You might have heard of “forest bathing,” the practice of restorative walks in nature. Sensorio, with its rolling and shimmering installations in the undulant hills outside of Paso Robles, is “light bathing.” And its hypnotic and dazzling effects are both restorative, enchanting and surreal.

The newest exhibit, the Fiber Optic Symphonic Orchestra (FOSO) by British “light artist” Bruce Monro, opens another branch of your senses, with the colors of its 32 light columns synchronized to an original musical score — a dreamscape of eye, ear and mind.

Sensorio’s several hundred acres host six exhibits, all easily accessible on intersecting paths, and all accentuating that the phrase “liquid light” isn’t just a metaphor. While we sauntered through the various installations, we could overhear the “wows!” and “oohs!” of our fellow light surfers. We stood transfixed at so many spots, gawking, pointing and sighing.

In an era where Fear of Missing Out drives much of our social media anxiety, Sensorio offers something different — a Fear of Sensorio Omission. Sensorio isn’t a tourist trap to check off your bucket list; it’s a reminder that sometimes the most profound experiences come when we allow ourselves to be momentarily lost in wonder.The six art installations

Field of Light: Walking down from the Terrace Experience seats (vintage Airstream bar!) past the monumental oaks at sunset is vivid enough. But then you witness the original and most iconic exhibit of the five by artist Munro. This installation covers the hills with a carpet of 100,000 color-changing bulbs, creating a mesmerizing, ever-shifting tapestry.

Light Towers: In this installation, 69 towers, each about 7 feet tall and constructed from 17,000 recycled wine bottles, pulse with fiber-optic light in sync with music. It’s a nice nod to the region’s wine heritage.

Gone Fishing: Sparkling rods arch over a mock river, with bridges offering dramatic vantage points to view the interplay of light and landscape.

Fireflies: Clusters of glowing-tentacle optics add to the otherworldly ambience, dotting the outskirts of the path with their synchronized swaying.

Dimensions (by the HybyCozo collective): Over 40 glowing geometric orbs and sculptures that cast intricate patterns and shadows across the ground and visitors, inviting interaction and contemplation. Some can be spun around, some you can walk into, all you can marvel at.

FOSO (Fiber Optic Symphonic Orchestra): The latest addition, this installation features 32 columns of light arranged in a rotary structure, their colors and intensity synchronized to “Tessellation,” an orchestral composition by Emmy award-winning composer Nainita Desai.

Tips for maximum Sensorio sorcery

Get tickets in advance: Nothing says poor planning like driving all the way to Paso Robles, only to find the ethereal dreamscape sold out.

Timing is everything: Arrive 45–60 minutes before sunset. The oak-dressed hills are lovely in and of themselves, but watching the installation “wake up” as daylight fades is amazing.

Dress like an onion: Layer up regardless of season. Even summer nights can get chilly, and nothing disrupts artistic transcendence like chattering teeth.

Come hungry and thirsty: Food trucks and Airstream bars await. You can sip wine (or a craft cocktail) while surrounded by a sea of light.

The impact of Sensorio

As we wandered through the installations, watching strangers collectively gasp as the lights shifted in bewitching harmony, I realized Sensorio’s true magic.

For a few precious hours, it creates a community united solely by awe — no politics, no divisions, just shared human appreciation for beauty.

Artist Munro and composer Desai echo those feelings.

“Looking with your ears, looking with your eyes, looking with all your senses — it’s amazing then how rich the world around you becomes,” Munro says. “We sometimes need to remind ourselves that we do live in an extraordinary, beautiful world.”

Desai chimes in: “This is my small attempt of trying to bring out beauty from chaos to find our place in the world and who we are.”

Details: Sensorio, 4380 Highway 46 East, Paso Robles. 805-226-4287; https://sensoriopaso.com. Tickets are priced according to the exhibit options. Total Glow Terrace Experience, $110—$140 general, $85 child; Total Glow, $65 general, $30 child; Classic Glow, $50 general, $22 child; and Dimensions, $25 general, $15 child.