A lumberman’s old Oregon garden becomes a holiday light show this winter, and nobody sells tickets at the gate

Most Oregon holiday light shows happen in a parking lot or a shopping district. This one happens on a clifftop estate where waves are crashing somewhere out in the dark, and it’s the best reason I can think of to drive to Coos Bay in December.

Shore Acres Holiday Lights run from Nov. 26 to Dec. 31, 2026, and the park describes them as thousands of lights and displays spread through its formal garden. The catch is that you can’t just roll up and pay at the gate. Here’s how it works.

You need a timed reservation, and the gate sells nothing

Entry comes in four evening slots: 4:30, 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Parking is $10 per vehicle, and passengers don’t need their own tickets, so carpooling is encouraged (and makes the price a bargain). Both the timed entry and the $10 have to be purchased before you arrive, because there are no onsite sales.

Book through the Shore Acres page on ReserveAmerica or call 800-452-5687, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Half of the parking inventory went on sale June 1, and the rest releases on a seven-day rolling window starting Nov. 19 at 6 a.m. for Nov. 26 visits. Changed your mind? Date and time changes are free until the ticket is viewed or printed, but tickets are nonrefundable.

Save your confirmation to your phone or print it before you leave, because the park has no internet access. Some folks get the $10 waived, including anyone with a 12-month parking permit, a veterans or foster families pass, a current state park camping receipt, or an Oregon Pacific Coast Passport. You have to select that option when you reserve and show the item at entry.

The garden has a better backstory than most mansions

Lumberman and shipbuilder Louis J. Simpson built Shore Acres as a private clifftop estate and summer home, with plants arriving from around the world on his sailing ships. The grounds included a Japanese-style garden built around a 100-foot lily pond. A fire destroyed the original three-story mansion in 1921, and Simpson started on an even bigger replacement.

Money trouble in the 1930s left the place in rough shape, and Oregon bought the property in 1942 to turn it into a public park. The house eventually came down, and today the restored formal gardens are the main event. Walking them lit up at night, with the Pacific thumping against the cliffs just beyond, is the kind of thing that makes you forget it’s cold out.

Want more of the coastline while you’re down here? Our guide to the Southern Oregon Coast covers stops from Bandon to Brookings, and the best Oregon coast hikes are worth a daytime detour.

How to actually enjoy the night

Plan on about an hour inside. After dark, parking is only allowed in the Shore Acres day-use lot, and it’s prohibited at nearby overlooks, pull-outs and along Cape Arago Highway. Guests without a 4:30 p.m. ticket have to be out of the park by 4 p.m., so don’t plan on sneaking in early to claim a spot.

My one firm opinion: book the 4:30 slot if you can. It’s the earliest entry, so you get the most breathing room before the evening wears on. Disabled parking spots aren’t guaranteed, but drivers can drop off passengers near the garden entrance.

Come back in daylight if you can. From December through June, the enclosed observation building on the old mansion site is the spot for watching big storm waves and migrating whales.

A Santa’s Shuttle is also planned from the Charleston Marina to Shore Acres, sponsored by Oregon Adventure Coast, with details still to come. Which slot are you grabbing? Tell us in the comments, and let us know if you’ve seen the lights before.

Trip tips: grab a rental car to get out here, lock in your hotel before the good rooms are gone, or skip both and book a camper van instead.

Rules and fees change, so always confirm current requirements before you go.

Sharing is caring!