Light This Way

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).

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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