Shore Acres State Park, State park with formal gardens in Coos County, Oregon, United States.
Shore Acres is a 301-hectare state park in Coos County, Oregon, on a sandstone cliff above the Pacific about 22 km south of Coos Bay. It holds a 20,000 m² botanical garden with formal rose, tulip and rhododendron beds around a Japanese pond, plus a 20 m cliff overlook where Simpson's summer house once stood.
A timber baron named Louis Simpson developed the estate in 1910, then it passed to the state of Oregon in 1942 for public use. This transition from private ownership to public park opened the property to visitors.
The 20,000 m² garden was laid out for timber baron Louis J. Simpson and restored from 1970. It holds formal rose and tulip beds, rhododendrons and a Japanese pond; near the former gardener's house stands Oregon's tallest Monterey pine. From Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve thousands of lights and illuminated sculptures fill the garden.
The park is open daily from 8 AM until dusk and requires a vehicle entry fee or valid parking pass. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear for walking through the gardens and along the cliffs.
From Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve, the property transforms into an illuminated garden display featuring thousands of lights and decorative sculptures. This annual winter installation draws many visitors who come to see the festive transformation of the landscapes.
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