Sensorio to welcome millionth visitor this summer. How it became a phenomenon
Paso Robles’ Sensorio was once a 10-acre, single light bulb of an idea. But seven years later it has established itself as a local staple — a 35-acre-wide “playground for the mind.”
That’s what General Manager Ryan Hopple said when recalling the mega light experience’s inception back in 2019.
“This has always been a dream of our owners, Ken and Bobby Hunter,” he said. “They wanted to have a playground for the mind. They love the arts, they love music, and they wanted to have something in the community that would focus on those things.
He continued: “What started out as a kind of temporary, let’s see if this is going to work, has turned into over seven years and eight exhibits — if you count our amazing parking lot that has a very impressive light show of its own.”
The entire experience features about 100,000 light bulbs over the 35 acres at 4380 Highway 46, just near the Paso Robles Municipal Airport, to which its website describes as “bioluminescent flowers from a jewel-toned fantasy land.”
The property has eight exhibits like Field of Light, Light Towers, Fireflies and Gone Fishing, featuring glowing fishing poles and “whimsical catches,” among other installations, and it even has a restaurant, food trucks and live music.
Paso Robles light show continues to grow
Throughout its seven years, Sensorio’s proven itself to be a sight to see, Hopple said, with the venue expecting its millionth customer this summer.
According to Travel Paso, the light exhibits see about 70,000-100,000 guests per year.
But it doesn’t plan to stop there. With 380 acres of property, Hopple said the experience will do nothing but grow — that includes offering overnight stays among the lights.
“When we first opened, we operated on about 10 acres, and now we operate on about 35 acres, and we plan to continue to expand even more in the next couple of years,” he said, “and we’re working with the city for updates to have a hotel on site, and just continue to grow and be a part of the community, and hopefully continue to be an icon in the Central Coast as a must-see destination while you’re in the area.”
Plans for Sensorio’s hotel are ongoing, and must still be reviewed and approved by the city within the coming weeks.
Advancing Paso Robles ‘tech corridor’
Its proximity to the airport, and Paso Robles’ coined “tech corridor” set the experience up for even more success in the future as Airport Road develops.
Take for example The Landing, a proposed $800 million community hub at the old boys’ school. This one million square foot project’s renderings feature retail, hotels and conference centers that would be just a few miles from Sensorio.
As corporate trips to conference centers like The Landing increase, Hopple said Sensorio could eventually accommodate more group events on site.
“I think it’s a great untapped source for Paso and the Central Coast,” he said. “As companies and event people start to learn more about this amazing area ... it’s just going to bring in more industry and business to our area. So, it’s an exciting time.”
And more customers mean more jobs, Hopple said.
With 87 employees currently, both part-time and full-time, Sensorio would look to hiring more local people in construction, security, office administration, food and beverage and guest services.
Upcoming installations
This summer visitors can expect one new exhibit and some upgrades to Sensorio’s current installations.
Coming out Fourth of July weekend is a tree projection near the site’s restaurant.
“It’s a tree that’s above our restaurant that uses projection mapping,” Hopple said. “Like this weekend we’re going to do like a fireworks display on the tree, and just some really, really neat stuff, and you’ll be able to see it from all of Sensorio.”
Other updates include new projections, like a river and new fish in exhibit Gone Fishing, Hopple said, the Fireflies exhibit is also being expanded and is expected to be completed by September.
