Sensorio   02

Light This Way

Experience the Extraordinary Sensorio Lighted Art Exhibition in Paso Robles

Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields of Paso Robles. This immersive experience takes you through whimsical, wondrous, and colorful exhibits of art, sculpture, and solar-powered light installations. Add music, food, drinks, and some firepits to relax around, and you’re in for a most illuminating evening. Be sure to get to Sensorio before sunset to enjoy live music and the Mercado Restaurant and Bar (there’s a food truck on-site too).

Live music at the Sensorio Mercado Restaurant in Bar in Paso Robles

As the evening deepens, follow an easy walking trail that begins at the Field of Light, the largest of the exhibits.

Over 100,000 stemmed spheres blanket the landscape, starting as a subtle shimmer while the sun settles across the horizon. As darkness falls, the hills blossom into a technicolor mirage of jeweled flowers unfurling as far as the eyes can see.

The fairy-trail continues as you explore exhibits like Light Towers—a glowing ode to the region’s celebrated wine country. The towers are made of over 17,000 wine bottles, lit by fiber optics and transforming colors in sync with ambient music.

The Tower of Light colorful exhibit at Sensorio in Paso Robles

It’s a short distance between exhibits, with Airstream bars, benches, and other resting areas along the way.

An airstream snack bar at Sensorio light exhibition in Paso Robles

The firepits in front of the DIMENSIONS exhibit are an excellent spot to sit back and be mesmerized by the massive metal sculptures carved with delicate and intricate patterns that cast light across the ground in intricate mosaics.

People sit in front of a firepit while looking out at the colorful Dimensions exhibit at Sensorio light exhibition in Paso Robles

Then immerse yourself in this enlightening atmosphere. You can walk into some of the structures and give others a gentle spin to produce light patterns on the earth beneath your feet.

People wander the Dimension exhibit at Sensorio in Paso Robles

People wander the Dimension exhibit at Sensorio in Paso Robles

The newest installation is Fiber Optic Symphonic Orchestra (FOSO), the fifth one created here by world-renowned artist Bruce Munro. The columns of FOSO are state of the art, yet the lights—synchronized to a musical score—make you wonder if giant caterpillars will come crawling out of what might be modern mushrooms, such is their dreamlike quality.

Two women looking at the FOSO art and light exhibit at Sensorio

Sensorio is a place where nature, music, and colorful technology merge in one unforgettable experience. Oh, and don’t forget to look up every now and again, too—the stars come out bright in the Paso Robles sky as crickets add their own soundtrack to the evening.

Sensorio Field of Light with an Oak Tree in the setting of Paso Robles

TIP: Sensorio's Terrace Experience (pictured above) is especially unique: enjoy a front and center seat amid fireside tables and heaters, an Airstream bar drink ticket, and a premier view of the Field of Light exhibit.

Sensorio Information and Tickets

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

    View
  2. Golden Gate's Blue Heron

    Golden Gate Park’s Blue Heron Lake is home to birds of many feathers, turtles lounging on rocks, visitors from afar, and locals who love this urban oasis in San Francisco. Try the "Boats and Breakfast" rowboat or pedal boat deal.

    View
  3. Rio Del Mar-velous

    Rio Del Mar State Beach in Aptos might be one of the best places for a treasure hunt. Its location between two other beaches makes for a good stroll featuring a spectacle of wildlife as you search the sand for sea glass and seashells.

    View
  4. Aloha from California

    Say Aloha without leaving California with a 7-mile out-and-back hiking adventure to Lake Aloha in El Dorado National Forest. You can also camp here, a premier place for stargazing.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Gentle Giants

    Some people visit national parks to marvel at the iconic sights, while others come seeking solitude in nature. With visitation on the rise, it can be hard to find both. But in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, this pair of trails offers both....

    View
  2. Walking the Los Angeles River Trail Through Frogtown

    Frogtown Strutter’s Stroll

    Don’t go dismissing the Los Angeles River as merely a 51-mile concrete channel. It’s a genuine urban artery that links real neighborhoods, and its riverside bike/ped paths endear i

    View
  3. Griffith's Golden

    With over 4,200 acres and hundreds of trails, Griffith Park is the gold standard. Opt for the lesser-hiked northwestern end of the park and visit the 2.25-mile Skyline and Oak Canyon loop from Travel Town.

    View
  4. Sponsored

    Fall for It All in Reno Tahoe

    The best kind of getaway? Less time on logistics, more time on memory-making. Jackpot! You’ve got Reno Tahoe.

    View