Part of Honoring Our Military in San Diego, our guide to San Diego military history, the national cemetery and museums that honor service.
Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, at 1700 Cabrillo Memorial Drive on Point Loma, is open to visitors daily from sunrise to sunset. The National Cemetery Administration runs it. The office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please follow the posted rules of behavior out of respect for the families.Checked October 22, 2026.
Rules of Behavior
The cemetery lists these rules: no guns, knives or other weapons; no pets outside vehicles (service animals excepted); no picnicking, biking, jogging, running or recreational sports; no soliciting or unauthorized gatherings; no littering and no parking on grass areas. Candles, statues, flags, balloons and wind chimes are not permitted on or around graves at any time. Potted plants are allowed five days before and after Memorial Day and Easter Sunday.
History
The cemetery page says it was established by War Department General Orders No. 7 on October 5, 1934. It grew from the Fort Rosecrans Post Cemetery, where victims of the USS Bennington boiler explosion of July 21, 1905 were buried. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016, and columbarium interments began in 2002. A monument to the USS Wasp (CV-7), erected in 1995, is listed among its monuments.
Burial Eligibility
The page says the cemetery is closed to new interments. Only subsequent interments in an existing gravesite for eligible Veterans or family members are accepted, and families should call at the time of need to ask whether space is available. General VA eligibility covers service members who met a minimum active duty requirement and were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable, and eligible spouses and minor dependent children.
Nearby
Cabrillo National Monument is next door. See Cabrillo and Coastal Defense History.
What We Could Not Verify
- Ceremonies: the Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremony dates and times, and any Wreaths Across America event, were not on the pages we could read. We list none. Ask the cemetery or check its page.
- The page also says the cemetery was designated a California Historical Landmark in 1932, which is earlier than the 1934 establishment date it gives. We repeat both as printed and did not resolve the difference.
- We name no individuals buried here. The official page names some Medal of Honor recipients; see it for their names.
- Traffic closures and burial scheduling details are not listed because the cemetery does not publish them on the page we read.
More in Honoring Our Military in San Diego
FAQ
Can anyone visit Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery?
Yes. The cemetery says it is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Please follow the rules of behavior.
Can I bring flowers?
Floral items are restricted. Candles, statues, flags, balloons and wind chimes are not allowed on or around graves at any time. The cemetery allows potted plants five days before and after Memorial Day and Easter Sunday.
Can new burials take place here?
The cemetery says it is closed to new interments, with limited exceptions for existing gravesites. Call the cemetery at the time of need.
Sources
Checked October 22, 2026 by It’s San Diego. Cite this page: It’s San Diego (itssandiego.com), checked October 22, 2026. Free to quote with a link to this page; tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.