5 Unique Outdoor Memorial Ceremony Locations in California - Spring 2019

It’s true, planning a memorial service can be both an expensive and hugely stressful process. And even if you decide to forego the local funeral home for something more personal, choosing the location for a memorial service is still quite a daunting prospect. Worst of all, maybe you can’t afford a conventional service or simply dislike the thought of having a memorial service indoors.

But what alternative is there?

Well, there is always the option of having an outdoor memorial ceremony and choosing an awe inspiring location in California to pay tribute to a loved one. With that said, in this article we will take a look at five unique locations in California for a meaningful and truly special memorial service.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Location for a Memorial Service

As outlined in our previous article, a memorial service takes place after the funeral or burial. 

But what happens at a memorial service?

Well, in some cases, this service will involve music or a theme of some kind but in recent years, more and more people are choosing to honor their loved one in a more meaningful location. Needless to say, choosing an outdoor location is a popular choice and certainly when the deceased was especially fond of the outdoors.

Here are five unique outdoor memorial ceremony locations in California.

5 Unique Outdoor Memorial Ceremony Locations in CA

1. Burney Falls – Stunning Waterfall Location

When you take a road trip to Burney Falls, the lack of cars on the highway has nothing to do with the majesty of the waterfall; rather that the attraction is a lot lesser known than most hotspots in California.

By what does this mean for a memorial service? 

In other words, this is a nice, quiet location for a memorial service in California. In fact, Burney Falls is a magificent waterfall and a lot less crowded than it should be for something this spectacular. 

Standing more than 120 feet above the Burney River, the waterfall is 250 feet wide and nothing short of breathtaking. In many ways, this is also an ironic place to have a memorial service, for the water coming off Burney Falls is almost symbolic of life, and how quickly it comes and goes.

But what else is special about Burney Falls?

Burney Falls has a very large picnic area with plenty of space and beautiful pine trees all around. In this sense, there are multiple seating areas, excellent bathroom facilities and a fully stocked general store on the premises.

In case you might be asking yourself, Burney Falls has an entrance fee of just $8 per person which provides access to both the falls and the above mentioned campsites.

2. Fort Bragg – Iconic Military Location

Just north of San Francisco, you will find a lineup of rugged cliffs and isolated beaches. Fort Bragg is located right at the heart of this lineup and features some of the most impressive ocean vistas in the entire state. 

And how might the weather affect your memorial service?

It won’t - the climate is also near perfect year round which gives peace of mind when planning a memorial service outdoors. You will also find a nice stretch of coastline here in the form of Glass Beach. Interestingly, this was once a glass dump but the ocean has refined the remaining glass over the years to create a truly special shoreline that sparkles in the light.

Although the favourable weather and glass beach are certain highlights, Fort Bragg was initially an army garrison that was built at the time of the American Civil War. For this reason, this could serve as the perfect destination for deceased persons with a military background.

3. Redwoods National Forest – Mystical Forest Location

Arcata was once a logging town but today, very few people tend to stop in town which makes it a nice quiet location in California for a memorial service. 

But that’s just one side of the area…

Arcata is also located in the midst of a fine triage of beauty with the Pacific Ocean on one side, stunning coastline on the other and then the enchanting Redwoods National Forest right next door. In case you might be wondering, these are most likely famous giant redwood trees that you see in the travel magazines. Towering up into the sky, the mere sight of these trees is enough reason to visit the area while the nearby town is nicely equipped to cater to visitors.

Think about it: 

When you look up into these beautiful, mystical tress, you should see that this is a truly special place and an excellent outdoor location for a memorial service in California.

4. Hetch Hetchy Valley – Quiet Yosemite Location

Yosemite National Park is absoutley stunning and home to the right amount of everything to facilitate a memorial service. As you might expect, Mariposa, Half Doma and El Capitan are popular spots in Yosemite National Park. While these are indeed spectacular in their own right and popular places for families/friends to pay their respects, they can also be a little crowded.

But where can you go in Yosemite that’s not so crowded?

Hitch Hetchy Valley is a microcosm of everything you expect to see in Yosemite. Featuring soaring peaks, shimmering lakes and endless pine trees; the scenery is every bit as special as you will find in the places mentioned above.

Best of all?

You can visit this luscious valley without the crowds and find plenty of space to pay a tribute to someone special. At the bottom of Hetch Hetchy Valley, there is also a plethora of colorful wildflower and with so little people, this would be a beautiful location for a quiet memorial service in California.

5. Lake Tahoe – Lakeside Location

Simply stated, Lake Tahoe is one of the most enticing travel destinations in California. Needless to say, this will mean that in terms of facilities, you will have no trouble organizing a memorial service here.

You might have heard about this body of water before but did you know that Lake Tahoe is the biggest alpine lake in North America? It’s true and this wide expanse is also one of the most stunning sites you are likely to find in California. Featuring an incredibly pristine lake and with luscious, green surroundings, Lake Tahoe is breath-taking. When it comes to things to do, this is also a haven for outdoor lovers, for boat trips, fishing, horse-riding and hiking are all common activities in the area.

If you wanted to bid farewell in a truly stunning lake destination, there is no question that Lake Tahoe would be an obvious choice. But then again, the general scenery and excellent facilities in town, make Lake Tahoe a nice option for saying farewell to that somebody special. 

As you know, California is not the most affordable places to organize a funeral, cremation or memorial service. However, hopefully the above list of hidden spots will give you the inspiration needed to plan a meaningful memorial service in the midst of some truly heavenly scenery.

If you want to learn more about memorial ceremony or cremation, please continue to read our other articles. We hope you find them helpful.