It is our pleasure to host our neighbors from the San Francisco Bay Area and those from far away, as they come to Cypress Lawn to enjoy the scenery, stroll our breathtaking grounds, and perhaps find and visit a loved one’s final resting place.
We have been providing excellent funeral, cremation, and burial services for over 125 years, and as a part of California history, we take great pride in preserving and promoting that history. To that end, for years we have been hosting walking tours highlighting our impeccably maintained gardens, our colorful stained-glass windows, our historical architecture, our vast 200-acre grounds, our timeless arboretum, and more. These walking tours have been beloved by many, but as time passed, we noticed some people could not fully experience Cypress Lawn. Perhaps health conditions prevented them from completing the walk. And of course, there were times when the unpredictable Bay Area weather put a damper on our tours. Our team wanted to find a better a way – a way to make more areas of Cypress Lawn available to more people – rain or shine, warm or cold. After all, a property often described as “heaven on earth” deserves to be seen and relished.
That’s why we were excited to announce in 2018 our beautiful, historical trolley that can whisk visitors around all three of our campuses, allowing guests to cover more beautiful terrain than ever before, all in a climate-controlled environment.
Our guests are now treated to a docent-led excursion featuring information about our history, famous people who rest here, and the many treasures that live at Cypress Lawn. Our docents are the best of the best, and you will be wowed by what you learn, including the amazing stories of those buried here including Hearst, Crocker, Flood, and Spreckels.
We now have two options for trolley tours. Here’s what you need to know:
Monthly Public Trolley Tour: This tour is free and open to the general public and will replace our traditional docent-led walking tours. It occurs on the second Saturday of every month, January through November, at 11:00 a.m. This month’s tour will be Saturday, Jan. 12th. Some tours will be general in nature, while others will have a theme. All of the tours include refreshments, a complimentary copy of our definitive book on Cypress Lawn, “Pillars of the Past,” and a chance to win a $50 gift card. The trolley can accommodate up to 24 people, so we do recommend you make a reservation by calling 650-550-8812.
Fundraising Trolley Tour: We offer special trolley tours that serve as fundraising events for non-profits. Gather a group of 8-24 people (could be friends or members/donors/volunteers of your chosen organization) for a free, historical trolley tour of Cypress Lawn, and we will donate $20 per person to your chosen non-profit. You and your group will enjoy a one-hour, docent-led trolley tour, refreshments, and a raffle prize. Each person will also receive free information on preplanning and an Estate Planning Guide. Tours can be tailored to specific interests. We see this as a small way to give back to our community and look forward to meeting many of you as a result!
For more information about scheduling a Monthly Public Trolley Tour of Cypress Lawn or a Fundraising Trolley Tour, contact Cypress Lawn Heritage Foundation Director, Terry Hamburg at thamburg@cypresslawn.com or 650-550-8812. Remember that we also provide detailed maps for self-guided tours and offer lectures on a variety of topics. We make every effort to meet the needs of each person in our community, ensuring that all our friends and neighbors can take in the spectacular beauty of Cypress Lawn. We look forward to seeing you!
