retreat, bookable through Hipcamp starting around $80/night.
• Several tasting rooms, including Glunz Family, Barton Family, and Bushong Vintage Company, double as game rooms, with everything from putting greens and giant Jenga to a Star Wars pinball machine.

Here are all 13 of our favorites: wineries that deliver outstanding wine plus an adventurous or offbeat activity that will make your visit one-of-a-kind.

Jump to an Activity

• 1. Ancient Peaks Winery: Ziplining, Wildlife Tours & Escape Rooms
• 2. Dark Star: Ax Throwing, Darts & DIY Burgers
• 3. Graveyard Vineyards: Fishing
• 4. Brecon Estate: Helipad Views & Giant Photo Frame
• 5. Cass Vineyard & Winery: Horseback Riding
• 6. Castoro Cellars: Disc Golf
• 7. Bushong Vintage Company: Star Wars Pinball
• 8. Glunz Family Winery & Cellars: Putting Green
• 9. Penman Springs Vineyard: Puzzles
• 10. Sea Shell Cellars: Beach Mural
• 11. Barton Family Wines: Giant Lawn Games
• 12. HammerSky Vineyards: Knockerball
• 13. Pianetta Winery: Camping

1. Ancient Peaks Winery: Ziplining, Wildlife Tours & Escape Rooms

Ancient Peaks Winery sits in the heart of Santa Margarita, and its sister company, Margarita Adventures, turns the historic 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch into a full adventure park: six ziplines over oak-studded valleys and vineyards, guided wildlife and nature tours, e-bike rides through the ranch, and two on-site escape rooms.

Take a walk (or Humvee ride) through the ranch’s natural habitats for up-close sightings of deer, eagles, and hawks. Along the zipline route, guides share the ranch’s role in California’s famed Mission Trail and its sustainable winegrowing practices. Conclude your adventure at the Ancient Peaks tasting room and café.

• Book through: Margarita Adventures (advance reservations recommended for ziplining and tours)
• Good for: non-wine-drinkers, families, thrill-seekers

2. Dark Star: Ax Throwing, Darts & DIY Burgers

Dark Star has been crafting small-production wines across 20 different varietals for 25 years, and its relaxed, family- and pet-friendly indoor/outdoor tasting space is built for more than sipping. Challenge your group to ax throwing, one of the oldest sports around and newly back in style, or play darts and watch the resident observation beehive while you wait for your DIY burgers to hit the grill.

• Good for: groups, families with pets, non-wine-drinkers

3. Graveyard Vineyards: Fishing

Graveyard Vineyards, on the east side of Paso along the Pleasant Valley Wine Trail, sits next to a historic 1865 graveyard and pours small-lot wines with big flavors. Its picnic area backs right up to a stocked fishpond: bring your own pole, sit on the dock, and cast a line between pours.

Snap a photo of your catch and tag it #pasowine.

• Good for: anglers, kids, picnicking groups

4. Brecon Estate: Helipad Views & Giant Photo Frame

Brecon Estate, a boutique winery in the Adelaida District on Paso’s westside, has its own helipad and a jumbo suspended photo frame hanging from a giant oak, one of the most Instagrammable spots in Paso wine country. Snap a photo at the frame and tag #BreconEstate to get reposted.

• Reservations: recommended via Tock
• Good for: photo ops, small groups, special occasions

5. Cass Vineyard & Winery: Horseback Riding

Cass Vineyard & Winery offers wine country off the beaten path, on horseback. Ride through the vineyards to see the changing seasons, explore the sandy riverbed, and trek through heritage oaks before finishing at the Spanish hacienda-style tasting barn and café. It’s a great pick for families, large groups, or a destination reunion.

6. Castoro Cellars: Disc Golf

Castoro Cellars‘ Whale Rock Disc Golf Course winds through old-growth oaks in an organically farmed vineyard, scenic enough that it’s been ranked among the top winery disc golf courses anywhere. It’s designed for every skill level, from total beginners to disc experts, and it’s a genuinely great non-wine activity to bring the whole family along for.

• Cost: free for wine club members; $5 day pass for everyone else
• Discs: rentals available at check-in, no need to bring your own
• Reservations: none needed. Check in at the tasting room and play anytime during hours (10am-5pm); check in by 4pm to finish by close

7. Bushong Vintage Company: Star Wars Pinball

Bushong Vintage Company, a short walk from Downtown City Park in historic downtown Paso Robles, pours small-production, eclectic wines alongside a Star Wars pinball machine and a 1,000+ album vinyl collection you’re welcome to spin. May the force be with you.

• Good for: downtown walkers, music and pinball fans

8. Glunz Family Winery & Cellars: Putting Green

Glunz Family Winery & Cellars, surrounded by 40 acres of grapes along Highway 46 East in the Geneseo District, pours more than 10 varietals daily alongside a full lineup of lawn games: bocce, corn hole, and a putt-putt golf course. Your ace in the hole earns you another glass of wine.

• Good for: all ages, casual groups

9. Penman Springs Vineyard: Puzzles

Penman Springs Vineyard feels like the countryside despite being just a few miles from downtown Paso Robles: vineyards, oak trees, and a rustic tasting room with sweeping views. Inside, a large puzzle sprawls across the farmhouse table, open to guests of all ages. It’s a genuinely good activity for anyone in your group who isn’t drinking wine.

• Good for: non-wine-drinkers, families, slow afternoons

10. Sea Shell Cellars: Beach Mural

Sea Shell Cellars, in the heart of downtown Paso Robles, brings a relaxed, nautical-themed vibe to match its champion wines. Husband-and-wife owners Michelle and Rick built the space as a nod to their favorite beach memories. A massive floor-to-ceiling beach mural is the ideal backdrop for a group photo: grab a glass of wine, a few beachy props, and say “Sea Shell.”

• Good for: photo ops, downtown walkers

11. Barton Family Wines: Giant Lawn Games

Barton Family Wines‘ restored modern farmhouse, wraparound deck with vineyard views, on-site farm-to-table café, and adjacent distillery already make it worth the stop, and then there are the lawn games. Extra-large Connect Four and Jenga are perfect for challenging your group (or befriending strangers), and corn hole and ladder golf round out the lineup, ideal for anyone skipping the wine.

• Good for: groups, non-wine-drinkers, all-day visits

12. HammerSky Vineyards: Knockerball

Editor’s note: multiple sources (Yelp, a local wine-country Facebook group) indicate HammerSky Vineyards & Inn may be closed or under new ownership as of 2026. Please confirm current status before publishing this entry, then delete this note once verified, or replace the entry entirely if the winery is no longer operating.

HammerSky Vineyards teamed up with Knockerball SLO to bring this thrilling, inflatable-ball game to tasting room guests: think soccer or Sharks and Minnows, but everyone’s wearing a giant bubble and trying to stay on their feet. Spectators try not to spill their wine while laughing at the big hits.

• Good for: groups, active/adventurous visitors

13. Pianetta Winery: Camping

Pianetta Winery lets you turn a wine country visit into an overnight stay. The 95-acre ranch, 65 acres of which is planted to vine, offers campfire nights with brilliant views. Pack your own tent or book the well-appointed Airstream Retreat for a bit more comfort.

• Cost: tent/RV camping starts around $80/night for two guests, plus $30 per additional guest; the Airstream is a separate, higher-end listing
• Book through: Hipcamp (bookable up to 6 months out, 1-night minimum)
• Good for: overnight stays, couples, small groups

FAQs About Paso Robles Winery Activities

Do I need a reservation for these activities?

It depends on the activity. Ziplining, escape rooms, horseback riding, and camping all require advance booking through the operator (Margarita Adventures, Central Coast Trailrides, or Hipcamp). Disc golf at Castoro Cellars needs no reservation, just check in at the tasting room. For ax throwing, lawn games, puzzles, and the other in-tasting-room activities, call ahead to confirm availability.

Are these activities good for non-wine-drinkers?

Yes, that’s the point of this list. Fishing at Graveyard Vineyards, puzzles at Penman Springs, lawn games at Barton Family and Glunz Family, and disc golf at Castoro Cellars are all activities anyone can enjoy without a glass in hand.

Is there an extra fee beyond the wine tasting?

Some activities are free with a visit (lawn games, puzzles, the beach mural, the photo frame); others have their own cost separate from tasting fees: disc golf runs $5 for non-club members, camping at Pianetta starts around $80/night, and outdoor adventures like ziplining and horseback riding are booked and priced through their respective operators.

What’s the best time of year to visit for these activities?

Spring and fall offer the mildest weather for outdoor activities like ziplining, horseback riding, disc golf, and camping. Summer works too, but plan for heat during mid-afternoon outdoor activities.

Can I fit more than one of these into a single day?

Most of these wineries are spread across Paso’s various districts (Adelaida, Geneseo, Pleasant Valley, and downtown), so plan on 2-3 stops per day if you want time to enjoy each activity without rushing. Downtown options (Bushong Vintage Company, Sea Shell Cellars) pair well together since they’re walkable from each other.