As the sun slid behind the rolling, buff-colored hills outside Paso Robles, the crowd gathered along the wide path welcomed the growing darkness.
Their wait was rewarded as the sunset's fading colors gradually gave way to the emerging glow of 100,000 multicolored lights planted like wildflowers on the surrounding hillsides. The magic of Sensorio's Field of Lights was officially on display.
Originally opened in 2019 as a temporary exhibition by artist Bruce Munro, Field of Lights proved overwhelmingly popular. It is now a permanent installation at Sensorio, an engaging destination that invites visitors to experience seven immersive exhibits blending art, technology and nature that come alive at night.
With all my geographically-dispersed children together for one weekend to visit their nana, she wanted us to do something special to celebrate - experience Sensorio. She tasked me with securing tickets online, and although it was last-minute, I had no trouble booking our group of eight.
With so much to see scattered over such a large area, it's easy for a large group to get separated. And we quickly did, despite my best efforts to keep us together. My mom and her friend Larry wanted to go at their own more leisurely pace. And the kids were anxious to move at their own faster speed. So that left April and me on our own.
We followed the winding path through the Field of Lights. The changing sky and varying perspectives compelled frequent picture-taking stops.
It was fully dark when we reached Light Towers. Here, Munro had fashioned 69 individual round towers from more than 17,000 wine bottles filled with glowing optic fibers. The towers shifted colors in time with an instrumental soundtrack. FOSO, short for Fiber Optic Symphonic Orchestra, opened in April 2025 as Sensorio's newest exhibit. The structures' shapes mimic large umbrellas composed of hundreds of thin light strands.
In contrast to the bright but stationary stars overhead, the strands pulse to an orchestral score, giving an otherworldly feel to the exhibit.
We continued on to Fireflies, which uses white lights to create what appears to be dozens of glowing jellyfish swimming in place. Their tentacles are blown by the whims of the breeze instead of undersea currents.
Dimensions is the most hands-on of Sensorio's exhibits. Lit from within, the large-scale metal sculptures cast geometric shadows across the ground. Several of them spin, giving visitors the opportunity to manipulate the visuals by altering the speed of the sculptures' rotation.
Sensorio is unique not only for its displays, but also for its invitation to linger. At the entrance, you'll find a wide lawn perfect for sitting and enjoying live music either before you see the exhibits, or after. Inside the nearby barn is Mercado, a full-service bar and restaurant.
Sure, you can move quickly through each exhibit, checking them off like tasks on a to-do list. But why?
My mom and Larry had the right idea: Take your time and really experience it. Grab a drink at one of the Airstream bars and then sit for a while. Or pause at one of the benches placed at exhibit overlooks.
By going slow, you can hear the music float across the hills on the breeze, see the rhythm of the changing colors or simply marvel at the imagination and ingenuity that brought the spectacle to life.
More than something to see, Sensorio is an experience to savor.
Eric Harnish lives in Castaic, where the hills are also illuminated, usually by headlights.

Get your Glow On
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