More Tickets, Shuttle Buses Open Up for S. Oregon Coast's Holiday Lights at Shore Acres

Published 11/18/24 at 3:25 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Coos Bay, Oregon) – One of the entire state's largest holiday lights celebrations is just about here – and now they are offering shuttles to and from the event, allowing visitors to bypass the timed ticket system. More tickets go on sale in the next few days.

The Coos Bay area hosts the Annual Holiday Lights at Shore Acres State Park event, starting November 28 and going through December 31, 2024. Nearly half a million LED lights create an effervescent glow at the south Oregon coast landmark, starting at 4:30 p.m.and going until 9 p.m.

A couple of years ago, Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) had to change the admissions process to the park to a timed ticket situation. Traffic had become backed up for hours because the event became so popular.

You now have to reserve your time slot and by advanced ticket purchase of the usual $5 per car for a state park. Parking reservation time slots are available for 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. for Nov. 28-Dec. 31.

Only about 50 percent of the available times went on sale on June 1. The other half open up on with a 7-day rolling window that begins November 21 at 6 a.m.

See the site or call 800-452-5687, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

However, if you want to bypass all this, the Charleston / Coos Bay / North Bend Visitors Bureau has instituted a free shuttle bus running Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Eve. They depart from the Charleston Marina.

They're called Santa's Shuttle.

“The Charleston Fishing Families will be serving complimentary hot beverages and pastries each night the shuttle operates, with a warm place to wait,” the bureau said. “Donations are always welcome.”

OPRD said you can get your timed entry (date and time) and parking for any day within the rolling window as long as parking spots are available.

It is by far and away the most popular of such events on the Oregon coast.

“The system allows visitors to quickly enter the park, which reduces traffic backups and safety concerns on the Cape Arago Highway,” OPRD said.

The Shore Acres Holiday Lights been going since 1987, gathering bigger and bigger crowds each year. Some 50 to 60 thousand people visit every time. The record was 74,392 visitors in 2017, largely because of little rain. MORE PHOTOS BELOW

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MORE PHOTOS BELOW

Photos below courtesy Friends of Shore Acres

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Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast.

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