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San Francisco National Cemetery is inside the Presidio, at 1 Lincoln Boulevard. The VA says it is open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and that it was the first national cemetery on the West Coast.
This page gives the VA’s own facts and rules for visitors. It is a place where families come to remember, and the rules below exist to keep it that way.
Read on cem.va.gov on 4 November 2026. The VA’s rules and hours can change; its page is the authority.
History
The VA says the cemetery was set up under War Department General Order No. 133, dated December 12, 1884. The order set aside 9.5 acres, including an older post cemetery. Land added since then brought it to 28.34 acres. The VA says it was the first national cemetery on the Pacific Coast, and that its first burials included people moved from the original post cemetery and from cemeteries at abandoned forts and camps along the coast and elsewhere in the West.
Visiting
- Address: 1 Lincoln Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94129. The VA says not to send mail to that address.
- Phone: 650-589-7737, as listed by the VA. Office hours are handled by the Golden Gate National Cemetery administrative office, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- Directions: the VA gives the way in from the Presidio: the main gate is on the left at Sheridan Avenue and Lincoln Boulevard.
- Finding a grave: the VA page links a Locate a Grave tool and a cemetery kiosk, listed as available.
Rules The VA Lists for Visitors
- Fresh cut flowers can be left on graves all year. Floral items are removed on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month, or when faded.
- Not allowed at headstones: balloons, candles, glass, items over 24 inches, statues or stuffed animals, alcohol, permanent plantings, and objects that could become projectiles when the grounds are mowed.
- Picnics, biking, jogging, running and recreational sports are not allowed. Pets are not allowed outside vehicles, except service animals.
- Unauthorized gatherings and solicitation are not allowed. Weapons are prohibited on VA property except for official purposes such as military funeral honors.
These are shortened from the VA’s page. Read the full floral and grounds policy there before you leave anything.