Field of Light at Sensorio
DETAILS:
Location: 4380 Highway 46 East, Paso Robles, CA 93446
Hours of Operation: Wednesday thru Sunday. Hours vary by day and season (see their website blow under “resources” for current schedule), but generally runs from 5PM to 10PM.
Parking: Free parking lot available on site.
Cost:
Adults: $27 Wednesday & Thursday / $30 Friday thru Sunday
Children: $9 Wednesday / $18 Thursday / $19 Friday thru Sunday
VIP: $110 Wednesday - Sunday. Includes access to VIP terrace, picnic dinner, 2 drinks tickets, and souvenir tote bag.
Food, drinks, & merchandise available for additional cost.
Time Commitment: 1 hour
Miscellaneous:
Live music entertainment available nightly.
The following items are not allowed: outside food & drinks, pets, chairs, roller blades, skateboards, bicycles, professional recording equipment, and cooking equipment.
Although the above states that pets are not allowed, management allowed our small dog (10lbs) to enter on the day we visited. Your results may vary.
If possible, I recommend arriving just before dusk so that you can watch the scenery fully transform into the darkness of night.
Every spring, California is graced by the fleeting presence of the superbloom at various locations throughout the state. If you’ve ever had the chance to (respectfully) visit an outburst of these Monet-like wildflowers, you know what a spectacular sight this is to behold. But have you ever witnessed a superbloom comprised of 58,800 fiber-optic “flowers” that magically glow in the night? If not, then I highly recommend a trip to Field of Light at Sensorio to view this dazzling blend of nature and technology for yourself.
Located in Paso Robles, about four hours north of Los Angeles, Field of Light at Sensorio is the creation of British artist; Bruce Munro, who is widely known for his expansive light installations. Having established previous “Field of Light” projects around the world in countries like Korea and Australia, Field of Light at Sensorio is Munro’s latest addition to that collection (opened on May 19th, 2019). Spanning across 15 acres of countryside, it’s his largest installation to date.
A sea of stemmed LED spheres canvas the rolling hills like a warm blanket of stars, slowly undulating in a colorful cascade of light. It almost appears as if the entire field is pulsating with life, and in some ways it is, thanks to the nightly visitors who share this experience together and the surrounding environment that it co-exists with. Field of Light at Sensorio is meant to complement the landscape it calls home, not detract from it. According to Munro, “We want visitors to be completely immersed in the environment, inclusive of the stars above,” And if you’re wondering about sustainability, due to the solar-powered nature of these illuminated orbs, “The amount of light emitted is surprisingly minimal — about the same as what a couple of houses would give off if they were spread over a 12-acre valley,” Munro explains, “so there’s a balance between the stars on the ground and those in the sky.”
Whether it’s art imitating life or the other way around, Field of Light at Sensorio is a true marvel and should be on every California bucket list for as long as it’s around. “If you build it, they will come.” So don’t you think it’s time for you to go?
