Shore Acres State Park - Another wonderful gem in the Great Northwest. It is a beautiful park that changes with every season. The park is perched on a scenic bluff high above the Pacific Ocean. Shore Acres began as a private estate with luxurious gardens featuring trees, shrubs, and flowering plants brought from around the world aboard the sailing ships of pioneer lumberman and shipbuilder Louis J. Simpson.
Simpson developed the summer home into a showplace 3-story mansion, and the grounds contained 5 acres of formal gardens. When fire destroyed the mansion in 1921, Simpson began to build an ever larger replacement. However, financial losses during the Depression caused both house and grounds to fall into disrepair. In 1942, Simpson's beloved Shore Acres was purchased by the state of Oregon for use as a public park. The garden now features year-round displays of floral and scenic beauty and the annual "Holiday Lights at Shore Acres" event that runs from Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve.
This year marks the 24th Annual Holiday Lights at Shore Acres and boasts 300,000 lights. This is a community tradition that was born in 1987 when Friends of Shore Acres decided to "string a few lights" to help celebrate the holidays. That first season, 6,000 miniature nature lights, one large Christmas tree, and the decorated and open Garden House drew 9,000 visitors. Now, 300,000 lights - both LED and landscape - dozens of Christmas trees, lighted sculptures, performance pavilion, and the festive open house attract from 40,000 to 50,000 visitors each season.
The park offers a walk-thru display and open house with cookies, hot cider, punch, and coffee. The hours are 3:30-9:30 and costs $5 per car. We arrived about 4 and walked the grounds before darkness fell. I tried to get "good" pictures but found this to be very challenging because of the darkness of the light. If you want good pictures, take a tripod. You can visit their website at www.shoreacres.net
Shore Acres State Park - Another wonderful gem in the Great Northwest. It is a beautiful park that changes with every season. The park is perched on a scenic bluff high above the Pacific Ocean. Shore Acres began as a private estate with luxurious gardens featuring trees, shrubs, and flowering plants brought from around the world aboard the sailing ships of pioneer lumberman and shipbuilder Louis J. Simpson. 
Simpson developed the summer home into a showplace 3-story mansion, and the grounds contained 5 acres of formal gardens. When fire destroyed the mansion in 1921, Simpson began to build an ever larger replacement. However, financial losses during the Depression caused both house and grounds to fall into disrepair. In 1942, Simpson's beloved Shore Acres was purchased by the state of Oregon for use as a public park. The garden now features year-round displays of floral and scenic beauty and the annual "Holiday Lights at Shore Acres" event that runs from Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve.
This year marks the 24th Annual Holiday Lights at Shore Acres and boasts 300,000 lights. This is a community tradition that was born in 1987 when Friends of Shore Acres decided to "string a few lights" to help celebrate the holidays. That first season, 6,000 miniature nature lights, one large Christmas tree, and the decorated and open Garden House drew 9,000 visitors. Now, 300,000 lights - both LED and landscape - dozens of Christmas trees, lighted sculptures, performance pavilion, and the festive open house attract from 40,000 to 50,000 visitors each season.
The park offers a walk-thru display and open house with cookies, hot cider, punch, and coffee. The hours are 3:30-9:30 and costs $5 per car. We arrived about 4 and walked the grounds before darkness fell. I tried to get "good" pictures but found this to be very challenging because of the darkness of the light. If you want good pictures, take a tripod. You can visit their website at www.shoreacres.net
I just read a historical fiction book about this guy I think....by Jane Kirkpatrick...the title is something about a finch in it or something...you should check it out...it was very good!
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