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San Francisco National Cemetery: Tips to Visit this Famous Cemetery in the Presidio
By: Jill Loeffler • Updated: March 7, 2025 • Published: March 16, 2012
The San Francisco National Cemetery is one of the most serene spots in the city, where neat rows of white headstones stretch across green slopes, and cypress trees frame peaceful bay views.
This SF military cemetery near the Golden Gate Bridge is one of only a couple of cemeteries that remain within the SF city limits after the massive grave relocation project of the early 1900s.
Read on for more information about famous graves, finding a grave, tips for visiting, San Francisco National Cemetery photos, and more.
San Francisco National Cemetery History
The first known American burial here took place in 1854. Years later, in 1884, as the Army post grew, the government declared it an official National Cemetery.
This military cemetery in San Francisco was the first of this designation on the West Coast.
The San Francisco National Cemetery started as a small space just west of the Main Post to bury those serving in the military at the Presidio.
Over the years it expanded to its current size of over 28 acres, in the central part of the Presidio overlooking the water.
For more details about the Presidio—San Francisco's former military base turned national park—visit my page dedicated to this beautiful and fascinating district.
You'll find more history, 25 attractions and activities, where to stay and eat within the park, and how to get around, including a detailed map of the free Presidio GO shuttle and public transportation.
San Francisco National Cemetery Burials
More than 30,000 soldiers and their family members are buried here. Among the most noteworthy are 35 recipients of the Medal of Honor.
Due to space limitations, the military accepted the last burials here in 1973. The only new burials allowed in the San Francisco National Cemetery are those that reserved a space before the 1973 cutoff date.
San Francisco National Cemetery Famous Graves
In addition to the Medal of Honor recipients buried here, you'll also find Civil War generals, more than 450 Buffalo Soldiers, and a Union Spy.
The Union Spy was a woman named Pauline Cushman-Fryer. This was the stage name Harriet Wood took on as a traveling actress who gathered intelligence on troop movements as she performed in Confederate-held areas.
She died in poverty in San Francisco, but was honored with a full military burial at this Presidio cemetery.
In addition, Major Dana Crissy, for whom the nearby beach Crissy Field was named, is also buried here.
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San Francisco National Cemetery: Find a Grave
If you come to the Presidio cemetery looking to find a grave, you can check the San Francisco National Cemetery records at the office from 8 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.
You will also find a kiosk near the entrance gates that will help you find a grave in the San Francisco National Cemetery.
Your best bet is to search by last name. The kiosk then provides you with the plot number and location of the grave you are seeking.
Finally, you can call the cemetery director at 650.589.7737, or check with the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
Tips to Visit the San Francisco National Cemetery
The Presidio cemetery welcomes park visitors, history enthusiasts, and mourners every day.
The gates to this San Francisco cemetery are open from 6 am to 6 pm.
There is no cost to visit.
San Francisco Cemetery Events
If you happen to be visiting in May, the San Francisco National Cemetery is the best cemetery in the Bay Area to attend an annual Memorial Day ceremony.
Every year, each grave in the San Francisco military cemetery is decorated with an American flag by the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of San Francisco.
The event, which includes a band, speakers, and a flyover by the Coast Guard, always takes place on the Monday of Memorial Day weekend. Click here for details on this year's event.
San Francisco Cemetery Views
Throughout this cemetery near the Golden Gate Bridge, you'll enjoy tranquil views of the cypress and eucalyptus trees with the SF Bay in the background.
If you want to take in a view of all 28 acres and beyond, head to the National Cemetery Overlook.
This is a quiet, wheelchair-accessible, contemplative spot off of the Presidio's Bay Area Ridge Trail from which you can observe much more of the park.
Cemetery Monuments in San Francisco
If you're curious about the monuments at the San Francisco National Cemetery, you'll find several of importance.
There is the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial (1893), the Monument to Marines who died at the Tartar Wall in Pakia, China (1900), and the Unknown Dead Monument (1934).
You'll also find the Pacific Coast Garrison Monument (1897), a 17-foot-tall statue of a Union color bearer made of cast zinc, which oxidizes to resemble stone.
How to Get to the Presidio Cemetery
To access the San Francisco National Cemetery by car, you need to drive through the Presidio. Your best bet is to enter through either the Lombard or Arguello Gates.
Follow the signs to the Main Post. Usually you would use Lincoln Blvd., but due to construction, you will need to drive past the Main Post to Sheridan Avenue. It is then about three blocks off Montgomery Street.
You can park your car near the Main Post and walk over to the cemetery. While there is some parking near the cemetery, you might run into problems if there is an event at one of the nearby buildings.
Below, on my San Francisco National Cemetery map, I've marked the location of the cemetery with a black star. I also labeled the two gates I mentioned above.
The blue 'P' on the map indicates the parking area in front of the Main Post.
If you enter on foot or by bus, make your way over to the Presidio Visitor's Center on Montgomery Street. Once you reach the Visitor's Center, head down Montgomery Street to Sheridan Avenue and walk behind the buildings.
You will walk slightly uphill about three blocks and then enter the main gates of the San Francisco National Cemetery.
Guided Tours Through the Presidio
If you don't want to make the trek over to the Presidio on your own, another option is to take a tour that stops in this gorgeous park near the Golden Gate Bridge. You have a few options.
Hop-On Hop-Off Tour
The popular Hop-On Hop-Off open-top double-decker bus tour is a fantastic, easy way to get around the city.
Not only will it drop you off at 15+ top destinations around San Francisco, but it will also teach you about the sights as you take them in with award-winning commentary.
The closest stop to the military cemetery in San Francisco is at the Palace of Fine Arts. The bus arrives here after making its way through the Presidio from the Golden Gate Bridge.
If you get off at this stop, it's about a one-mile walk back through the beautiful Presidio Park to the cemetery entrance.
Buses pick up at the stops on the route every 15 minutes from 10 am to 6 pm.
>> Find out more and book your Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour tickets now
SF City Tour
The full-day SF City Tour combines a four-hour guided tour of the city's most famous attractions in the morning, and a trip to Alcatraz Island to tour the infamous former prison in the afternoon.
Among the famous destinations—Golden Gate Park, Twin Peaks, and more—is the Presidio, where you'll find the San Francisco National Cemetery. The tour is narrated, so you will not only get great photos of these legendary places, but also learn quite a bit about them.
The entire tour, including your trip to Alcatraz, lasts eight hours. This gives you plenty of time to experience the best of the City by the Bay.
>> Details and tickets for the SF City Tour
Free Walking Tour
The SF City Guides, a program of the local public library, offers dozens of free walking tours in San Francisco by passionate local guides.
Their Presidio tour lasts about 1.5 to 2 hours and covers both the natural and military history of the current national park.
>> Visit their site to get the details and check for tour dates
Touring the Presidio on Your Own
SF GoCar: Golden Gate Bridge & Lombard Circuit
This tour is semi-guided, semi-self-guided, as you are in the driver's seat along with your co-pilot, and you can take the suggested route at your own pace.
The small, open-air, two-seater cars are perfect for zipping around places that larger tour buses can't access.
They provide a GPS-guided, narrated tour of the area, from Fisherman's Wharf to the Presidio to snap those Golden Gate Bridge photos, and then down the famously crooked Lombard Street.
>> Check availability for this fun, unique tour around the Presidio
Electric Bike Rental
Renting an electric bike will help you tackle those San Francisco hills (which do exist in and around the Presidio!) while you enjoy the sights at your own pace.
This bike rental starts in Fisherman's Wharf, and from there it's an easy 15- to 20-minute ride to the Presidio cemetery.
You can choose from a two-hour, four-hour, or full-day rental, with the option to include a ferry ride back from Sausalito should you decide to pedal all the way across the bridge.
This is a fun and exhilarating way to get to the San Francisco National Cemetery near the Golden Gate Bridge.
>> Learn more about the electric bike rental in San Francisco
Nearby Historic Attractions in SF
Fort Point National Historic Site
After visiting this famous cemetery in San Francisco, many choose to head over to the south end of the Golden Gate Bridge. However, few know what is perched right underneath the bridge in the Presidio.
Fort Point was actually saved from demolition due to its important role in US military history beginning in the Civil War era.
With its cannons, spiral staircases, and eerie corridors featured in Hitchcock's "Vertigo," this free attraction is a true hidden gem in San Francisco, just a short scenic walk or ride from the Presidio cemetery.
>> Discover more about Fort Point National Historic Site
Alcatraz Prison: The Rock
Alcatraz has a long history in San Francisco, from erecting the first lighthouse on the Pacific Coast, to over half a century as a military prison, to its 29 years as a maximum-security federal prison.
Tours of the national park attraction that the Rock is today often sell out, and for good reason.
In my opinion, visiting this legendary island is a must while you're in San Francisco. You'll learn fascinating stories about its infamous prisoners and their escape attempts.
>> Learn more about how to tour Alcatraz Prison
Most Popular Alcatraz Tours
Hi, I'm Jill!
Dreaming of a San Francisco vacation? As a proud local, I'm here to share my insider tips and personal experiences to help you make the most of this iconic city!
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