There’s something strangely beautiful about wandering through America’s hidden cemeteries. Away from the polished lawns of the big memorial parks, these smaller, often forgotten resting places carry a quiet intimacy. Weathered headstones lean at odd angles, draped in moss or framed by wildflowers. Names etched in fading stone tell fragments of local history. Visiting these spots feels less like sightseeing and more like stepping into a storybook of the past, whispered through silence.
Choice Mutual surveyed 3,007 respondents, asking them to name what they consider the most beautiful hidden gem cemetery they have visited.
The top 10 were as follows:
#1. Mount Hope Cemetery, Rochester, New York
Carved by ancient glaciers and greened by soaring maples, this 1838 rural cemetery sprawls over rolling eskers and kettle ponds. Ornate obelisks, winged angels, and mausoleums with Tiffany windows punctuate shaded paths. Though vast, its wooded corners and winding lanes preserve a sense of hidden quiet, where memory lingers softly away from the city’s noise.
#2. Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord, Massachusetts
Famous for “Authors’ Ridge,” but still hushed and wooded compared to Boston’s sites. Curving paths, Gothic stones, and mossy ground create an almost storybook atmosphere in the birthplace of Transcendentalism.
#3. Holualoa Japanese Cemetery, Holualoa, Big Island, Hawaii
Sheltered on lava-carved terraces above Holualoa village, this quiet memorial garden honors generations of Japanese immigrants. Engraved boulders and obelisks rise from volcanic stone, framed by winding shaded paths and Pacific vistas. Time-worn markers carry wildflowers and fresh tributes alike, offering a deeply reflective place where cultural memory meets natural beauty.
#4. Kalaupapa Settlement Cemetery, Molokai, Hawaii
Remote and haunting, this cemetery holds the graves of patients from Hawaii’s historic leprosy colony. Against the backdrop of sea cliffs and silence, its simple white crosses embody both hardship and resilience.
#5. Oahu Cemetery, Honolulu, Hawaii
Hawaii’s oldest public cemetery, shaded by monkeypod trees and overlooks Nuuanu Valley. Victorian-era headstones, Chinese shrines, and royal burials create a multicultural landscape that feels quietly removed from the city’s tourist rhythm.
#6. Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland, California
Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, yet surprisingly under-visited compared to other well-known sites in the area. Rolling hills dotted with mausoleums, crypts, and century-old trees frame sweeping Bay vistas, blending garden-like beauty with layers of local history.
#7. Evergreen Cemetery, Santa Cruz, California
Nestled on a wooded hillside, this historic 1850s cemetery blends weathered headstones with redwood shade. Restored by the local museum and volunteers, its quiet paths carry stories from pioneers to immigrant workers, making it one of California’s most atmospheric hidden corners of memory.
#8. Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York
Famous in parts, but hidden in scale. Rolling hills, gothic gates, and lakes attract birds and artists, yet whole sections remain hushed and undiscovered by casual visitors.
#9. Lakeview Cemetery, Mackinaw City, Michigan
Remote and peaceful, perched on a bluff with views of Lake Huron. Its simple markers and island isolation give it an almost timeless serenity.
#10. Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, South Carolina
Tucked away and shaded by sprawling oaks and magnolias, this 19th-century cemetery blends Gothic statuary with simple soldiers’ graves. Its quiet charm stands in sharp contrast to the city’s energy.
Three North Carolina cemeteries were recognized among the most beautiful in the country:
#19. Oakwood Cemetery, Raleigh
Victorian angels, winding lanes, and Confederate graves give it layered history. Despite being central, it feels secluded, a leafy and contemplative oasis in the capital city.
#32. Riverside Cemetery, Asheville
On a hillside overlooking the French Broad River, with historic markers shaded by chestnut trees. Authors Thomas Wolfe and O. Henry rest here, yet it feels unhurried and quietly local.
#43. Salem God’s Acre Cemetery, Winston-Salem
A Moravian cemetery of simple flat stones, all equal in size. Shaded by trees, it radiates serenity, offering a unique spiritual charm far from grandiose markers.
