Colma Travel Guide

Colma is a small incorporated city in San Mateo County, sitting just south of San Francisco on the San Francisco Peninsula. With a living population of roughly 1,500 people, it is perhaps best known for a striking statistical quirk: the number of people buried within its boundaries vastly exceeds the number of living residents, earning it the tongue-in-cheek nickname "City of the Silent" or, locally, "It's great to be alive in Colma."

The city's unusual character traces directly to late-19th-century San Francisco policy. Between 1900 and 1941, San Francisco banned new burials within city limits and eventually required the disinterment and relocation of existing graves. Colma, then largely undeveloped land to the south, became the receiving ground, and a cluster of cemeteries was established that has defined the town ever since.

Despite its compact size, Colma has a functioning commercial strip along El Camino Real and Junipero Serra Boulevard, hosting car dealerships, big-box retailers, and restaurants that serve the surrounding communities. It is not a conventional tourist destination, but it draws history enthusiasts, genealogy researchers, and those curious about its singular identity.

No visa information specific to Colma applies here beyond standard US entry requirements. Travelers arriving from abroad should check TravelerPulse's Visas section and consult the US Customs and Border Protection website for current entry rules.

Colma has a Mediterranean-influenced climate similar to the rest of the northern Peninsula: mild temperatures year-round with dry summers and wetter winters. Fog is common, especially in the morning and evening during summer months. Bring a light jacket regardless of season.

The city is compact and most points of interest are the cemeteries themselves, which are generally open during daylight hours — verify specific hours directly with each cemetery before visiting, as policies vary and may change. Some cemeteries are active and request that visitors be respectful of services and mourning families.

By BART

The closest BART station is Daly City Station, located just north of Colma on the San Francisco–Millbrae line. From there, SamTrans bus routes connect to Colma. The dedicated Colma BART Station (on the same line, one stop south of Daly City) is directly within the city and provides the most convenient public transit access.

By Car

Colma is easily reached from San Francisco via US-101 South or I-280 South, then exiting onto El Camino Real (CA-82) or Junipero Serra Boulevard. Drive times from downtown San Francisco are typically 20–30 minutes depending on traffic.

By Bus

SamTrans operates regional bus service connecting Colma to Daly City, South San Francisco, and the broader Peninsula. Check the SamTrans website for current routes and schedules.

Colma is very small and most of its cemeteries are reachable on foot if you are based near the BART station, though the terrain involves some hills and the distances between cemetery entrances can be moderate. A car is the most convenient option for visiting multiple sites in a single trip.

Ride-hailing services operate in the area. Cycling is possible along El Camino Real but the road is busy; verify current bike infrastructure locally before relying on it.

Cemetery Visits

Colma is home to more than a dozen cemeteries representing a wide range of religious and cultural communities, including Italian, Greek, Chinese, Serbian Orthodox, Jewish, and Catholic traditions. Among the most visited:

• Cypress Lawn Memorial Park — An elaborately landscaped historic cemetery with Victorian-era mausoleums and notable local figures interred here.
• Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery — One of the larger cemeteries in the city.
• Woodlawn Memorial Park — Known for well-maintained grounds and historic monuments.
• Hills of Eternity — A Jewish cemetery where Wyatt Earp and his wife Josie are buried, drawing visitors interested in Old West history.
• Italian Cemetery — Features ornate marble monuments reflecting the heritage of San Francisco's Italian immigrant community.

Notable Graves

Several historically significant figures are interred in Colma, including Wyatt Earp, Levi Strauss (founder of Levi Strauss & Co.), newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst, and baseball legend Joe DiMaggio. Genealogy researchers sometimes visit to locate family records; contacting cemetery offices in advance is advisable.

Colma Historical Association

The Colma Historical Association maintains a small museum in the historic Colma Town Hall building. It documents the city's unusual history and the story of San Francisco's cemetery removals. Verify current opening hours directly with the association before visiting.

Local Commercial Strip

El Camino Real through Colma is lined with car dealerships and retailers. While not a draw in itself, it illustrates the city's practical economic identity and offers easy access to everyday services.

Colma has a limited but functional dining scene concentrated along its commercial corridor. Options tend toward casual American fare, fast food chains, and a few independent restaurants. The selection is modest compared to neighboring Daly City or South San Francisco.

For a broader range of dining — including Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Mexican, and other cuisines — Daly City directly to the north offers significantly more variety and is only minutes away by car or BART. San Francisco itself is a short transit ride for those seeking a full dining destination.

Emergency Services

In any emergency in the United States, dial 911 for police, fire, or medical assistance.

Connectivity

Cellular coverage in Colma is generally reliable. Free Wi-Fi may be available at the BART station; verify locally.

Accessibility

Many cemetery paths are paved or well-maintained gravel, but terrain can be uneven. Visitors with mobility considerations should contact individual cemeteries in advance to ask about accessible routes.

Etiquette

Colma's cemeteries are active places of burial and mourning, not theme parks. Visitors are expected to behave respectfully: speak quietly, do not disturb memorials, and give wide berth to any funeral services in progress.

Colma is a quiet, low-crime city by most measures. Standard urban common sense applies: do not leave valuables visible in parked cars, be aware of your surroundings after dark, and stick to well-lit commercial and cemetery areas.

Cemeteries are generally safe to visit during daylight hours. After hours, most are gated or have restricted access; respect posted closing times.

Colma's identity is inseparable from its role as a burial ground and from the history of San Francisco's immigrant communities. The diversity of cemeteries — each reflecting a distinct ethnic, religious, or fraternal tradition — makes the city an inadvertent record of Bay Area social history from the mid-19th century onward.

Residents have long embraced the city's unusual reputation with self-deprecating humor rather than discomfort. The official city motto — "It's great to be alive in Colma" — reflects this attitude. The city functions as a genuine municipality with its own government, police department, and services, not merely a curiosity.

Visitors should approach the subject matter with the same thoughtfulness they would bring to any historic cemetery: as places of genuine cultural and personal significance to the communities and families connected to them.