Shore Acres State Park is a beautiful landscaped area and formal garden perched high above the pacific ocean on the southern Oregon Coast. It’s located 13 miles SW of Coos Bay off Hwy 101. Every year this park turns into an amazing magical display of holiday lights… this year featuring over 300,000 LED lights!

Beginning Thanksgiving Day through December 31, you can walk through the garden and enjoy hot cider and cookies at the Garden House. It has become a great family tradition for many so reserve your vacation rental on the Southern Oregon Coast now!

Shore Acres State Park~ Grants Getaways 2009
*The lights shine 4-9:30 pm daily through December 31

A new 2010 display will be featured this year… a lighted model of The Western Shore (also known as The Oregon Clipper) a flagship from a fleet of tall ships owned by Captain Asa Simpson who built a lumber shipping empire along with his sons. One of the sons, Louis J Simpson built the private estate which is now Shore Acres State Park. The large mansion on the estate is long gone, but the restored five-acre garden is the heart of today’s park. The holiday lights version of this ship was built by welding instructor Ray Daniels for the Friends of Shore Acres. It stands 11 feet long with a 12 foot high mast and boasts 3,000 lights!

Shore Acres Holiday Lights began in 1987 with 6,000 miniature lights strung by the Friends of Shore Acres. Vibrant, energy-saving LED lights have replaced the originals, and the show has grown from a community affair into a nationally publicized event. Around 50,000 people visit annually. More than 1,500 volunteers make it happen.

You will need a state park day-use parking permit ($5 daily). Be sure to visit the garden caretaker’s house for a cup of hot cider.

For more information contact: Shore Acres State Park (541) 888-3732
Co-Chair Shirley & David Bridgham (541) 756-5401, bridgham@epuerto.com

~ Thanks & have fun AT THE BEACH!

Photo by Lonnie R. Peck~ Bearded Elf Productions

So far… our lighthouse tour has included Tillamook Head, Cape Meares, Yaquina Head,Yaquina Bay, Heceta Head and Umpqua River lighthouses… next stop is Cape Arago lighthouse which is located between Coos Bay and North Bend.  (Currently the  lighthouse is closed to the public but you can get some great views from the Sunset Bay State Park, just south of Charleston).

This beautiful bay area also offers world-class fishing opportunities and sand dunes towering up to 500 feet,  for all of you off-road enthusiasts! A host of State and County parks are also available for camping, hiking and site-seeing… Oh, and don’t forget the ocean & beach! To accommodate your stay… here’s a vacation rental that’s perfect for a group of 10 and has extra parking for your ATV’s and boats too!

The current Cape Arago lighthouse is the third building constructed for use as a beacon. The original structure was erected in 1866, octagonal shaped and made of wrought iron, it used a lantern for its light. The next building was made of wood and erected in 1908; it also was octagonal shaped and housed a fourth order Fresnel lens. The structure of  today was built in 1934 and was made of reinforced concrete, in hopes it could better withstand the harsh coastal environment. This new tower houses the Fresnel lens from the second lighthouse. The lighthouse was automated in 1966 and although a fog horn remains, the lighthouse was decommissioned and on January 1, 2006 the light was turned off. The Coast Guard removed the Fresnel lens from the tower in 1993, and placed it on display for viewing at the Coast Guard Air Station North Bend.

Next up… Coquille River Lighthouse

~Thanks & have fun AT THE BEACH!