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Paso Robles, Arroyo Grande make best downtown list

March 13, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

Both Paso Robles and Arroyo Grande were selected as two of the best downtowns in California, according to WorldAtlas.

In awarding a spot to Paso Robles, the article praises the Paso Robles City Park, “a beautiful green space with a playground, picnic areas, and a rose garden.” In addition, the downtown hosts mutiple museums, art galleries, wineries and tasting rooms.

“In the heart of California’s Central Coast, Paso Robles boasts a lively downtown area that reflects its rich history and wine culture.,” according to WorldAtlas. “The district is centered around the historic Paso Robles Inn, which still houses a thermal spring. Surrounding it, well-preserved Victorian-era buildings line the streets, home to boutiques, art galleries, and award-winning restaurants, like the Michelin-starred The Hatch Rotisserie & Bar.”

WorldAtlas also recognizes the many attractions in Arroyo Grande’s downtown area, including the Clark Center for the Performing Arts, the Arroyo Grande Historical Museum, coffee shops, wineries and tasting rooms.

“Arroyo Grande, a delightful town on California’s Central Coast, boasts a vibrant downtown area that reflects its rich history and culture,” according to WorldAtlas. “The downtown district, centered around Village Green, is characterized by its well-preserved Victorian-era buildings, charming boutiques like Posies in the Village, art galleries, and lauded restaurants.”

 


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Arroyo Grande has homeless living in the creek in the downtown. They come up and hang out at the tables in the village.


6

Please note that the statement that these two towns were “selected as two of the best downtowns” is not a function of anything more than the money paid to the tourism promotion groups. This is why you see what you see in such magazines as Sunset or AAA. This is paid advertising. The transient occupancy tax (TOT) is often a large part of the funding as is the money raised by “business improvement groups” and the like. Here in Arroyo Grande, they are wanting to shove another hotel through, this time right next to St Patrick’s School. For those of us who prefer quality of life over the greedy pursuits of the money hungry cities, this is a sad thing. We live here to have a quality of life. Not many people realize that more is not always better. The quality and character of our central coast is being destroyed by the developers.


16

This county wouldn’t be able to survive without tourism and development. Without we would all be significantly poorer and have to pay significantly higher taxes. A lower quality of life for you and future generations.


There are many dying rural towns in Appalachia and the Rust Belt that have done an excellent job at preserving their character against the scourge of tourism and development. I’m sure you’d love it there.


-12

One thing that both cities have in common is free parking. PR almost blew it, but managed to save themselves from the SLO death of exorbitant downtown parking fees.

I was in Pismo Beach the other day. It is a virtual forest of parking meters. The last time I tried to park in a metered space in PB, they had wanted $5. I thought the store I wanted to go to was far enough from the beach to avoid parking fees, but no. There was not an unmetered parking space anywhere close to where I wanted to go. (BTW, there were a lot of empty spaces.) So, I just went home and ordered what I needed from Amazon. I felt bad for the merchant who is under the heel of a greedy city trying to soak tourists while punishing residents.


26

Free parking downtown where land is valuable is not a good use of that land. It also contributes to traffic congestion and air pollution with people circling for the elusive perfect spot. If anyone wants to dive deeper into this topic, Donald Shoup has written extensively about parking, https://www.shoupdogg.com/.


-17

I know! It’s madness. I do manage to park free on the streets south of the pier. Short walk to the shops. If parking is unavailable there, head to the free beach parking 4-5 streets or so south of the pier. I have always found a spot there–and then it’s a nice walk up the boardwalk.


0

It’s obvious to me why SLO downtown did not make the list. Homeless roaming the streets and camping out overnight. Mini-SF.


There was a time when SLO downtown was on everyone’s list.


35

As much as I want to disagree with this comment, I just can’t. SLO downtown has definitely deteriorated over the last couple of decades. Closed businesses, homelessness, and bars…that is what we have now.


24