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🗺️ Farm Day Trips guide
Things to Do Near the Lavender Farms of Paso Robles & San Miguel, California
Hambly Farms in San Miguel opens its copper-still lavender farm for U-pick from May to July, a short drive from the 1797 Mission San Miguel.
4 places · updated October 17, 2026
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North San Luis Obispo County is rolling ranch and vineyard country along the Salinas River, with Paso Robles as its main town and the small town of San Miguel just to the north. Paso's downtown is built around a city park, the Adelaida area to the west holds wineries such as Tablas Creek and JUSTIN, and the 1797 mission in San Miguel still has its original painted church interior. Atascadero and the hills around Santa Margarita Lake sit a short drive south on Highway 101.
Two lavender farms anchor the area. Hambly Farms, on Grana Place in San Miguel, grows and steam-distills its lavender in a copper still, and its Dutch Mill oil won a gold medal at the 2025 International Lavender Oil & Culinary Competition. It opens for U-pick, guided walks and sunset evenings during bloom, and its farm store is open on Fridays. Central Coast Lavender in Paso Robles, a registered organic estate founded in 2006 and one of the state's first women-owned organic lavender farms, started the Central Coast Lavender Festival in 2009 and sells its oils and body care online.
The lavender farms
- Central Coast LavenderLavender farm · Paso Robles
English and French lavender bloom about a month apart
Not open to the public; visits by arrangement only through their website's contact form.
- Hambly FarmsLavender farm · San Miguel
starts in May, peaks June and July
U-pick day passes Friday–Sunday 10–4, May through July (2027); guided walks weekend mornings; Sunset on the Farm Saturday evenings; groups by appointment. Public visits ended for 2026.
Best time to visit
Hambly Farms says its lavender usually starts blooming in May and peaks in June and July, depending on weather; its public season of U-pick, guided walks and sunset events runs May through July, and after closing for 2026 it plans to reopen in May 2027. Its farm store stays open on Fridays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and group tours are by appointment. Summer is also when the Central Coast Zoo in Atascadero opens daily (Memorial Day through Labor Day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.); the rest of the year it opens Thursday through Monday. Mission San Miguel is open daily, and the Estrella Warbirds Museum opens Thursday through Sunday all year. If you plan to paddle or fish at Santa Margarita Lake, note that since January 1, 2026 every boat, kayaks included, must pass a Clean, Drain & Dry inspection, and ballast boats need a 30-day quarantine.
Places to see nearby parks, trails, beaches and landmarks
- Mission San Miguel Arcángel🏛️ Historic site · San Miguel · about 1 mi, 5 min drive
The 16th California mission, founded in 1797. Its 1818 church, with six-foot-thick walls, keeps interior frescoes painted by Native artisans that have never been repainted; it reopened in 2009 after earthquake repairs.
Daily 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
- Estrella Warbirds Museum🏛️ Museum · Paso Robles · about 9 mi, 15 min drive
Restored military aircraft, vehicles and memorabilia at the Paso Robles airport. The same ticket covers the Woodland Auto Display of vintage and race cars, and an F/A-18 cockpit simulator runs on Sundays by appointment.
Thursday–Sunday 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Adults $20, seniors $15, students, veterans and ages 6–12 $10, 5 and under free
- Downtown City Park🏞️ Park · Paso Robles · about 11 mi, 15 min drive
The city park at 11th and Park Streets in the center of downtown Paso Robles, a natural meeting point between shops and tasting rooms; its flat loop is 0.36 mile.
- Salinas River Parkway Trail🥾 Trail · Paso Robles · about 10 mi, 15 min drive
A 1.6-mile paved and dirt path along the Salinas River from the Riverbank cul-de-sac to the 13th Street Bridge, linking to a half-mile loop at Larry Moore Park. Leashed dogs are allowed.
- Paso Robles Pioneer Museum🏛️ Museum · Paso Robles · about 10 mi, 15 min drive
A museum of small-town life in the 19th and 20th centuries, with a one-room schoolhouse, the old city jail, a Model T and fire truck, and models of the old Paso Robles Hotel and downtown.
Call (805) 239-4556 for open days
- Barney Schwartz Park🏞️ Park · Paso Robles · about 11 mi, 20 min drive
A city park on Union Road east of downtown with a 0.88-mile paved loop, handy for a leg-stretch between wineries on the east side.
- Central Coast Zoo🏞️ Park · Atascadero · about 25 mi, 35 min drive
An accredited zoo, formerly the Charles Paddock Zoo, in Atascadero's wooded Lake Park, with about 100 species including lemurs, binturongs, flamingos, burrowing owls and radiated tortoises.
10 a.m.–4 p.m.; daily Memorial Day–Labor Day, Thursday–Monday the rest of the year
$15.50 ages 13+, $10.50 ages 3–12
- Santa Margarita Lake Recreation & Natural Area🌲 Preserve · Santa Margarita · about 41 mi, 55 min drive
A county-run reservoir and several thousand acres of open space east of Santa Margarita with hiking and riding trails and fishing for trout, catfish, crappie, bluegill and redear. Swimming is not allowed because the lake supplies San Luis Obispo's drinking water.
Boats must pass inspection; ballast boats need a 30-day quarantine (2026 rules)
Where to stop: farms, food and stays
- Tablas Creek Vineyard: HomeWinery or vineyard (21+) · Paso Robles
Adelaida Road winery known for Rhône varieties and as the first Regenerative Organic Certified vineyard, with seated tastings on a shaded patio by appointment.
- JUSTIN Vineyards & WineryWinery or vineyard (21+) · Paso Robles
West-side Paso estate with reserved visits, a seasonal multicourse dinner restaurant and a separate downtown tasting room.
- Café RomaRestaurant · San Luis Obispo
Italian restaurant with handmade pasta run by the Rizzo family since 1980, by the railroad depot in San Luis Obispo; dinner Monday–Saturday from 4:30.
A one-day plan
- 10:00 AMHambly Farms
In bloom season (May–July), book a day pass to cut your own bouquet and see the copper still; about 1 hour. Out of season, visit the Friday farm store (11–4).
- 11:15 AMMission San Miguel Arcángel · about 5 min drive
See the painted church interior and gift shop; about 45 minutes.
- 12:20 PMDowntown City Park · about 15 min drive
Lunch downtown around the park (bring a picnic or pick a spot facing the square) and walk the short park loop; about 1 hour.
- 1:40 PMEstrella Warbirds Museum · about 10 min drive
Aircraft hangars and the Woodland Auto Display, Thursday–Sunday; about 1.25 hours.
- 3:15 PMTablas Creek Vineyard · about 20 min drive
A booked seated tasting on the patio, 21+; about 1 hour. Plan a designated driver.
- 5:15 PMCafé Roma · about 45 min drive
Early Italian dinner in San Luis Obispo (Monday–Saturday from 4:30).
Tips
- Hambly Farms sells a limited number of day passes and weekends fill quickly, so book ahead; closed-toe shoes are required and pets are not allowed.
- Check which day it is: the Estrella Warbirds Museum opens Thursday–Sunday, and outside summer the Central Coast Zoo closes Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
- Paso Robles city trails welcome leashed dogs, but horses and motorized vehicles are not allowed.
- Wineries on the west side, such as Tablas Creek and JUSTIN, work by appointment; tasting is 21+ and a designated driver helps.
- At Santa Margarita Lake, every boat, including kayaks, must pass inspection, and swimming is not allowed.
Checked in October 2026 against official park, tourism and business websites. How we check listings
Questions
When does lavender bloom in Paso Robles?
Hambly Farms says bloom usually begins in May and peaks in June and July, depending on the weather.
Can I visit a lavender farm here in the fall?
Hambly Farms' public field season is over for 2026 and reopens in May 2027, but its farm store is open on Fridays from 11 to 4.
Is Mission San Miguel open to visitors?
Yes, daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Its church interior still shows the original frescoes.
What can kids do near Paso Robles?
The Central Coast Zoo in Atascadero, the Estrella Warbirds Museum's planes and cars, and the schoolhouse and jail at the Pioneer Museum are all within about 35 minutes of San Miguel.
🪪 Collect a stamp at every stop
The free Lavender Passport keeps a stamp for each farm and stop you visit, in real life and in the Lavender Farm Simulator. At the farm, play Field Quest to collect plant varieties as you walk, climb the leaderboards and unlock sponsor rewards.
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