Stay Eat Events Weather Beaches

Coos Bay Holiday Event Growth Creates Traffic Issues: Oregon Coast State Officials

Published 11/11/2018 at 5:39 PM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

Coos Bay Holiday Event Growth Creates Traffic Issues: Oregon Coast State Officials

(Coos Bay, Oregon) – The greatest of classic Oregon coast gardens lights up for the holidays in Coos Bay soon, as the 32nd annual Holiday Lights at Shore Acres kicks off its season on Thanksgiving Day. Growth of this stellar and stunning event has meant a bevy of new, awe-inspiring sights, but it's also meant some traffic headaches to be aware of, say state officials.

Latest Coastal Lodging News Alerts
In Seaside:
Includes exclusive listings; some specials in winter
In Cannon Beach:
Includes rentals not listed anywhere else
In Manzanita, Wheeler, Rockaway Beach:
Some specials for winter
In Pacific City, Oceanside:
Some specials for winter
In Lincoln City:
Some specials for winter
In Depoe Bay, Gleneden Beach:
Some specials for winter
In Newport:
Look for some specials
In Waldport
Some specials for winter
In Yachats, Florence
Some specials for winter

Holiday Lights at Shore Acres will run nightly from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m until New Year's Eve. All manner of ''light sculptures" now grace the massive gardens, with pelicans, puffins, jellyfish, a life-size leaping orca whale, butterflies, sea lions, leaping frogs and much more. The historic Garden House is open nightly offering free hot cider, punch, coffee and cookies, and holiday concerts featuring local choirs and musicians are scheduled many nights. A schedule is posted at shoreacres.net.

Park Manager Denice Hardy calls the event's growing popularity ''a wonderful double edged sword."

"We're thrilled to be able to offer this beloved holiday event," she said. ''However, dealing with traffic on Cape Arago Highway at peak times isn't fun for anyone."

Congestion here can stack up for an hour and a half or longer – if it's on a dry weekend day. Consequently, Oregon State Parks is dangling a small incentive to encourage weekday visits. Park rangers at the entrance booth will randomly select one vehicle each Sunday through Thursday after 3 p.m. to win an Oregon State Parks branded gift or an annual parking pass valued at $30.

"The giveaway is our way of thanking those who can make a weekday visit work with their schedules," Hardy said. ''We hope this will lead to a better experience for all, every day of the event."

Park staff also recommend these tips for making the most of this popular holiday tradition:

- Arrive before 4 pm to enjoy trails, ocean views, historical displays and the gift center.
- Watching the gardens light up as dusk settles to dark is pure magic. Don't fear the rain.
- The lights are beautiful no matter the weather. Carpool. Traffic stalls when the parking lot is full, typically by 6 pm.
- Visitors may encounter traffic flaggers on peak nights to help traffic flow and allow access for emergency vehicles.

Shore Acres Holiday Lights has been a tradition since 1987, when the Friends of Shore Acres first decided to string a few lights. Hundreds of volunteers spend six weeks installing lights to prepare for the Thanksgiving opening, and local businesses and organizations decorate the park's 26 Christmas trees.

The event is free; parking is $5 per vehicle, payable at the booth at the park entrance, 89039 Cape Arago Highway. The parking fee is covered for those who display a valid coastal passport, current OPRD campground receipt, or an OPRD annual parking pass, available at store.oregonstateparks.org or on site at the Information & Gift Center.

More Oregon Coast Travel Advice - see these specials from Yachats and Newport

Silver Surf Motel, Yachats. Indoor heated pool, hot tub. All beachfront. Newly remodeled rooms, cottages and suites; some dog friendly. All w/ private balcony, fireplace, flat screen TV, DVD, kitchen, refrigerator, stove, microwave, coffee maker, toaster. Cable TV, HBO, WIFI. Cabins sleep six, full-sized kitchens, living room w/ carport. 3767 N Hwy 101, Yachats, Oregon. 1-541-547-3175 or 1-800-281-5723 www.silversurf-motel.com


Pacifica House / Waves House, Waldport.  call for more. Two contemporary vacation rental homes in Waldport. The Waves House sleeps 7 guests; 2 bedrooms, 2 full baths, comp wine, high speed wifi, 50” Smart TV, Some pets allowed, expansive views of the ocean, wood fireplace, cathedral ceilings, and a private hot tub under the stars with an ocean view. Especially child-friendly features. Pacifica House sleeps 8. Waldport, Oregon.. 541-968-0322. Website here.

Agate Beach Motel. Call for specials, mentioning BeachConnection.net.10 beachfront units looking over the waves and Yaquina Head; 1940's vintage motel w/ modern amenities. Many pet friendly units. Exquisite speicals, but they change quickly. 75 NW Gilbert Way. Newport, Oregon. 541-265-8746. www.agatebeachmotel.com

Inn at Nye Beach. Call for specials, mentioning BeachConnection.net.Stunning views of Nye Beach, ocean. Breakfast room service, direct beach access, full balconies, an elevator (and wheelchair accessible) and complimentary on-site parking. Sundeck, fireplaces. Jacuzzi suite. Weekly wine social. Specials abound, depending on season. 729 NW Coast St. Newport, Oregon. 541.265.2477. 800.480.2477. www.innatnyebeach.com

Oregon Coast Lodging

 




More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....

 

Oregon Coast event or adventure you can't miss

 



Coastal Spotlight


LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Oregon Coast Hiking Hotspot Closes Briefly: Saddle Mountain Near Seaside, Hwy...
Closure from May 6 to 10, some lane closures on Hwy 26. Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Astoria
Killer Whale Sightings Making Big Splash on Oregon Coast - And It's the Apex ...
It's the same line of transient orcas involved in the whale kill in 2023. Marine sciences
Getting Oregon Coast Stays on the 'Lowdown' - Where Lincoln City Cut Rates
Excellent Lincoln City specials abound. Lincoln City hotel reviews
Destructive, Invasive Crab Found on N. Oregon Coast, Officials Ask Public's Help
Chinese mitten crab was found near Astoria. Marine sciences
Two Oregon Coast Gigs Bring Fiddle Virtuosos and a Local Composer to Newport
Milo Graamans on May 13 at a special benefit; Fiddle Express on May 16. Newport events
South Oregon Coast Landmark Under the Knife: Bandon's Face Rock Viewpoint Clo...
Set to reopen on May 23, parking lot and restroom closed, Depoe Bay, Cape Foulweather. Travel tips
Surprise Oregon Coast Accesses at Yachats' Northern, Outer Edges
Glorious discoveries include where Yachats changes from sand to rock. Travel tips
Washington Coast Gets Another Green Light for Razor Clamming, April 26 - May 3
Long Beach, Copalis, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks. Washington events

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net
All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted

Oregon Coast Lodging
Rentals
Specials

Dining

Events Calendar

Oregon Coast Weather

Travel News

Search for Oregon Coast Subjects, Articles

Virtual Tours, Maps
Deep Details