Oregon State Parks will release the rest of its Thanksgiving night parking reservations for Shore Acres Holiday Lights at 6 a.m. Pacific on Thursday, Nov. 19. If the evening you want near Coos Bay is already sold out, the park will release more spaces seven days ahead of each show through New Year’s Eve.
The lights are free to see. Drivers generally pay $10 per vehicle for a timed parking reservation and must have it before arriving. The display runs every night from Nov. 26 through Dec. 31, including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, from 4:30 to 9 p.m. Pacific. The Friends of Shore Acres estimated that 40,000 to 50,000 people visited last season.
When to check for parking
The park put half of each night’s parking inventory on sale June 1. The other half becomes available at 6 a.m. Pacific seven days before the visit. That puts Thanksgiving night’s release on Nov. 19 and Friday, Nov. 27’s release on Nov. 20. For Christmas Eve, check Dec. 17. For New Year’s Eve, check Dec. 24. Spaces still available from earlier releases can be booked on the Oregon State Parks reservation site.
The vehicle entry times are 4:30, 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. If you’re splitting the trip between two households, one reservation covers everyone in one car. Two cars need two reservations. The ticket gives you an arrival time. You can stay in the garden beyond that hour, and the last arrivals still have until 9 p.m. to see the lights. You can also book by phone at 800-452-5687 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific. The online release opens two hours before the phone line.
What to bring to the gate
Some visitors qualify to have the $10 fee waived, including people with a 12-month Oregon State Parks parking permit or an Oregon Pacific Coast Passport. The park’s parking rules also list qualifying special passes and camping reservations. Select the applicable option when you reserve and bring both the reservation and the qualifying pass or confirmation to the park.
If your plans might change, leave the ticket unopened until you’re sure. Oregon State Parks says changes can be made without a fee while the ticket remains unviewed and unprinted, subject to availability. It does not refund cancellations. Once you’re ready to go, print the ticket or save a screenshot with the date, time, ticket ID and visitor name. The reservation service warns that the park has no cell service or internet access.
Aim for the time on your reservation. Daytime visitors need to leave by 4 p.m. unless they have a 4:30 p.m. Holiday Lights ticket. During the show, the park has no on-site parking sales. After dusk, nearby pullouts, overlooks and roadside spaces are closed to parking. Oregon State Parks confirms a shuttle will return from Charleston Marina. Check the state’s event page for this year’s schedule before relying on it.
What the garden visit involves
The lights fill the formal gardens on the bluff above the Pacific. Allow about an hour for the display, the time the park says most visitors spend there. The park’s accessibility information says many paths are accessible and a limited number of wheelchairs are available at the Information and Gift Center on a first-come basis. Accessible parking is limited. If someone in your vehicle needs a shorter walk, ask the attendant where to drop them near the garden entrance before you park.
The park’s address is 89039 Cape Arago Highway, Coos Bay. If you want to see the coast in daylight and the lights after dark, the 4:30 p.m. slot lets you stay through the transition. Oregon State Parks permits service animals. Dogs otherwise must stay in the vehicle, and the formal garden is closed to pets.
