Bay Pines National Cemetery
10,000 Bay Pines Blvd.
St. Petersburg, FL 33708
Phone: (727) 398-9426
FAX: (727) 398-9520 

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 477
Bay Pines, FL 33744
To schedule burials: See General Information

Office Hours:
Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.(excluding federal holidays).
Memorial Day the office is open until 7:00 p.m.

Visitation Hours:
Open daily from dawn to dusk.

Burial Space: This cemetery has space available for cremated remains. We may be able to accommodate casketed remains in the same gravesite of previously interred family members.

Floral/Grounds Policy

Directions from nearest airport: 
From Tampa International Airport/St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport by taking Interstate 275 south approximately 20 miles to St. Petersburg. Take Exit 25 (38th Avenue North) and go west on 38th Avenue North about five miles to Tyrone Boulevard. Turn right onto Tyrone Boulevard and proceed approximately 2.5 miles. Turn left at 95th (this is the east entrance to the VA property). Follow that road about ¼ mile and the cemetery will be on the left.

GENERAL INFORMATION

To schedule a burial: Fax all discharge documentation to the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 1-866-900-6417 and follow-up with a phone call to
1-800-535-1117.

Military Funeral Honors
Bay Pines National Cemetery maintains a list of Veterans Service Organization units that may be contacted to arrange a military honor group in addition to or in lieu of the Department of Defense Military Funeral Honors. Please contact the office for information.
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HISTORICAL INFORMATION

Bay Pines National Cemetery is located on the grounds of the Veterans Administration Center (VAC) in Pinellas County, about 9 miles west-northwest of St. Petersburg, Fla.

On March 15, 1933, the cemetery was dedicated and officially opened as a burial ground for those who died in the Bay Pines hospital and domiciliary. The 21-acre site was laid out in 42 symmetrical sections. The first interment was made on April 25, 1933, and by January 1964, all available gravesites had been used. In 1984, in order to gain more grave space, the hedges that divided the center of the cemetery were removed and the space between the sections was utilized.

The cemetery was transferred from Veterans Administration to the National Cemetery System on May 28, 1984, and reopened for interments on July 2, 1984.

Monuments and Memorials
A large monument constructed of pink Etowah marble in 1937 is dedicated to “the memory of those who served their country” and stands at the entrance to the cemetery grounds.

A polished granite bench, dedicated to the memory of World War I veterans, sits opposite the cemetery entrance, facing the new POW/MIA monument.

A maple tree planted in Section 53 in 1976 commemorates the country’s bicentennial.
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NOTABLE PERSONS

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FLORAL/GROUNDS POLICY

Fresh cut flowers may be placed on graves at any time. Floral arrangements accompanying the casket or urn at the time of burial are limited to three for casket burials and one for cremation burials. Flowers will be removed when they become unsightly or it becomes necessary to facilitate cemetery operations such as mowing.

A limited number of floral containers are located in bins in front of the burial sections – they are available as a courtesy. These containers are recycled – please do not remove them from the cemetery.

Artificial flowers and potted plants will be allowed on graves for a period extending 10 days before through 10 days after Easter Sunday and Memorial Day.

Seasonal Holiday Decorations such as Christmas wreaths, potted poinsettias and other seasonal decorations may be placed on graves from Dec. 1 through Jan. 20.

No item or object may be attached to a headstone or marker in a national cemetery. Permanent plantings, statues, vigil lights, breakable objects, and similar items are not permitted on the graves. Items considered offensive, inconsistent with the dignity of the cemetery, or considered hazardous to cemetery personnel are prohibited.
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