A Evening at Sensorio Paso Robles

Well, I finally got out of Dodge. The pandemic gave me a good case of cabin fever and I was jumping at the bit to get out of town. As soon as things started to improve I decided it was time to venture north to Paso Robles for a quick overnight trip. I was invited to view the light installation, Sensorio, and decided it was the best excuse to return to traveling.

Bruce Monro: Light at Sensorio opened in May 2019 and was an immediate success. The walk-through art installation features over 58,000 colorfully illuminated spheres coating 15 acres of hillside in the heart of central coast wine country. Designed by noted artist Bruce Monro it’s an otherworldly experience that’s utterly unique.

I”d been longing to visit Sensorio ever since it opened but life, including a global pandemic, got in the way. But waiting to visit proved to be a blessing in disguise because it has recently expanded with an additional viewing experience called Light Towers.

Light Towers consists of 69 towers made of over 17,000 wine bottles – an homage to the area’s vineyards. Over 7 feet tall the towers are illuminated with changing colors that pulsate to the rhythm of “Rise and Shine” an original choral composition created by Orlando Gough specifically for the installation.

When I visited Light Towers I arrived before sunset and, over the course of an hour, witnessed them grow increasingly illuminated as the darkness enveloped them. It was an enchanting experience that held me attention for nearly an hour as the colors pulsated around me.

Sensorio is ethereal experience that is well worth a trip to Paso Robles to see. Open Thursday through Saturday it runs until September 30 and advance tickets are recommended. You can find more information here.