Skip Las Vegas' Sphere For An Affordable San Francisco Alternative Hosted At A Cathedral

There's a sense of wonder and playfulness captured in the whimsical, light- and sound-filled spaces, such as the Las Vegas Sphere, designed to entertain through sensory immersion. Launched in October 2025, San Francisco offers its own illuminated, multisensory experience set within the historic Grace Cathedral. The experience, called AURA, projects light effects across the cathedral's vaulted ceilings, accompanied by original music.

Unlike the newer, technology-driven model of the Sphere, AURA is intended to complement the historic cathedral space. It even begins with a 15-minute historic and architectural exploration of the Grace Cathedral. The Sphere's shows are typically paired with an act and are quite costly (a seat for its "Wizard of Oz" show currently starts at over $100). Its prices — plus the fact that Las Vegas has been ranked the unhealthiest city in America — may make the Sphere unappealing for the casual traveler. AURA's prices, on the other hand, start at $30 per adult, and its shows highlight the cathedral itself.

While not as extravagant as the Sphere, you might find that AURA offers a similar immersive design, not by coincidence. One of its co-presenters, The Moment Factory, has produced shows at the Sphere. Its projects are all marked by the same signature style: vibrant lights, storytelling through projections, and layered sound. Having started at the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal, AURA has also been hosted at the dome at Les Invalides in Paris before coming to San Francisco.

The AURA experience at Grace Cathedral is broken up into two parts. The first is a 15-minute exploration of the church, which outlines some historical information and has an interactive, app-based feature that lets you add a light effect to the cathedral interior. The actual show is 30 minutes long, during which you sit in the church's nave as beautiful imagery, such as waves and stars, is projected across the ceiling and orchestral music plays. One Yelp reviewer said the show was "better than most 'immersive' experiences that are just projections on the walls – this show is not too loud, has lots of light, and highlights the beautiful architecture of the cathedral." However, the reviewer also noted that the show started late — something reviewers of other show dates have also experienced.

The Grace Cathedral is located in San Francisco's Nob Hill neighborhood, about a 30-minute drive from the San Francisco International Airport. One of the benefits of AURA's relatively short length, along with its easily accessible location, is that you have time to explore other parts of the neighborhood before or after the show. Nob Hill is home to the House of Prime Rib, one of the tastiest restaurants in San Francisco, so you could grab dinner before a show later in the night. Or, walk just five minutes down the block for a post-show drink at Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar, which Anthony Bourdain once called "the greatest place in the history of the world."