Pearl Harbor National Memorial Reviews

National park is wonderful. The grounds tell the story all while maintaining the beautiful landscape. We did not get to go to the Arizona because the water was too choppy for the boat to run, but still had a wonderful time. Go in the morning if you are able. The winds are calmer and bring a hat! The sun off the water was hot!

Pearl harbour is a must-see sight when visiting Honolulu, and whilst I emphasise my appreciation of its significance as a historical and cultural site, my trip there last week was exceedingly disappointing.

First of all, the 1$ entry cost to visit the USS Arizona was a huge part of the appeal for us as travellers on a budget.
However, the first hidden financial haemorrhage of the day was sorting transportation. Despite the proximity of this attraction to both the tourist hub of Waikiki and the capital city of Honolulu, there are absolutely no shuttle services from these locations to or from Pearl harbour. Taking the bus requires a change, a 30 minute walk at the end and a total journey time adding up to almost 2hours (despite Pearl harbour being 20mins drive away). So we begrudgingly took an Uber there and back at a cost of $30 each way, to do an activity we had budgeted to cost $1 plus a minimal bus fare.
On arrival at Pearl harbour, already in a bad mood from shelling out on an Uber, you are confronted with yet another financial blow when you are forced to fork out $7 to put your bag in a kiosk. Let me be very clear about this - you are allowed all the items in the bag with you in the attraction, just not the bag itself. So you are charged $7 to check in an empty bag for the duration of your visit and then have the joy of carrying all your items (suncream, water bottles, camera etc.) around in your hands all afternoon. Visiting with kids must be a nightmare, and it seems to me that if they are insisting on a no-bag policy, they should be keeping them aside for you for free.

Despite the shambolic layout of the venue, we managed to reach the USS Arizona queue on time for our pre-booked time slot, only to be told that the boats had stopped running for the day due to ‘high winds’ despite there been no discernible wind at all. It was a beautiful summers’ day and I have no idea how this attraction runs in the winter if it cannot run in pleasant summer conditions.
We were offered the opportunity to return anytime within the next three days to avail of our ticket….but only if they could fit us on the boat of course, after taking the other ticket holders in that session. So a trip STILL wasn’t guaranteed on a return visit, not that I was prepared to pay a further $69 to try again anyway.
All in all, many hours and much money spent seeing a gift shop and a movie on the events of 7 Dec 1941 which I probably could have watched on YouTube.

This is a worthwhile visit. Seeing the currently active navy vessels was as interesting as seeing the ships damaged during WW II and the vessel where the peace treaty was signed.

What a superbly serene place a tribute to all who lost their lives here. The the trip out to the USS Arizona memorial is not to be missed. If you want to do the two museums on the island and the memorial sites there then it will fill a who day. It is a good 4-5 hours just to do the main site and submarine museum.

USS Arizona is worth the trip. Very powerful and moving. Take time to take in the movie as well. USS Missouri was amazing, give yourself lots of time to explore its expansion.
Skip the aviation museum, not much there. We didn’t take in the sub.
Pearl Harbour is definitely worth the trip, plan for a whole day if you are going to do some of the ‘extras’

This was a very interesting and good tour. It taught me a lot more about Pearl Harbor that I didn’t know. When we went on the fairy ride it was a beautiful sight to see. I recommend this for your family vacation.

Visiting Pearl Harbor is absolutely a must-do if you are visiting Honolulu.
The memorial teaches us many things and puts into perspective the event which was decisive in the United States' entry into the war during the Second World War.
Everything is well organized and fast.
Be careful not to fall into the trap of tour operators who sell tickets for €80 per person or more, the visit is free, provided you make your reservation in advance on the United States parks website.

I did very little research before going to Pearl Harbor, luckily a few days before I found an excellent local travel website that recommended how to experience this important place. First, it’s easy to do this on your own. You do not need one of the crazy expensive travel companies or tours. You DO need to reserve tickets to the Arizona Memorial early. We booked about three weeks in advance and were limited to just two afternoon time slots left the day we had planned to make this stop. Other than that, you can buy tickets on site when you arrive for the other sites run by the NPS. Those include the USS Missouri, the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum and the USS Bowfin submarine. If you are interested in taking everything in I would allocate an entire day. We took an Uber from Waikiki, arriving around noon, and were able to barely fit in the aviation museum and Bowfin in addition to the Arizona and the short movie at the theater. We were at Pearl Harbor almost five hours and felt like we really rushed the aviation part because we did that before our timed Arizona tickets. If I were doing this again, I would do the Bowfin before the Arizona as that it right at the main gate and you can walk right into it. Then I would do the movie before going to the Arizona. The movie is 15 minutes. The Arizona is a strict 30-45 minutes, you are not allowed to linger. Then I would do the Missouri and the Aviation museum (2-3 hours combined), because those are on Ford Island and you have to take a 15-minute shuttle from the main gate. Shuttles run every 10-15 minutes. We messed up by going to aviation, then shuttle back to main gate, then boat to Arizona back at Ford Island (only way to access it), then back to main area. Highly recommend timing your day so you do main area stuff together and Ford Island stuff together to get more out of your time if you don’t have a full day to spend. The gift shops are at the main gate, aviation and Bowfin, each has their own items. We didn’t get food but basic concessions are available. There is a strict no bag policy, we paid $7.00 for a locker to store one small purse and a fanny pack. I don’t remember seeing strollers so if traveling with young kids would check that. Distinctly remember infants in worn carriers and toddlers walking without strollers. One woman next to me at bag check was told she could not take in a diaper bag since it’s an active military base, they are not joking about the no bags.

This just seems like a "must-see" for every American visiting Oahu. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised. We opted to add-on a one-hour narrative given by Jamie Lee Curtis. It was so inexpensive and worth every penny. The entire area is very attractive and well laid out. The movie, speakers and exhibits were all so informative and touching. It was all such a wonderful tribute. Viewing the USS Arizona from the National Memorial is an extremely moving experience. You should put Pearl Harbor at the top of your Oahu itinerary.

Site was nice but realized we got caught in tourist trap. Went on website which looked like official Pearl Harbor site. Went paid $72 to E Noa Tours for shuttle and boarding USS Arizona. I realized when we were there, parking was no issue ($7) and USS Arizona and museum are free. We paid for them to make a reservation and transport 30 min drive. They also mentioned you can get USS Arizona tickets 8 weeks in advance or easily go standby if you arrive early. There is a separate set of attractions run by private companies which get you on boats and submarines. Make sure you are on National Parks Service website

You have to visit Pearl Harbor if you are coming to Oahu. The mini museums were great and the trip to the Arizona is humbling. Please do the Missouri too and tour the ship. An absolutely must visit for anyone interested in history and you gain an appreciation of what soldiers went through.

My wife and I had visited Pearl Harbor in 2004, but there were two new places to visit since then. Two things worth noting.
First, you need a recreation.gov ticket for the boat ride to the Arizona Memorial. There is a nominal fee associated with this and it should be done on-line asap.
Second, the aforementioned Arizona ticket will only gain entry to the Arizona. To see the Bowfin submarine, the USS Missouri and the PH Airfield, you will need a separate ticket which is not purchased through recreation.gov. The second ticket is not aligned with the first and only the first is time sensitive. So pick a time when you think you can arrive at PH and make your way to the assembly area for the shuttle boat trip to the Arizona. Then, you can visit the other attractions at your leisure.
Parking is no problem at all and it's a 5 minute walk from the parking lot to the Visitor's Center. Note: All bags (including purses) must be checked with the bag check. The fee for this is $7.
And finally, as for the exhibits, they are all highly worthwhile. I would heartily recommend that every American find a way to visit Pearl Harbor, Normandy and Gettysburg. Certainly the latter is easier to get to for most people than the other two, but no less significant to the nation's history.

I am non-military but I've always been a military geek. Fortunately my family indulges (tolerates) me with this facet of our lives.
I bought a passport for each of us to tour the USS Bowfin and USS Missouri and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, you save a few bucks but more importantly you get a second day.
The Arizona Memorial is a separate ticket ($1.00 fee) you have to purchase separately. We did so online a few days prior.
I planned our day to do the Missouri and Aviation Museum first thing in the morning on Ford Island so we would be back for our 2pm viewing of the Arizona. That let us be flexible with the Sub Museum and Bowfin tour later in the day.
'Mighty Mo' was a great tour. Our guide gave us a 20-minute abbreviated tour and them cut us loose for as much time as we wanted to take. Aviation Museum was also good and had lots of info with the FREE self-guided audio tour.
Got back to the main visitors center around 11 and instead of eating there we walked about 1-2 blocks across the parking lot to the north to 608 Restaurant. Not an extensive menu but the wait staff was good as was the food. Didn't see the food at the visitors center but can only assume our meal was better.
We went to the Arizona. Please remember you only get 10-15 minutes on the memorial. The park rangers are very knowledgable and were happy to answer a few questions. Remember this is a gravesite of military personnel. Treat it as such.
The Pacific Sub Museum was very informative with lots to read and a few interactive things for the kiddos. I loved the Bowfin walk-through and always amazed that people were able to live and function in such tight quarters....Thank you to all who served. The Bowfin is NOT everyone. It is brightly lit and did not have a feeling of being closed in but it is difficult to navigate the compartment doors (about 8 of them) for the older individual.

This is a place you cannot miss. It is a place full of emotion and full of history. You can't come to Hawaii and not visit the Pearl Harbor National Memorial. Also, be prepared to spend a whole day visiting Pearl Harbor, especially if you want to visit all the attractions. The recommendation is to come in the morning to have time to visit all the attractions until the end of the visiting program.

Pros
Important part of history
Discount for cash at snack shop
Lots of interesting information

Cons
Terrible toilets
Not a venue for all ages. Needs more child orientated education

After a ticket for the USS Arizona was purchased... these are quickly sold out and without being able to be put on the waiting list on site, the visit to Pearl Harbor was planned.
In time for the tour to the USS Arizona Memorial on site, there was still some time to visit the grounds and the museums. Unfortunately, the visit to the submarine, museums and Battleship Missouri are to be booked or paid extra. Admission to the premises is free. Bags, however, are not allowed to be taken. They can be locked in on site for a decent fee. Parking is also available.

You will be taken to the USS Arizona Memorial by boat after a briefing and can spend 15 to 20 minutes there before the next boat takes you back. The Memorial is awesome and shows you how many sailors died on December 7, 1941 due to the attack.

The rest of the site still has a memorial or two for the fallen soldiers and locals from the day of the attack.
If you haven't booked a tour and don't want to pay any more admission to the Battleship or the museums is ready very quickly.
Since the prices are very decent ($99/adult) for all admissions, you have to consider whether this is worth it or not. We thought it was too expensive.

Couldn't afford to enter museums. $100. Is it Disneyland? We saw the attractions from the outside but couldn't enter naval or aviation museums or battleship. I think it's sad that national monuments are outside the reach of a regular person. Even veterans and servicemen have to pay. That's terrible!

Visiting Pearl Harbor is not only the USS Arizona, but several other attractions in the area.
Pearl Harbor is around 20-30 min drive from Waikiki.
First advice, as your day out with family (if visiting all or several attractions) is going to cost you quite a bit, park your car 200-300 m straight ahead from the visitor parking lot. There're free parking spaces by the road beneath the bridge for Ford Island and in front of Restaurant 604. In that way you'll save 7$ parking fee (at least they could give parking for free)
The only free attraction in entire complex is actually the USS Arizona and the area around the visitor center (with a 1$ service fee for online reservations I strongly suggest to avoid queuing in the heat).
Arrive 1,5 to 2 hours before your scheduled boat time for Arizona.
In that way you'll have time to visit the outdoor exhibitions with Arizona anchor and some monuments, and two small free museums. First is explaining the world situation between WWI and WWII and the beginning of WWII. Second one is dedicated to Pearl Harbor attack only. Also, make time to see the 25 min movie at :15h and :45h which is informative for those not acquainted with 7 Dec 1941 events. Doing that you'll better understand what you're about to see when your boat to Arizona departs. Further on USS Arizona read in that separate review.
When you came back from USS Arizona free attractions are over.
The rest are according to your liking and budget.

Prices of other attractions (which are certainly worth visiting) are the reason I deduct one star, rating 4, as the attractions entry fees are not symbolic, but pretty costly:
- Bowfin submarine around 25$,
- Aviation museum around 30$ and the best
- USS Missouri 35$
Combo ticket for all gives a very small, not worth mentioning discount.
Multiply the above with your family members and take a pill.
Imo, such outstanding attractions in Pearl Harbor area should be much cheaper (around half the current price) allowing wider crowds to visit them and educate. I will review the above in separate corresponding reviews.

To help you further plan your day, count up to an hour for Bowfin, 1-1,5 hrs for Aviation museum and 2 hours for USS Missouri. Add to that at least an hour for transport with shuttle bus in between museums (private cars are forbidden on Ford island). To sum up, it will take an entire day.
Food options are worst at the visitor center, much better on Ford island, specially by the Missouri. Restrooms are everywhere except on Arizona Memorial.

It's a great place to visit and learn history. Very well organized with the boats to get to the memorial. Only three stars, because the National Park Service personnel were downright mean to people. I observed the following exchange one NPS employee near the theater: Tourist in the wrong line asks, "How do I get into the theater?" Instead of telling the gentleman to go to the other line, NPS person says with a scoff, "You walk in the door." He asks again, NPS repeats same, in the same rude, condescending manner. My group was in line for the boat, but we were all taken aback. It's really shameful, especially at the memorial.

Was very emotional when visiting the Arizona memorial. Sad to see so many families lost. Sailors still inside the ship as they couldn't be rescued back then. Seeing the oil leaking from the ship for over 80 years.
Went on the submarine and into the museums. Great day out, everyone should do when in Hawaii.

Our driver/tour guide Chauncy (aka Juicy) was excellent, providing us with great background information while navigating a large double-decker through heavy traffic! He deserves all commendations.

I gave the trip 4/5 because time was right after arriving at Pearl Harbour. There was a movie to be seen and other activities as well as grabbing something for lunch along with the visit to the sunken Arizona. An extra 15-30 minutes at Pearl Harbour would have been great.

The USS Arizona tour is a must, but be sure to reserve tickets in advance and bring a clear, stadium bag.

We visited mid-day, and it was quite busy.

Pearl Harbor National Memorial should be on everyone who visits Oahu list! However, we were surprised this National Memorial doesn’t allow advanced booking until 3pm the day prior to your desired visit date (unless of course, you want to pay $100 or more and book thru a tour vendor.) Tickets sell out in less than one minute, which indicates to me an AI program (likely tour vendors) is running in the background sucking up all available slots. It is worse than trying to score Guardians of the Galaxy ride tickets at Disney World! Personally, I would love to see them open ticket sales 30 days in advance-much like the Library of Congress, etc. does. Someone needs to realize the current system is broken. It is also ashamed that active duty/retired military receive no discount. So many other establishments on Oahu offer it!

All that being said, please make an effort to go see this memorial because it will influence your faith and understanding of America’s history. The men and women who are so beautifully remembered here are truly a lost generation!

A few tips: Be sure you take a picture of your license plate before leaving your car so you can enter that information at the parking meter. Additionally/pay close attention to high wind warnings because the ferry to the AZ will not operate under those circumstances. Do not bring any bags in as they are not allowed. However, you may bring a bottle of water in-and there is not much shade, so I recommend staying hydrated.

Best of luck to all folks who want to experience this gem! I wish many more Americans could see it first hand!

My husband and I traveled from Australia specifically to visit pearl harbour as it was his request to visit as a celebration of his 60th birthday. We had a wonderful time visiting this historically significant place and were very impressed with how it was presented. The rangers were all very welcoming and polite. We had pre purchased the passport and Arizona memorial tickets online. We found the audio tour narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis very interesting and a good way to learn more. The trip out to the Arizona memorial was well organised and the memorial itself very moving. So much respect has been shown to the fallen servicemen. We visited mighty Mo, this would be the highlight of our day as we were fortunate to have Neil as our guide who gave us so much insight into the history of the Missouri with a personal input. We greatly appreciated the tour given by Neil. So very moving, I may have pretended to dab perspiration from my cheeks. A very humbling experience

Very informative. A trip to Oahu would not be complete without going to Pearl Harbor. Our group was 13-70 years old and we all enjoyed the visit

Due to our uncertain schedule, we didn't reserve tickets to float out to the USS Arizona but there are several "museums" on site as well as an outdoor memorial "boardwalk" you can take in for free. Even without visiting the battleship and submarine on sight (entry fees) we still spent nearly 4 hours going through everything else.

The whole experience was incredible. As a big history buff visiting Pearl Harbour was at the top of my list. From the USS Arizona, the USS Missouri and the Pearl Harbour Aviation Museum, I high recommend a visit

I was kinda disappointed. You have to buy tickets for all the exhibitions and they aren’t all together. This is a great place for a history buff or someone who is into WWII. That just isn’t me. It’s interesting just not what I was expecting.

It is the most disorganized place I have ever visited.If you do one of the audio tours they just give you the device and don’t to you how it works.There is no assistance helping you where you need to go.

My husband and I have both wanted to visit Pearl Harbor since we were children and learned about the history that happened here in school. We were not disappointed, the memorial is impressive and very cool to see in person. It was fairly crowded the day we went but I feel that the park manages crowds fairly well. I will say that some of the exhibits get a little cramped and the gift shop also feels tiny for how massive the grounds are.

Just so you guys are aware, while we were waiting for our reservation lighting struck the harbor and they had to delay our sailing over to the USS Arizona by 30 minutes. We were fully loaded on the boat and everything and they made us get off. This is totally controlled by the Navy so don’t be mean to the park rangers if this happens to you. We did eventually end up going, but it was pouring down raining (island weather baby!) and there’s really no where to hide we all got totally soaked lol. Still a great experience getting to see the ship up close. I will say that people were being very disrespectful and laughing and yelling but that’s just how people are now. Don’t expect others to behave, even after they’ve been told multiple times to.

Should be included when visiting O'ahu. Various tours are offered with guides. But you can also just walk around and look at everything. Large backpacks must be handed in beforehand. Parking relatively cheap on site.

Don's believe what the National Parks website says about NO WALKINS for boat to USS Arizona!

We were going to pay $80+ a travel group at my hotel so l could take my son to see the USS Arizona after failing to get reservations online for 5 days!! Decided against it and went to the FREE museum (parking is $7!). When we arrived, saw there was a booth where you could join a WAITLIST to board the boat over to the Arizona. We joined. About
15 minutes later we were called to lineup. Waited about 30 minutes and then went over! Great experience for my son and I.

Hope you guys see this review and don't pay the EXTRA money to tour groups to come here. I would have been REALLY MAD dishing out $320+ for my family of 4 only to find out later you can do this for FREE! God Bless America more than EVER before!

Wow! Incredible experience! Driver Kenneth went out of his way to provide us with tips to maximize our visit and time! Made sure we could get on stand by for Arizona and since bags not allowed, he even provided each couple with clear totes to borrow to carry essentials while in the park.. at his OWN expense! Excellent tour driver and guide!

While the tour we went with did a poor job of informing passengers on some things that would have been handy. And things at Pearl Harbour are not very well-run it is a wonderful memorial. So much to see and experience. So Glad we went. Tip don't book a tour out you may end up missing out on the Arizona as not enough time b4 they herd you back on the bus. There is a public bus that runs from tourist areas to Pearl Harbour and they are currently extending their rail to run from Pearl Harbour to the large shopping centre. That way you can go early and if u have to wait to board the Arizona you can go do other exhibits till you get the text for your number on the wait list and it won't matter if it's later in pm.

The United States has done an excellent job honoring those who served, and this memorial is one of the most fantastic memorials I have seen before. The USS Arizona memorial was spectacular and really showed the horrors of war and what these sailors went through. If you visit Honolulu or Hawaii in general, this is a bucket list place that I would recommend everybody to visit. When visiting, remember that this is an active grave for all of the fallen- the rules are taken very seriously.

We visited Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial in April 2025. The Memorial was an emotional experience, and should definitely be visited. Remember to make a reservation before you arrive at reservations.gov.

However, the Park itself needs some attention. Many of the history markers and signs along the walkway to the Submarine Memorial are washed out and unreadable. And the restrooms should be updated. Pearl Harbor is a symbol of respect and resolve to the many who died there, and to the rest of the World. But unfortunately, we are not now displaying that respect or resolve either to those who died there, or to the many visitors from around the World. The Park needs some TLC. Even so, Pearl Harbor should be a must do stop for any visit to Oahu.

Don't buy this off of TripAdvisor, I just went to Honolulu you can purchase all the necessary tickets at the location, you just have to pay for parking. The lines aren't long and security was nice.

Amazing! It definitely gets in your feelings, but it is amazing to be able to see everything and take some time to remember/pay your respects to the lost. Amazing experience, God Bless America and all of our Veterans!

We really enjoyed our visit to Pearl Harbour National memorial. Recreation.gov was a really helpful website to get all the information from and order tickets.
Check in was flawless, no issue with e-tickets, tips shared with us via email were really valuable.
Staff was very helpful with planning the day.
Totally recommend to visit all sites!

Firstly, to visit Pearl Harbour memorial is Free, book directly with them and it costs 1 dollar to register. If you want to look at the aircraft museum etc you book that with them also and it costs roughly 70 dollars from memory. You can get the bus 20 or 42 easily which costs 3 dollars one way and it takes you to the front door. There are lockers on site for you bags as you can’t take them in unless they are small and see through. You can take in water , wallet and phone. There are snack shops and water fountains inside. The video before going to see the memorial is excellent and the highlight for me. The memorial of the Arizona is respectful and reflective. You need a whole days here if you are going to do it all. Definitely worth the visit.

David was very prompt, and professional. He gave a lot of background on the sites that we saw en route to the harbor, and made sure we knew how to traverse all the points of interest. Afterwards, he gave us a quick tour of the city and we were able to get back in time to catch our flight.

We went on the E Noa Tours Salute to Pearl Harbor Tour. It was really interesting and powerful. In addition to traveling out to the memorial to see the wreckage of the USS Arizona, there was a walk-through museum, 26-minute film presentation, as well as an excellent tour bus driver (in our case) named Humu Humu - not only was he entertaining, he also shared a lot about local Hawaiian history, culture and even a bit of music. At the harbor there is a gift shop, small snack shop, bathrooms and then optional other tours/experiences you can purchase. We did the virtual reality video from the American point of view but there were many other options of videos to choose from. You could also tour the USS Missouri, and this huge submarine as well. There is also a self-paced audio tour of things at the harbor you can purchase if you want a self-guided tour of the museum, statues and relics. 10/10 recommend!

This was a bucket list item and since it was our first visit to Hawaii we made plans to visit the Memorial our first day. On our adventure we took a city bus from Waikiki Beach where we were staying and rode to Pearl Harbor National Memorial. We arrived early which was great since they open the gates at 7 am so we were able to view the movie of the day events.Prior to going we got the tickets to ride over in the boat to the Memorial so be sure not to miss this step (rec.gov), as the standby line was very long. We got right on the boat and went to the Memorial which was a very humbling experience. After awhile we had to get back on the boat to be taken back to the visitor center. I only wish we could have taken more time on the Memorial. We did this on our own without any tour company and it worked out very well allowing us the time to see, read, watch what we wanted on our time line. We were very happy we did it this way for that reason. Beautiful, historical site.

Prior to arriving in Oahu, I had bought online tickets for the 2:15pm boat to the Pearl Harbor Arizona Memorial. However, I wanted to go earlier so the day before, at 3pm, more time slots opened up and we were able to get the 8:45am slot. The tickets book up extremely quickly ($1pp) but we noticed that when we were there, most people on standby were allowed on the boat anyway. Maybe it is because March is a slower season.

The Pearl Harbor National Memorial is very powerful, even without going to the Arizona Memorial. There are shows to watch, a museum to walk through, and monuments along the waterfront. Take the time to experience it all.

There are other museums and memorials you can add on while you are here. If you have the National Parks Passport book, be sure to bring it as there are stamps. There is also a Junior Ranger booklet you can work on if you want.

There is a fee for parking. You are not allowed to bring bags unless it is a clear bag. We were allowed in with a clear backpack. In it, we just had plastic water bottles, wallets and my National Park Passport book.

So many historical things to see, it was enlightening. The Pearl Harbor experience was breathtaking, sad, amazing, and beautiful all at the same time.

We visited the Pearl Harbor Memorial on our recent trip to Oahu. This is a great place to visit to get a better understanding of what happened on that day and how it brought the US into WWII. There are several sections of the memorial that cover various aspects of the attack. We opted to do the USS Arizona tour, which must be reserved separately though is free to attend. After a short movie presentation explaining the specifics of the Arizona and what happened, guests are loaded onto a boat and carried out to the memorial site, built directly on top of the sunken ship. Once landed, you can view aspects of the ship underneath, and see a wall listing all the names of those that perished and are still at rest within the hull. It’s a very moving experience, and one that highlights the sacrifices our service men and women make to keep us safe and free. This is a great destination for anyone wanting to learn more about the events of that day and is highly recommended.

Our family of five from Texas and Oklahoma visited Oahu and the Big Island for Spring Break and our two grandsons only request was to visit Pearl Harbor!! It was pouring rain when we arrived at the park and were worried the boat rides to the Memorial would not be running but as we walked to the entrance, the rain let up and the boats never stopped. We did feel a little rushed at the Memorial because we were limited to about a 10-15 minute visit. We visited the Museum and toured the grounds while completing our Junior Ranger books. Our whole family enjoyed our visit to Pearl Harbor but especially our grandsons!! They both claim Pearl Harbor as their #1 thing we did on our entire trip on Oahu and the Big Island!! This is a site that every American should try to visit at least once.

I would recommend making reservations through the National Park Service although they do have a standby line. You must pay a fee to park. You can’t take in any bags. We came when they opened an hour before our boat to the memorial so we could see the movie. The movie explained the attack well and I think it was better than the one they had 12 years ago. The memorial itself is a fitting tribute to all those that sadly lost their lives here. The museum and film are good as are the memorials. Gift shop is a bit high priced.

Very disappointing to find this memorial turned into a money grabbing tourist trap and to see that all those funds apparently are doing little to keep the place in tip top shape. The signage for example, is pitted and faded and several of the buildings need maintenance work. This I supposed to be a place of remembrance and honor.
I feel the NPS is letting us citizens down.

Impressive in a word. If you are on the island of Oahu you should definitely go here. A beautifully landscaped tribute to a terrible piece of history. What we hadn't done was reserve a spot to go to the ship the Arizona. We were put on the waiting list. In our case, that meant we couldn't go until the next day. Unfortunately, that was not an option. That was the only downside to this trip.

This was such an amazing memorial and should not be missed! We took the first SW AM flight over from Maui and than grabbed a taxi to the memorial. Could not have been easier! We had tickets to the USS Arizona at 9am (MAKE SURE TO GET YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE SO YOU DON'T MISS THIS!!). It was an amazing experience. I do wish we had purchased the audio tour as those always have info you can't get when touring on your own. It was incredible to see the ship below the memorial.

After that we had tickets for the Captain's Tour on the USS Missouri. HIGHLY RECOMMEND this tour! Our guide was fantastic and we got to see parts of the ship closed to the public. It was worth every penny! The Engineer's Tour was just okay. I wouldn't recommend unless you are really into mechanical things...like the engine and boiler room.

We also did the "Top of the Tower" tour which was pretty cool also. Great views and interesting info. Not a lot of people there so we were able to ask ALL the questions.

We stayed until close then headed back to the airport and were able to catch the flight before our scheduled flight which was nice. It was a long day but 1000% worth it and easy to do!

This is an absolute must visit for everyone. From the moment you step onto the grounds you are transported back in time to that fateful day in 1941.

The exhibits are meticulously curated, offering a comprehensive and respectful tribute to those who lost their lives.
Walking through the museum, you are engulfed in the events leading up to and following the attack on Pearl Harbour. The artefacts on display are incredibly moving, each one telling a story of bravery, sacrifice and resilience.

The highlight of the visit is undoubtedly the USS Arizona Memorial. It is a profoundly moving experience to stand above the sunken battleship, paying homage to the sailors who remain entombed within its hull.

This is a 5 star experience that I highly recommend to anyone visiting Hawaii.

A wonderful day out, and a fitting tribute to all those brave people who endured so much during that infamous day. Entrance is free, but please be advised no bags are allowed inside, that includes rucksacks and ladies handbags. Parking is via scan code and is reasonable at $7 for the day. We bought the passports allowing us entry to all the museums, sadly despite spending the day there, we didn’t get to see everything.
We headed first to the USS Missouri, moored facing the wreck of the USS Arizona.
Beautifully preserved, you’ll need to allow a couple of hours at least. Next we went to the Air Museum this exceeded all our expectations. The beautiful restored aircraft on the flight line, the iconic control tower and the hangars still displaying bullet holes in the glass. Inside there is a restored Zero and Warhawk, a great gift shop for the essential souvenirs. We enjoyed lunch in the museum cafe, a lovely pulled pork wrap with pineapple coleslaw. So easy to recommend a full day here for the family.

First visit to Hawaii and always wanted to tour Pearl Harbor. Firstly recommend you book yourself rather than a tour. It costs a bit for a taxi but if you work the times the number 42 bus will get you there and back for $3 from Waikiki. Book the Arizona memorial tickets - available around 56 days out. The park entry is an extra cost around $59 which gives you access to all the other attractions- USS Bowfin, USS Missouri and the air museum. Bags. You can’t take a bag in and there is storage $7 per item for small and $10 per item for large. What they don’t tell you is once inside the souvenir shops sell tote style bags which you can carry around for the rest of the day. The shuttle bus does Missouri first then the air museum and you need to do it in that order- food van at the Missouri which has burgers etc. take the guided tour on board the Missouri (free) then explore. The movie and Arizona memorial are split now. Boat out to the Arizona and you have about 15 minutes. The movie shows at 15 and 45 past the hour. You will need a full day - we started at 0815 ish and didn’t manage the air museum and left Pearl about 1430. Please also remember to respect as the Arizona is place where a lot of American service personnel lie at rest

This visit was a long time coming due to Covid short notice lock downs forcing us to cancel. So well worth our wait!! A sobering and very informative experience.
We got there very early and spent some hours walking about the complex, then a short boat trip to pay our respects at the Arizona Memorial, then a return bus trip over to the Mighty Mo. This is where you will see the plane exhibitions too. Then once back at 'base' you can walk around the submarine Bowfin, but be aware there are tight spaces down below.
Such an historical and emotional experience for us. The video and the simulation of the explosion which sank the Arizona brought tears to my eyes.

Allow the best part of a day to visit Pearl Harbour. It is very easy to do by yourself (and much cheaper), you don't have to do an organised tour. Make sure you have purchased your ticket to visit The Arizona Memorial online before going. We got there about an hour before our allocated time and watched the film first ( goes for23min ) before going to the Arizona. You can purchase tickets, either online or at Pearl Harbour when you get there to visit the Battleship Missouri, Bowfin Submarine and Aviation Museum. There is a free shuttle to take you to The Missouri & Aviation Museum on Ford Island which leaves from near the Bowfin Submarine. No bags are allowed, so don't take anything except your camera and phone. Lockers are available, but not sure how much as we didn't use one.
A visit to Pearl Harbour is very moving and well worth your time.

Pearl Harbor is a must see when visiting Oahu, but there is a lot to the park and you definitely don't have to do it all. We visited the Bowfin, USS Missouri, and USS Arizona Memorial. If you only have time for one, obviously the USS Arizona and its museums are the most important. If you have time to add one more stop, definitely recommend the USS Missouri.

A lot of the suggested itineraries we saw online said to start your day at the USS Arizona, but tickets are limited and we ended up with 1 PM tickets. If you have late morning or early afternoon tickets, I suggest going straight to the USS Missouri (extra charge). When you are done with that, come back to the main part of the park and visit the museums and watch the movie (both free). Grab a snack and stop at the bathroom, and then line up when it's time for the Arizona. Then do the Bowfin (extra charge) or the aviation museum (extra charge) after if you still have time.

We actually really liked our 1 PM timeslot for the Arizona because it was right after the crews lunch break, and when we got to the memorial, there was nobody else there. We did not have to push past the leaving group, and there was something extra impactful about arriving to an empty memorial.

The reason for my 4/5 stars is I was not overly impressed with the museum and movie. I felt both did not really tell the story in a clear way. The movie especially was faded and very dated. It could use updating. Thankfully, we had watched the documentary "Attack on Pearl Harbor: Minute by Minute" (on Netflix) the night before and we felt like it was a great overview in advance of our visit.

The Pearl Harbor Memorial is an excellent tribute to those that fell on December 7, 1941. Understated designs abound--the bone white curves of the USS Arizona monument are proud and funereal without drawing much attention from the boat beneath. "This isn't an attraction," one park ranger warned. "It's a cemetery." This is exactly the right tone, and I appreciated the silence we were asked to observe.

As a history lesson, the memorial falters. I honestly don't think the museum or surrounding signage have been updated in decades. Endless names and dates are featured without much context. Frequent anachronisms are embarrassingly gauche when they aren't downright insulting. One map boasting that Oahu is the crossroads of the Pacific has an arrow pointing towards "the Orient"; an exhibit describing the racism faced by Japanese-American men fighting for the US in WWII is tucked in an inconspicuous corner outside the museum's clear walk path.

Of course, for many years this memorial served an audience that already had the context it needed to make sense of these materials. That is no longer the case. A little historical revamping would go a long way toward ensuring that the meaning of the memorial is not lost on people of today.

Also--you have to check all bags at $7 a pop, which seems completely unnecessary.

On December 7, 1941, a surprise attack came in Pearl Harbor in Hawaii that brought the United States into World War II. I had the honor of visiting this sacred site, roughly 900 people are interred with the ship underwater. Gas from the ship is still leaking from that unfortunate day. At the time of this posting, one person is still alive from that attack at the age of 102. Some people who survived the attack wanted to be interred with their fellow comrades still in the USS Arizona. It was such a somber place to visit; you only have roughly fifteen minutes at the USS Arizona Memorial. I would recommend making your reservation and selecting your time early so you would not have to wait in the long lines as the day progresses.

A Big Part Of American History,, A Tragic War...Many People Died here and it seems Very Very Somber, Very Informative and a Very Big Part Of Our Lives.....It is a Must see for the Americans and the rest Of The world to See..

Ferry was not running due to high winds ,but other museums were great and I will return someday as I would like to visit the Arizona memorial

Spent the whole day. Took it all in. It's almost too much to do in one day. Rangers and civilian volunteers were great and knowledgable. Some areas at the pacific air museum were closed but other than that it was worth the visit

This place is humbling. The thought of thousands of men buried at sea and burning for several days because it was too hot to attempt rescue makes one think twice about the value of a human life. When you go there you just want to be still and honor the dead. Because I was honoring lost souls at sea, no pictures are shown.

No visit to Honolulu is complete without a visit to Pearl Harbour at least once in your life.

A boat ride over to see the Arizona Memorial is a must.

In the park there are so many informative plaques that tell you about what happened. I found the photos and the writing very helpful and informative.

I had all intentions of going into the other exhibits but after walking around all the plaques and visiting the Arizona I felt that I couldn’t take any more grief. I will safe those areas for next time.

You could quite easily spend four or five hours here.

We were on a cruise and got the bus to Pearl Harbour at the inexpensive cost of $3!, easy to do and drops you off in the parking lot.

Please note you are not allowed to take in any bags what so ever. My husband had a very small purse size bag with medical supplies in it. He was made to empty the bag and put the contents into his pockets!!! He was then asked to throw the bag away. This we found was going a tad far by the security staff. I don’t understand why especially as they allowed strollers in with things in the tray underneath. Not all disabilities are visible and my husband felt that the security guard was not very understanding even after he showed him is colostomy bag. He was still told to throw the purse away or put it in a locker. The bag was only 5” x 3”!!!

We have been vacationing in Honolulu and we took the tour with Nani Popolo and it was so interesting and so fun! Lots of history and for as somber as the place is, many lasting memories here, and at the Missouri.

Best to make a reservation otherwise you have to wait on a long line. There is a lot to see at the memorial besides the Arizona. Plan on spending a few hours if you want to see everything. They also have a submarine docked for tour, but that is an extra fee, so we didn't do that. I heard rumors that some of the ghosts may follow you home, so make sure you thank the soldiers below for their service to our country. Give them the honor they rightfully deserve and they will stay at peace. The gift shop has a lot of informational material besides just souvenirs, which is good for history buffs.

Welcome! No backpacks allowed. $7.00 bag storage available.

Make reservations for the “free tour”. Stand-by can take hours and there is no system in place to tell you how long that might be or even when you will be called.

Visit the Blowfish Memorial? $24. Ford Island shuttle is free. Everything there is extra charge.

Audio tours. Extra.

Museums are a joke.

FUBAR

We had a beautiful morning at Pearl Harbor. We bought our own tickets and didn’t use a tour group which turned out great. We walked around the area and took our time in each building - and then took the boat ride out to the memorial over the USS Arizona. Very moving experience and highly recommended for young and old - whether you are into history or not, this was a very emotional experience. We even witnessed some of the oil bubbling up yet from the vessel after 80+ years!

Definitely an all day experience if you want to take in more than the visitor's center and the USS Arizona Memorial. Just those 2 were 3 hours but the cheapest option. Suggest you get your reservations for the Arizona in advance as tickets are not always available. The memorial was sobering as you are above the resting place of many servicemen who made the ultimate sacrifice. We also visited the Bowfin submarine and the Aviation museum - both are additional charges; also ate lunch there so the day was expensive. It would be boring for children unfortunately so I wouldn't suggest spending additional money for a family.

Learnt a lot from this trip regarding reasons behind Japanese bombing, radar,cassusltirles, response by the american forces snd subsequent treatment of 2nd snd 3rd generation Japanese inhabitants of the island or indigenous people who looked Japanese.
The Arizona was a poignant and reflective place, and the USS Bowfin was very interesting. Can’t comment on Missouri as didnt do.
Pros: lots of educational stuff, restroom facilities, water stations. Plenty of Rangers to answer questions.
Cons: very disorganised on arrival, no clear maps or routes or suggested itineraries. Queues confusing for Arizona. Main food places inside the area of USS Bowfin which you have to pay to go into

This is a great place to learn about history and what really happened. It is very emotional and will make you understand all that was lost that fateful day.

Very worth seeing!
If you are interested in history, you will certainly not be able to avoid it. But also worth the visit for everyone else!
We were there in April and initially only looked at the USS Missouri, which took us a whole day to complete. The ship is so huge that it takes you this long time to visit it completely in peace.

Another day we visited the USS Arizona Memorial. That was very poignant and you realize how important this place is for Americans - you should enter the platform with a lot of respect. There was also an audio guide that provided a lot of interesting background information.
Our tip: The USS Arizona Memorial is always well attended and you have to expect long waits. This is also related to being taken to the platform by boat. Luckily, we were there early in the morning, so we quickly got a seat.
You should allow two hours for the USS Arizona Memorial.

Last we visited the USS Bowfin, which is also very worth seeing. However, you should know that it can get very tight and hot in there.

Our visit to Pearl Harbour impressed us deeply and we loved it.
Admission prices were relatively expensive, as we later discovered. However, we had previously booked the Go-City Oahu Pass, which included admission to all attractions. This made it very easy to save!

Visiting the memorial is a very sobering experience. To stand in the memorial and look over the side at the sunken USS Arizona knowing there are over 900 soldiers entombed below you is sobering. This is not a tourist attraction; it is a place of respect and reflection.

Visiting this site is an absolute necessity. The GI generation has largely died-off. These relics are our remaining witnesses of the heroics that literally saved the world.

A must do to pay our respects. Please stop by ABC stores and buy a lei or 2. Leave it at the memorial wall or throw one into the water. This is a gravesite for our fallen heros, and I wish I had brought flowers.

Very interesting, very sobering experience. I highly recommend watching the movie in the theater and walking through the exhibits. We did not reserve seats on the boat tour to the memorial but we saw standby people did get seats on the boat. We walked around in casual shoes because the walks were paved and brought sun hats because there wasn't much shade outside the buildings. There are other related exhibits that have additional fees, like touring a sub, if you are so inclined.

We were a family group of 9 people. We organized the whole tour before leaving but there is so much to see that it was a bit confusing when we arrived. It takes time for the mandatory shuttle to get to the island to see Missouri and the aviation museum...I had read to arrive early and it is really important. It remains an impressive visit for all but to plan well in advance if it is in a peak season.

There's a lot to see and do here, but everything is a separate cost. There is a free shuttle however, that will take you to the aviation museum and the battleship. You can easily spend several hours exploring everything.

Spending a day at Pearl Harbor should be a priority if it your first trip to Oahu. It's a special place given its historical importance and a visit here, especially when stepping onto the USS Arizona Memorial, is a solemn and powerful experience. Except for the $7 parking charge, it is free to visit the visitor center. This is where you can watch a 23-minute documentary film of the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941, and can explore 2 well organized museum exhibits, "The Road to War" and "Attack". You can also walk around the grounds and see the interpretive wayside exhibits and visit The Remembrance Circle all while taking in views of the harbor with the USS Arizona Memorial and the USS Missouri in the distance. However, a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial is the highlight of a visit to Pearl Harbor. This is also free (except the $1 booking charge), but it is important to order your tickets in advance and it is a very tough ticket to obtain. Boats leave from near the visitor center every 15 minutes from 8am-330p. Tickets are released in 2 batches. You can purchase tickets from rec.gov either exactly 8 weeks in advance or 24 hours in advance at 3pm local Hawaii time. Be ready to order right at 3pm and make sure you have learned how the website works. The spots sell out quickly. If you strike out, arrive first thing in the morning and join the standby line. You may have to wait 1-2 hours, but the park rangers fill up the open spots in the boat from no-shows with those in the standby line. However, there is so much more to explore during a visit. The WWII battleship USS Missouri site of the formal Japanese surrender, the USS Bowfin Submarine and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum are all excellent experiences. You can spend 2 hours at each, and they all require separate entrance tickets to visit. Buses take you from the visitor center out to Ford Island to visit the USS Missouri and the Aviation Museum. You can walk to the Bowfin from the visitor center. It may be worthwhile purchasing a Passport to Pearl Harbor pass for $89.99 that includes all 3. This pass doesn't actually save you any money when visiting just the 3 sites although it also includes an audio tour of the visitor center and a virtual reality experience which I thought was worthwhile. With so much to see, it would be good to have your day planned out. Our strategy was first to obtain tickets for the USS Arizona Memorial to visit in the mid to late afternoon. However, we arrived in the early morning and first headed out to Ford Island to beat the crowds and visited the USS Missouri and the Aviation Museum. We rode the shuttle back to the visitor center and explored the exhibits and watched the movie as we waited for our scheduled boat out to the USS Arizona. Finally, we wrapped up the day visiting the USS Bowfin submarine with whatever time we had left before closing.

this is a trip to take, very moving and sad but also interesting and beautiful, the Bowfin was excellent, walking through and seeing how they lived, the Arizona memorial was very quiet and respectful, realisation of what happened here all those years ago hit us, nevertheless it was a fabulous trip, lots of history to learn and understand. Brilliant day out

Always wanted to go to Pearl Harbor! Our tour Guide was very nice! Got to see the USS Arizona, the National Memorial Cemetery of the pacific, the Capital, and Royal Palace. It was a perfect day today to learn about history!

Four things to see on site. To pay your respects, the Arizona Memorial (plus a small museum). This is no cost but tickets required. You can reserve on the government site or use the standby line. I went standby at about 8am on a Friday and got in no problem but I've heard it's longer later in the day.

Admission to USS Bowfin and submarine museum is about 25 bucks. There is a food truck within this site. You can go into the sub with an audio guide as well as see the museum.

Take the bus over to USS Missouri, followed by the aviation museum. I did the Captains tour on the Missouri, which was worth it to see some extra bits and hear about how everything actually worked. Aviation museum has bits to read but you can also just admire the planes if you are getting overwhelmed by information at this stage! Top of tower tour was nice way to see everything and have a guide give an overview of the sequence of events on Dec 7, 1941.

We viited the Battleship Missouri and loved every minute, the information provided was very interesting. Will definitely go again.

This was our second trip to Oahu, but our seventh trip to the islands. Our first time on Oahu was several years ago and we weren't able to get tickets to Pearl Harbor National Monument and I have regretted it ever since. This time, we decided that we were going to do it and started early enough, that we were able to get tickets to the USS Arizona Memorial and to the rest of the Park, both for the two of us and for the other couple that went with us and with whom we have traveled with often.

Am I glad that we did! Although we really did not know what we were doing when we booked things, it worked so well that i am going to recommend it here;

First, once we secured our tip to Oahu, we began checking on tickets to Pearl Harbor. That far in advance (6 months), pretty much everything was available for admission. Through no fault of our own, we decided to get the tickets and cross one more thing of our "To Do" list right then. We discovered, quite by accident that there were several ways to see and experience Pearl Harbor from organized tours to self-guided ones. Once we learned that the only part of the experience that requires an appointed time was the USS Arizona Memorial, we secured tickets for that one and also purchased what's called a Park Passport which let us in to everything else, from touring the Battleship USS Missouri' to the Aviation Museum, submarine exhibit, and much more.

Our 'Passport' let us in to stuff beginning at 7 am so we got there at about 7:30 am and were able to see much of what we wanted before the crowds came. Then when it was our timen to visit the Arizona Memorial, we just did - and afterward finished up seeing what was left to see. The timing couldn't have been better.

The exhibits were extrmely well-done, were respectful, enormously informative - and sobering. This hallowed place gets to you - as it should. It has been over 79 years since WWII ended, and I ws not even born yet (I'm 73) when it did. No matter. It stll had a profound effect on all of us to be there. It should be a rite of passage for all Americans to see this, experience it and try to put it into context with y/our own lives. If that were so, perhaps our country might be less violent and more respectful. The place also instills hope.

The entire park was well-done, the staff were helpful and it was mostly wheelchair accessible. It took about seven hours to see everything that we were interested in and there was much more that we could have. It was well-worth doing and I would recommend it to all.

Truly impressive, humbling and informative tour.
The site can be visited for free! Although you can book via the website ($1,-) or via an expensive operator (+$50…), you can also go directly to the USS Arizona national memorial and enter the site for free. The exhibit onshore is freely accessible; no bags allowed. They have onsite storage ($9,-). For the boat access to the momerial you can try to book online (1% change) or you can go on the standby on site (99% chance), even for larger parties.
You get the professional navy boat ride to the memorial and are allowed 15 min at the site. A park ranger is available to answer questions.
As this is an actual last resting place for many sailors, respect and dignity is expected, and fully observed by all visitors on our trip.
Do take time afterwards to see the movie onsite, and visit the exhibits.

The site is impressive for its grandeur!
Not easy to access (do not go wrong with the military base ..).
Parking is obviously charged ($7). bags are forbidden inside and the deposit is also charged... (a few dollars). A few swear words later, you enter the holy of American holies, high place of American history.
From there, you will have to heat up the credit card: the 4 main animations will cost you close to $140! Obviously, you will spend almost the day there, but I think it is worth it. You can visit the USS Missouri (yes that of the movie Battleship with Rirou!), a submarine (beware, it's very small!), an aviation museum and the memorial for the USS Arizona that was sunk on December 7, 1941. With everything around, you'll get your money's worth. The budget is big, but it's probably the only time in your life you'll ever go there, right?

I wanted to see Pearl Harbor with my own eyes. I see various tour guides trying to sell PH tours as I walk around Waikiki for $80+ a person. So I did a little research myself… I was able to book the Arizona Memorial for $1 the following day. I took the city bus which was $3 ea way. I was dropped off in front of PH, my $1 ticket included the boat ride to the memorial and the movie about PH that you can watch before or after visiting. There is no cost to walk around the visitor center’s exhibits. If you do not need and actual guide this experience will cost you $7 and take about 3 hrs.

Since I am an Army Veteran this was a very moving experience for me and my wife. See the Arizona Memorial was breath taking as you realize what ooccurred there on December 7.

If you can't visit one of the options it's not really that eventful. Luckily the standby line to the USS Arizona is great option if you don't have tickets or want to buy tickets for other experiences. I wish there was more to do, more shows that shared what happened. It felt a bit dated compared to other national parks. Still, a great place to visit if you love history

This is of course a sacred and historical place with lots of separate attractions with separate reservations and fees for several. Do your research before you go to make sure you know how to navigate, it’s kind of confusing if you don’t. Also know you cannot take any bags in and it cost $7.00 and is a pain to check with more standing in lines.

This is an absolute “must do” if in Hawaii. It is just such an important piece of world history. And as with so many of the USA’s great historical sites, the presentation is superb. It is objective, accessible and sensitive.

There is a lot to see and do here but the details regarding the Japanese attack which sparked the USA’s involvement in WW2, and the deck on USS Missouri where the Japanese surrendered thereby bringing the war to an end are particularly important. Standing in the USS Arizona memorial knowing that the bodies of hundreds of servicemen still lie trapped in the wreckage below is particularly poignant.

When will we ever learn that we need to cooperate rather than compete if we want to survive? Pearl Harbour will help us understand why that is so important.

Very humbling to see the videos and to visit the site and remember those who did not make it out that terrible day. Great experience with Finny as our guide pointing out relevant sites arriving and departing.

A great piece of history to visit. Also, very sad the plight of the men on the ships. Unbelieveable that so many are still in the ship over 80 years later.

Having always wanted to visit Pearl Harbor we were unsure whether to take one of the many tours that are available or to do our own thing. As we aren’t great on organised tours, as we much prefer to do things at our own speed, we went for doing things on our own.

We found their website to be excellent, lots of information and we had no issues buying our tickets.

Once in Hawaii as we were staying by Waikiki Zoo we took the number 20 bus, that dropped us right outside the entrance for great value price of $3 a person.
Once at the site we were blown away with how well everything has been set up, how helpful the team are. Having spent the full day there we came away having thoroughly enjoyed our visit, learnt a lot and or course paid our respects.

The number 20 bus then returned us to Waikiki Zoo in about 70 mins.

So if tours aren’t for you, with a bit of planning, it’s easy to visit Pearl Harbor on your own, at a fraction of cost of the tours.

A little history
The short film is worth seeing
The museum is interesting
Leave your bags in the car if you don't want to pay the $7 at the entrance
To do

This area needs more signage. The area is high traffic, so allow time to get where you need to be. We took nearly an hour and a half to get there from the Kapolei area. The site is amazing to see in person and the rangers take their jobs as keepers of the place seriously. Ask about the junior ranger program.

Great history lesson for all and an excellent visit for history buffs. The Arizona memorial is appropriately reverent and the Missouri is full of interesting historical details. A great day. We went with Hawaiian Tours from Maui and they provided seamless transportation to and from Pearl Harbor arriving early and missing the lines.

O my word, what a place. It was a privilege to actually see the Arizona Memorial. I really don’t have any other words. Feel so very sorry for all the effected people.

This was a very emotional experience. The site of the Pearl Harbor bombings is beautifully laid out, spotlessly clean and very respectfully done. You do need to spend several hours her to make the most of your visit, there is a lot to see, including two museums. The information film, featuring actual footage, is a must before you board the launch that takes you to the Arizona memorial site.

Oh my goodness. This is absolutely a must do, but maybe not with small kids. No need to book a special tour - just use the recreation.gov site. Book early. Arrive early. Walk through the exhibits at the visitors center. Pay attention to the portraits at the beginning of the indoor exhibit. You’ll be glad you did at the end. The park ranger told a very emotional story before we boarded the boat. The actual memorial is like nothing I have ever experienced. Remember. Honor. Understand.

Great to be able to pay our respect to the men fallen on Dec 7th, 1941. If you go please remember this is a tomb. Facilities and tour are 1st class. Learn so you can honor.

In my opinion, this is the ultimate thing to do when visiting Honolulu. We were here for the marathon, and had some extra time the day before. Very nice memorial and national monument! You pay for parking but everything else we did was free. We spent a couple of hours walking around the site and visiting the free museums (we passed on the organized tours and the submarine museum and were just fine). The museums are very nice indeed. They cover the background to WWII, the attack on Pearl Harbor, life in Hawaii before and after the war...very nice! It's a lovely setting and sits right on the harbor. Be sure to watch the film on the Pearl Harbor attack. We also had (the day before) booked reservations ($1 each on-line) for the boat ride to go visit the Arizona Memorial. The boat ride out and back (very pleasant) took about an hour counting the time spent at the memorial. You can get the best pics of the memorial from the right side of the boat on the way over. It was all very pleasant and the memorial itself is modest, yet beautiful. Reverent and tasteful even after all these years. The park also has a very good gift shop...lots of nice relevant souvenirs to choose from.

Note: Visits to the Oklahoma and Utah Memorials and the USS Missouri on Ford Island require separate reservations (on-line). I have visited them before...also worth the effort, but we were not able to get reservations this time around.

Very informative displays at the museum. You can set up a "tour" time online to take a boat over to the Arizona Memorial. They also have a bus tour of Ford Island, the USS Missouri, a Submarine museum and an Air Museum. You can spend an entire day here. It is very emotional to hear the stories of the people from the day Pearl Harbor was bombed.

Very moving experience visiting the Pearl Harbor Memorial. The guide suggested picking a name from the wall of soldiers and looking the soldier up to learn more about the soldier, which I will be doing.

I don't know what I was expecting but this visit was worth the 2-3 hours we spent there. From the ferry to the USS Arizona site to the museum, everything was well done. My mother, an army veteran, was impressed.

We brought two teenagers who were very impressed by the place.
Much of the "magic" of the place is done by those who work there who live on their skin the pain that is perpetuated every day in all war in the world.
Very intense

Kalani, our guide and driver, was excellent! This was one of the most moving experiences of my life!

Definitely one of the most patriotic museums/memorials I've been to. I would have given 5 stars if it had more recognition of the other side (Japanese) and what happened as a result of Pearl Harbor (Nagasaki/Hiroshima). I would have also like to seen more about how the relationship between Japan and US changed after the war. There was a small section on it but there could have been more emphasis on how peace was achieved.

Very humbling experience. Tons of great information, the museums and videos are all well worth the time spent. Make a reservation ahead of time.

Finally made it to Pearl Harbor to tour the USS Arizona—such an important part of our history. This was part of a group tour and tickets/transportation already arranged for us. Ferry boat takes you out then back. Park staff and Rangers friendly and very organized for time and reminded all about being respectful on this final resting place of many servicemen. Photos limited. See Park website about what is allowed onboard. Wallet size restrictions given.

Pearl Harbor is a must see. My father served in the Pacific during the war, so visiting the base was very special to me. The Arizona Memorial was explained and the respectful behavior that was to be expected from the guests was given before the boat departed. Everyone on board was very well behaved and showed respect to those lost and entombed in this war grave. Very humbling and worthwhile. We didn’t pay for an additional private tour and were able to see everything we wanted to see without paying extra. It does cost money to tour the aviation museum & USS Missouri as well as the ww2 submarine, but that is a great value. Don’t be discouraged if you have to be on a waiting list to get out to the Arizona on the shuttle boat. If you don’t have tickets through the .gov site, then get there early to get on the waiting list early. Must see on Oahu.

Well worth the hour to two hour visit. A walking tour at your own pace.

This site would be more enjoyable and informative if a visitor is able to read English.

Enjoyed the movies and educational displays. Very sobering, learning about and seeing the destruction and deaths of those ready to fight for and defend the freedoms we enjoy. A reminder for all of us to show more kindness and patience. Advocate and live a life of peacefulness and work harder to prevent anything like this from happening again.

Entry is free but was disappointed that so many things required separate and exorbitant fees! Charge an entry fee that covers the costs of everything available and a separate fee for private tours.

This is an amazing place to see history and remember the lives that were lost. We toured the Arizona Memorial, USS Missouri, The Aviation Museum, The Bowfin Submarine, Oklahoma Memorial and all of the museums associated with each. We got there at opening and left at closing. Wear comfortable shoes.

Beautiful one of a kind place.. Recalling the dramas of war. I strongly recommend to see it and make the ticket for all the attractions
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A lot of history there great ship and to see how they lived was very memorable. Can be hot at times depending on the day so be prepared bring a water battle you can refit it near the start of the tour line. Bus can take some time since it’s always full so be prepared to wait.

If you are coming to Hawaii, Pearl Harbor is not a place to miss. There is so much history to see and learn. Our guide Kimoke’o gave us great tips for navigating the crowds. He is very knowledgeable, professional, and entertaining. He gave us so much more information about Pearl Harbor than we learned in the history books, and it gave our visit much more meaning.

Neat to see but the coolest things are a bus or boat shuttle away and most an extra charge. The Missouri is totally worth the shuttle over

We visited Pearl Harbor in May 2024. We ubered there and were dropped off at the entrance of the visitor center. Entry is free. We learned you need reservations to ride the boat to the USS Arizona Memorial. We placed our name on the standby list and were called within 5 minutes to join the line to ride the boat. Entry is free. The boat ride is 5 minutes. We spent approximately 20 minutes in the memorial. If you read each of the plaques, you get a sense of the history involved with this sacred place. When we arrived back at the visitor center, we walked along the path with more plaques explaining the the attack that killed 2,403 U.S. personnel, 68 civilians, and destroyed or damaged 19 U.S. Navy ships and the three aircraft carriers. Entry to the path was free. Donation box is placed on the path. You have the option to pay for a tour of a battleship or submarine. We did not so no review of that here. In summary, if you wish to skip tour costs, it can be done on the cheap.

We spent the whole day at this wonderful historic site, learned so much and have a deeper understanding of the lives lost.

The reservation process for $2 USS Arizona (AZ) was insane (sold out minutes after 3PM tickets released day before, 3-4 of us tried and must be logged in); but in the end, we got 5 AZ tickets for 11:15. We decided we were going to spend whole day there, so we also bought passport passes for $89. Note for the passport tickets, the first place (besides AZ) you visit you have to go to respective ticket booth to get a physical card ticket. We couldn’t find parking in the 2 paid Pearl Harbor lots so we parked all day in the next section for free.

The two exhibits before waiting in line for AZ were interesting. You line up 10 minutes before your AZ timed entry and take a boat shuttle to the beautiful yet haunting memorial site. Watched the movie afterwards. We then bought sandwiches (ham & cheese, turkey, tuna) at snack bar as not allowed to bring in food / non water drinks into museums. We then took a shuttle to ford island to see 1) the USS Missouri (MO or mighty mo) and 2) the aviation museum. (There were hot dogs sold outside by bowfin museum entrance). It felt so symbolic to stand on the surrender deck which took place on mighty mo. My husband really enjoyed the aviation museum & hangar 79 outside. There was a cafe snack bar at the aviation museum but was closed when we were there (after 2). We then took bus back to main area to finish up at the bowfin submarine (closed at 4:30) and pacific fleet submarine museum which closed at 5. Didn’t have time to do the virtual reality that came with passport.

I’m so glad we went, but would recommend getting tickets for AZ earlier than our 11:15 slot as we were rushed and tired at the end. My favorite places in order were the AZ, MO, bowfin. Don’t bring bags; I bought a $12 clear plastic backpack at Ross stores and was able to get in no problem.

We weren't able to get tickets to see the USS Arizona Memorial, but our visit to the rest of the National Memorial Park was worth it -- and very moving.

We got the audio tour through the National Memorial Park (not a 3rd party tour), and that helped give more context to the Visitors Center displays.

Then we also got tickets to the Ford Island Bus Tour through the memorial park as well (go to nps.gov site for both of these tours, not any 3rd party tour site). The bus tour was much better than I expected. The NPS Ranger (Holly) was extremely knowledgeable and made the tour just as impactful as the USS Arizona Memorial would have been. (There aren't many reviews of the bus tour because they don't offer many tickets, as Ford Island is an active military base, so I wanted to share how we found the bus tour worth it (even though we got drenched by a passing cloud--lol)).

Between the audio tour and the bus tour, we spent a half day at the National Memorial Park.

Pearl Harbor Historic Sites offers an opportunity to better understand and appreciate the sacrifices made by US servicemen at the start of WWII.

The USS Arizona Memorial is essentially a national cemetery, and should be experienced with a proper amount of decorum.

Visiting Pearl Harbor was on our bucket list for a long time. Visiting the USS Arizona Memorial & Battleship Missouri was a moving experience. Learned a lot about the attack on Pearl Harbor that I didn't know before. Best to allow an entire day to see all the exhibits. We ran short on time and did not have time to visit The Aviation Museum, The Bowfin Submarine, and the Oklahoma Memorial.

We booked our tour to Pearl Harbour with eNoa tours , they arrived on time called our name and we got on the bus. What an experience, our tour guide Oli was the best tour guide a visitor to the island could ever wish for. He made you feel like part of his family and his knowledge is unbelievable you could not be made to feel more important. Thank you for a wonderful experience.

WOW. Our family (2 adults, 2 children ages 7 and 12) spent the day at Pearl Harbor National Memorial and everyone came away with a greater understanding of the events of Pearl Harbor and the heart wrenching losses that occurred there. You definitely need more than one day if you want to see it all. We were able to go out to the Arizona (we had advance reservations to be sure we’d be able to get to it, though there is a stand by line), we went to the Missouri (self-guided tour, though the guided tours, which are free, sounded well-done), did the deluxe audio tour (there are 3 options, each more detailed than the other and more time consuming), and did the VR experience (you can choose from 4 experiences). The galleries are well done and thorough. They offer background information, tell you about life in the US and Japan in the 30s and 40s, and really help people of all knowledge levels understand more about Pearl Harbor. The audio tour, narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis, does a fantastic job of accompanying the exhibits in the galleries as well as offers an explanation of other artifacts and places throughout the memorial. The VR experience was also informative. I just wish we’d had more time so we could go back to see the Bowfin and the Aviation Museum. I wasn’t disappointed by this experience- it was solemn and educational and chilling.

I could write a narrative of the tire experience, but this is something you have to experience, because I believe it speaks to everyone differently.

Tips:
- No bag, larger than a wallet is allowed to enter the property so be sure to leave
here, small purse, no matter how small in the vehicle. They do have lockers available for a charge.
- $7 to park, but it is free to enter
- Would recommend the $9, thirty minute narrated tour that you go at your own pace. They’re a different ones you can use or there’s a earplugs and a phone that you walk around with. The 30 minute Torah was mostly narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis, but you also get to hear the voice of other survivors.
- Drink plenty of water
- Sunscreen is a must do not forget to do sunscreen on the top of your feet
- You can bring in your own water bottle
- There is also a submarine museum next-door $24.95 for tickets and you get to go inside of a submarine. I did not do that. It was too hot.
- Please be respectful in what you wear I was shocked of those wearing bras and booty shorts, this is a place of morning not a party.
- USS Arizona, it was a very windy day and no one got sick and you do not stay out on the water long. It was worth it. Words cannot describe the experience when you see the names on the wall.

My family had always wanted to visit the Pearl Harbor. When the opportunity finally came we wanted to be sure we got as much out of the experience as we possibly could and we were not disappointed. We visited the Pearl Harbor memorial with a private guide booked through TravelShack. Our guide took care of everything for us, tickets to the Arizona, Bowfin, and USS Missouri. He was so knowledgeable, we learned far more than we would have had we gone alone. I highly recommend booking a tour with TravelShack. We did not have to stress about anything. Our guide walked us through everything.

we visited pearl harbour in 2019 and unfortunately due to maintenance the Arizona memorial was unable to be visited. we are back there in february 2023 qnd it was an amazing place to visit

The Arizona Memorial is a moving place to learn about the sacrifice these men gave for our protection. It is a quick boat ride over from the shore where you will step onto the monument that crosses over the sunken hull of the Arizona. The tour lasts about 15 minutes where you will hear about the men who died here and are still entombed on this ship since 1941. A very moving experience that should not be missed.

I encountered a very unfriendly staff member at the Visitor Center main gate. I know you must get the same questions about what size of bag to bring or where can I get a shuttle. But the signage is terrible and no information on the tickets we purchased either. Please don't mock guests asking questions.

Disappointed to say the least, to windy to get in the boat, told to rebook and ticket would be honoured!
Asked another member of staff and got told to go over there! 🤦
Free entry and then you have to pay to do things!

Pearl Harbor is definitely something to see.

You can book on your own and you do NOT to book through another tour company. Book yourself to see the Arizona Memorial, The Missouri, and the Bowfin Submarine. (There are different official websites for each of the 3 to get tickets).

Unfortunately, there were high winds while we were there thus the boat that takes you to the Memorial could not operate. (Tickets are non-refundable but valid for 7 years). Though there is a great view of the Arizona from the bridge deck of the Missouri.

It is a lot of easy walking - the Bowfin Submarine required the most mobility.

It took many years to get here! But it was well worth the wait! Every separate site was interesting and informative! The USS Arizona Memorial was a very sad and somber experience! The USS Missouri was such a wonderful tour. To see where they signed the papers for the end of World War II was fascinating! Don’t miss this tour!!!

We came here with a tour that took in various sites in and around Honolulu and then we had a couple of hours to visit Pearl Harbour. That was definitely not enough time! On the grounds there are museums, plaques to read, pictures to look at, ships to explore and movies to watch… plus a boat ride to visit the Arizona Memorial. We were very impressed with the amount of historical information that was available and so well done!!

Since it’s still a working naval base, you have to go through a security check point before entering. No bags are allowed but they do have lockers to store them. Food is available and the gift store has a lot of souvenirs from books to t-shirts. Next visit to Honolulu, we would just come on our own and not rush to see everything.

This was a must-do on our list when we decided to go to Honolulu. I can only add my recommendation to all the others.

It’s definitely worthwhile going here but surely they can maintain the place.

The film looks like it was made in the 80’s and is so badly faded you can hardly see it well.

The men’s toilets all have broken doors so you can’t lock them.

Some of the drinking fountains are broken and don’t work.

Some signage, including above the Arizona, is badly faded.

The list can go on.

And also the two woman operating one of the boats are so passive aggressive and rude to people. Literally yelling at passengers. Totally ruins the moment.

Unfortunately this all feels more like a tourist trap than a memorial museum.

I recognize it's a really important historic site. The visit is free, although the backpacks must be left in custody for $7 each. If you want access to each battleship, submarine or museum you must pay 25-30 dollars for each access. A real deal

Sadly - we would, as a couple, have to agree with many of the negative comments. Only gave it a 2 because some information at least gleaned from the museum display, but as a 21st century exhibit, it really is way below standard - (and we are keen museum visitors). Misinformation about charges for memorial and other sites etc. - check, mega-charges for many of the actual attractions/sites-check, unpleasant restrooms dominating introductory concourse- double check - (the smell is the first thing that greets visitors on arrival), ridiculous bag charge- check, (many visitors with tiny bags were stunned)! Also not clear what is being achieved or prevented by this policy??? Poor introductory signage - check, inadequate refreshment option and shade - check, shabby shop- check, and so on. Not U.S. citizens but have always wanted to visit Pearl Harbor as an historic site and pay respects as we have done in Australia, UK and others. Take a line through Canberra's AWM for a place of quiet dignity and commemoration, which as a national memorial obviously does not charge, nor do the others that we've visited. Please update this important commemoration in honour of those who lived, and died, there.

We visited the memorial during our recent trip to Hawaii.

As we were tight for time we were only able to visited the National Memorial. The National Memorial had some interesting and informative plaques to read. Also, from there you could see both the Bowfin & Arizona memorials in the distance. It's too bad we couldn't see the rest of the memorial but were happy to see what we did.

What a sobering experience. From the time you enter, to the time you walk out you are reminded of the sacrifices and horrors of war. The short shuttle boat ride was captained by US Sailors. The requested respect and dignity as we disembarked onto the USS Arizona memorial. The sights and information given there were inspiring.

Our second visit to the memorial and shrine to the brave men who died that infamous date. On our first visit, several young visitors were loud and very disrespectful . Thankfully they were to keep quiet. On this visit, eveyone were appropriately quiet and very respectul. It was sobering to see the number of names added to the list of those now interred with their shipmates since our first visit about 20 years ago.

I was worried because we didn’t have reservations for 12/31/23. I assumed it would be slammed since they’re closed the next day. However we arrived at 8:15am and only waited 40 mins to get on a boat. I saw even at 10 and 12 the line only looked slightly longer, so we clearly could’ve slept in longer today. Maybe because it was a Sunday and people were partying the night before? Thankfully it was all easy for us.

If you’re confused about all the sites and separate tickets here’s the deal - you only need to worry about the Arizona Memorial reservations (or standby line). After that you can easily buy any other ticket with no wait or worry. We also did the Missouri and were done by 12:30 to go get lunch (we did buy a few snacks along the way which was a life saver).

One more thing I didn’t see anyone else mention… they now don’t show the short movie before you go to the Arizona, so you should either make time to see it before your reservation or explain to your kids what they’re about to see. It plays in another theatre every :15 and :45 (the line is right next to the reservation line).

We had 4 teens/tweens with varying levels of interest in history or tours, but they all said they liked it. Hope that helps some other busy parent who didn’t have time to plan ahead!

This is powerful and moving, but it is very somber. If you have a young kid interested in ships, I highly recommend doing the Missouri tour. MAKE SURE YOU GO BELOW DECK! There are a lot of things to see and get a feel for how ship life was for the sailors. The tour on top is really interesting, but you will be missing out if you do t go below deck!

Sacred memorial for the service members and civilians who experienced Pearl Harbor. Several great exhibits and a nice theater that describes the history of this site.

Big area. Can pick any of the 4 tours. Each tour is around 2hours. You can choose Pacific Fleet Submarine museum, Pearl Harbor National memorial, Pearl Harbor Aviation museum, Battleship Missouri memorial. The only free option is the USS Arizona memorial. If you want to be assured of a place, you booked online at the fee of 1 USD. However, if you just walk in, just join the stand by q, and if vacancies are available , you would be allow to visit the memorial. When we were there on a Thursday, a weekday, there were many walk ins and they had no problem getting into the tour.

We selected an excursion to see the Memorial, but were bitterly disappointed. On arrival the tour guide told us to get in standby line for entry to memorial. We assumed entrance was included. Due to time constraints, we did not have enough time to get through the ferry queue and onto Memorial. Entry to Missouri should have been included, but driver was unhelpful and we would have had to pay twice over. There were very few places to sit, no shelter from sun and rain. The directions were unclear and we wasted valuable time standing under shelter by toilets. The two stars are because the views in the bus were spectacular. I would not recommend this tour to any future cruiser.

Impressive US memorial.
Manageable crowds, no crowds, clean and tidy.
Even without admission you can see a lot.

It’s memorial with four main sites: Perl Harbor National memorial/USS Arizona, submarine museum, battleship USS Missouri museum and Aviation museum of Perl Harbor. There are a lot of information about December, 7th unfortunate events. Visit USS Arizona memorial is free, but you have to book your time via tickets in advance: tickets became available in 1 day prior a planning visit date. Other sites are for extra fee.
Parking zone, snack shop, hot dog station, souvenir shop. Be ready to leave all your belongings in storage ($7 per bag/$10 per luggage) due to museum rules.

this is my 3rd trip over a 30 year span. each time brings different emotions. a must do for all ages. Remember. Understand. Honor.

Must do in Hawaii if you have even the slightest interest in history- also just a beautiful place. The visitor center is really informative and a lovely place just to sit and reflect at. I came in not expecting to make it onto the USS Arizona since we didn't get a reservation, but the standby line only took 1.5 hours the day after Christmas ( i read about people waiting 3-4 hours so i was worried). I got in line at 10:30 am and we were on the boat to the memorial at 12. You can switch off in line with members of your party, it was a pretty casual line. The experience was very special. We then shuttled to the USS Missouri, which is a huge battleship museum. We paid $35 or so each but it was so worth it. We spent 3 hours there, with free guided 30 min tours running. I didn't know much about pearl harbor/these ships, especially that Japan surrendered WW2 on the Missouri!, but learned so much from that 30 minute tour (led by Duke) alone. There are two more museums within the vicinity that we didn't go to, but the arizona memorial and missouri alone were a day well spent. also was able to take TheBus to and from waikiki with ease.

Tips: you have to check in your bags or bring it in a clear stadium bag! the line to check in our bags took a bit of time and was $7. apart from that security was chill and you can bring in your own water/food if its in a clear container. There are snacks and drinks and hot dogs inside, but no other food so recommend eating before. also super sunny.

Because we did not book our tickets waaaaay in advance, I had to rely on the system of booking them beginning at 3 pm the day before we desired to visit. At 3 pm, on the day prior, I was in an aisle in Walmart. I parked my cart out of the way, logged into the site on my phone and tried to book tickets. In under 30 seconds, two time slots filled up. I nervously grabbed the next available time and booked our tickets. Phew! I felt like I was trying to go see a Talyor Swift concert. On the day of our visit, we got to Pearl Harbor early and headed straight for the boat ride to the Arizona. I noticed a group of people in a "stand by" section. I went up to the usher, who asked what time our tickets were for, did not ask to see them, and invited us to board early. After such hard work getting our tickets, I wanted someone to scan them! So, my advice is, if you didn't manage to get tickets, go anyway, your chances of getting on the boat are very good. Also know that it is an additional cost to visit the submarine docked there. And, I paid $10 to check my purse. I should have just left it under the seat in the car and been $10 ahead.

We have been here before, so this time it was mainly to see the Arizona Memorial. Still we had plenty of time to walk around to check out the grounds, museums and gift shop.
Please remember that no purses, backpacks, fannypacks, bags, camera cases and such are allowed......there are a limited number of lockers that can be rented. Cameras are allowed at Pearl Harbor.
Do check the National Park Service web site for the latest notes and to see which areas require a extra fee.

There are a variety of ways to see this attraction. I rode the public bus from Waikiki Beach on a day pass that cost $7. When I arrived to the site, I noticed that parking was $7, but if you had a bag of any kind, there was an additional $7 for bag storage. There is a great deal of signage to explain the different options. I did not choose to tour the submarine or the Pacific War Museum. I did walk around the trails while waiting standby for the boat to see the USS Arizona Memorial. There is also a theater playing a film about Pearl Harbor. I enjoyed my visit to the site and it deepened my understanding. I would recommend a water bottle although they do have a snack bar.

The USS Arizona was a battleship. It was sunk during the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbour in December 1941. Over 1,000 officers and crew were lost when the Arizona's magazine exploded. The memorial is placed. above the Arizona. All the other battleships in Pearl Harbor were refloated. Pearl Harbor remains the home port of the US Pacific Fleet. Pearl Harbor is a relatively shallow harbor, but it is important in maintaining the US' status as a Pacific power.

This has been on our bucket list and we’re So very honoured to go…here are some pointers we did not know to book on line and take a paper copy this line gets in first… it’s FREE ! we were told to go at 7am which we did and there must have been 60 people in line to enter .You-have to put your purse and belongings in a secure area for a fee. Nothing bigger then a 1”x6” my Ouse was a little wallet purse. This is very security place. ..we stood in line for about 20 minutes and a lady with two little boys and husband they asked if we were just the two of us..we replied yes …she said our one son picked us out ? They had 6passes two of there group couldn’t go and asked us to go with them.We were delighted! This tour was very heart felt take your time and watch the movie and see the articles they have.. very informative …

The Pearl Harbor National Memorial is a meaningful historical site where we can ponder the tragedy of war. It's easy to access, inexpensive, and tastefully done. The highlight is taking the boat out to the USS Arizona Memorial above the sunken battleship, but the museum and other exhibits are interesting and worth seeing.

We went in October 2024 near the end of the day. It was not too crowded and easy to enjoy. There was some confusion about how to pay for parking that delayed the start of the tour -- the signage there gave confusing instructions. Could have been much easier. Make sure you know your license plate number before leaving your car.

Site now part of the world history of the last century having been the scene of the Japanese bombing and what resulted from it. The historical reconstruction is excellent and so much emotion exudes from the various headstones and commemorative relics. A visit is appropriate so as not to forget!

I came here to have a very touching special experience to see and hear the testimonies of this attack the positive thing that there is also audio in Italian was a beautiful experience

Amazing, so moving. You take s smaller boat over. Make reservations if you can. We were lucky and wated in the standby line, but got on the boat quickly. Do the park andmuseum after.

Crowded day, but glad we went. Was alerted not to leave valuables in the car as it wasn't unsafe area. It did not seem unsafe.

We were disappointed we weren’t told people would be talking at the memorial after we got off the boat. We missed the man speaking at the entrance to the wall of names and had to ask him to repeat what we missed. Then he gave misinformation. He said we couldn’t see any of the Arizona but there WERE parts visible.
Then we had no idea a man was speaking in front of the wall until most of his talk was finished. We could not hear clearly because he had no microphone. These are serious problems with the memorial. It is a shame because the memorial is a wonderful tribute to the horrible death they suffered.

This was very fun and gave good perspective of events on Dec 7. I enjoyed touring the submarine and learning more about the use in the war. There were things for all ages.

The Pearl Harbor National Memorial was beautiful and had so much to see/do/learn. Definitely recommend. We were there for 2 hours and definitely not enough time.

Very good tour guide.. Oli from Enoa tour very accommodating. A lot of knowledge about tour and culture of hawaii. Hre has a very pleasing personality

Excellent all day trip. Kimoke’o took us to Pearl Harbor. Our first stop was the USS Missouri. After that we went to the Aviation Museum. In the afternoon, we were able to go to the Arizona Memorial. During the entire day, Kimoke’o gave knowledgeable information about the happenings on December 7, 1941.

I had wanted to visit here while we were in Hawaii. But on balance, I felt the whole effort was confused, a bit disappointing and underwhelming.
The National Parks web-site isn't at all helpful on how you should plan your trip and just wants you to book tickets of which there are 4 or 5 types, some of which are not from National Parks. I booked online the night before on recreation.gov for the Deluxe Combination Narrated Tour & VR. There were no tickets for the USS Arizona Rour.
First thing - Parking - There were no spaces at 10 3 a.m. and so we parked 200 metres up the rod at the Marina. Although Nat. Parks charges $7 for parking with QR coded signs, there was nothing at the marina - so free?
Second thing - no bags - not even my wife's small handbag. So you pay $7 plus tax to have it lockered or take it back to the car. I went back to the car.
Armed with our tickets, it wasn't obvious where we had to go. So we went to the open-air section marked "VR". She said have you booked for Arizona. I said we couldn't. She said go up there and register for stand-by, which we did, to receie an SMS if we were lucky. No sooner returned to put on VR headsets than we were pined, had to leave a queu up for boat shuttle to USS Arizona. Not sure it was worth the half hour return trip as you can barely see the wreck and it has obviously deteriorated fro/m some of the publicity photos. Besides the boat must hold at least 100 people, so you get a limited view.
We went back to do the VR thing which was about 10 minutes and then visited a couple of the "museum sections". They were intersting but again you had to navigate around other tourists.
We decided not to spend money on the submarine museum or the Ford Island Bus Shuttle and left around 1 30 p.m. Not sure we got out $44 worth,

Awe struck, this is a National Burial place so remember to be respectful. We visited USS Missouri, Bowfin, Aviation Museum and the USS Arizona. This is a very solemn place, Please Respect the grounds. Our grandson thoroughly enjoyed our tours.

This is an experience we should all have. We didn't go to the sunken ship, but wish we would have gotten there earlier so we could have done that. The ticket line didn't seem long on a Friday.

This was a cool experience! It was a little tricky to follow on the website what you needed to buy tickets for ahead of time and what you could do in the moment, so we weren't able to see the USS Arizona. It seems like you can either buy tickets 3 weeks ahead of time or the day before.

Overall, a cool piece of history to learn more about!

Was a very humbling and interesting place to visit.
Admission is free, but a lot of the really interesting things there have an admission cost, such as the Arizona Memorial, or the USS Missouri.
Nonetheless, you can still see these things from a distance without actually getting in/on them without paying, and that counts for something. There are some free things to view at Pearl Harbor as well, and I think just knowing where it is you are standing is well worth the time it takes to get there, even if you don't go to any of the paid things.
Bags aren't allowed inside Pearl Harbor, but you can get a transparent bag and show it at admission and bring that in, or store your bags for a cost before you enter Pearl Harbor. Every staff member we encountered was nice and pleasant. The only reason a star is taken off is because the no entry fee is a bit misleading when most of the things that draw your eye once you're inside do have an admission cost.

While I have visited Pearl Harbor before, it was probably 15 yrs since my last visit. The site has definitely been updated. It is professional and well organized.
We took the bus from Kuhio Avenue. Bus #20. Only $3 to get there. Probably took 1 hr 10min.
Before leaving, I placed my few items in a clear Ziploc bag as I didn't want to waste time (or money) with a locker.
Entrance was quick and easy.
We explored the site. We paid to see the USS Bowfin--approx $22 for an adult. Lovely and educational exhibits inside the building. We took our time.
The submarine is always a highlight of my trip. It is rather cramped and hot. Hard to imagine so many men in it--below the water. So interesting.
Note--as one enters the submarine area, an employee takes your photo. Upon leaving, you can purchase the photo that has been 'attached' a 'newspaper' clipping with historical information. $25. If one buys the image, you are also given a coupon for a free pearl (at the pearl shop that is in the food area). We (rather regretfully) purchased the image. Got the free pearl. To set the pearl, in a very basic and plain setting, was $175! We said 'thank you'. I will take the pearl home as a souvenir and have it (potentially) set at home.
There is a snack shop that sells prepackaged sandwiches, candy bars, pop, bottled water, potato chips, ice cream bars, etc. One should note, though, that there is a 'food truck' by the Bowfin where one can order fresh hamburgers, etc. While we did not bother, the food smelled good and people seemed to be enjoying it!
We ventured, at our allotted time, to the theatre. NO video/movie anymore. I was surprised to hear this news. One of the workers offered a short, informational speech about the ride to the memorial.
The transport over was efficient.
We were at the site for 10-12 min before being shuttled back to the land.
There were red rose petals on the memorial in a basket. Many people, including ourselves, took a moment to release a petal into the water.
After visiting the memorial, we were ready to go.
Please note that the bus stop to return to Waikiki is not the same one as the 'drop off'. Walk up the small hill to the big road/highway. Turn right. Walk. One should see a bus stop just past the first set of lights. Here, we caught the #20 bus back into Waikiki. Again, another 1 hr bus ride. $3!

I would recommend the visit--very worthwhile!

I loved this experience, we stayed 4 hours and we could only do the Bowfin (submarine) and the USS Arizona (memorial of one of the Pearl Harbour ships where 1000 people died), in both cases we bought audio guide which helps you a lot to understand everything.

We wanted to do Missouri, but we didn't have time.

Keep in mind that they do not let in wallets or bags, then do not leave anything of value in the car. They can buy basic food and drink on site.

This is an absolute must see and do while in Hawaii. Please honor the USS Arizona Memorial as if you are visiting a cemetery as the remains of its sailors still remain interred beneath the water and in the hill of the ship below. It is a moving experience that you will never forget.

The museum is a learning experience, with lots of history for everyone, there's a boat ride...to see up close the USS Arizona Memorial, and a complimentary video hall, also a souvenir shop for purchasing items

Excellent!! I'll definitely recommend the visit to Pearl Harbor!! Specially if you enjoy History!! The Arizona memorial is a must!!

I visited the Arizona memorial 35 years ago as a kid and all I remember was the actual Arizona and the galleries. Today it is so much more, it can (and did for us) take an entire day and then some, and you will leave fully appreciating the Greatest Generation and their sacrifices. In and around the Memorial is also the Bowfin (a submarine nicknamed the Pearl Harbor Avenger), the USS Missouri battleship, and the air hangar and tower. We knew we wanted to see it all and not take a tour that controlled how much time we spent. Here is how we did it.

On the afternoon we arrived on Oahu we went to the memorial via a ride-sharing service (about 45 min in Honolulu traffic and about $30 one way), beelined to the shuttle wait area, and took the bus to the air hangar. Our goal was to climb the tower to get a birds eye view of Pearl harbor and to understand the attack at a macro level. Great decision! This will cost $35pp and was a great experience and a way to really appreciate the battle on a grand scale. We then returned to our hotel (memorial was closed by then), ready to return the next day.

The next day, the day we had our Arizona reservation (you can make them 60 days in advance at reservation.gov), we returned right as it all opened at 7am. We walked through the galleries first and my son completed his Jr Ranger book. The galleries are very well done and we went through them in a non hurried pace, reading everything and watching every video. We did not buy the audio guide. By 9:00 we were done with the galleries. Our reservation for the Arizona was at 11 so we watched the movie that is at the take-off point (it's just over 20 minutes) then since we still had time before our reservation we walked over to the Bowfin. The Bowfin was around $35pp (audio guide included) and was really neat. You get to walk through all the parts of the sub and the included audio guide is definitely a necessity here and very well done. We had a little time for the adjacent museum but not enough to see it all before we had to walk back over to where the Arizona tours depart from. The Bowfin took a good 45 min and to have seen the whole museum would have added another 45 minutes.

At the departure point, you line up 15 minutes before your reserved time then get a safety briefing before getting on the boat. I was glad we had seen the galleries and movie ahead of time as it helps you appreciate more what you are about to see at the Arizona itself. I do wish we had gotten an earlier reservation and done the Bowfin after but that's just how it worked out. If you don't have a reservation you can wait it a standby line in case something opens but try to do the reservation.

After seeing the Arizona (and please remember you are entering a gravesite) we then went over to the shuttle landing area to see the Missouri. The shuttle runs a loop from the Arizona/Bowfin to the Missouri to the airfield and back to the Arizona. We did have to wait a bit as the first one filled up.

When we got to the Missouri it was about 1:00 and we were hungry. There are some food trucks at the Missouri (literally right next to it, how cool to eat lunch right next to a battleship!). We then got our Missouri tickets (again about $35pp) and went aboard. The first couple things to see are on deck - the impressive guns, the surrender deck (wow, humbling) and an area where a kamikaze left a dent. After that you can descend to the lower decks to see how the more modern sailors lived in the 80s and 90s. This part was interesting but skipable if you are short on time.

By the time we completed the Missouri we had been there two hours including about 20 min for lunch. We waited for the shuttle to the airfield (again having to wait for two circuits due to room) and then made it to the airfield by 3:30. Since we'd seen the tower the day before we went into the hangar ($35pp with audio guide included) and the planes inside are impressive and several seemed really unique compared to other aviation museums we have visited. Then we walked to the other hangar where there isn't as much to see but the bullet holes in the windows are a neat remnant. If you are short on time, you can speed through by just seeing the outside where you can see some planes and the bullet holes without paying before returning to the Arizona.

By that point it was 4:15 so the hangars didn't take as much time and we had just enough time to catch the shuttle back to get Arizona and make it to the gift shop before everything closes at 5.

A long day but worthwhile. It takes some planning but is doable.

Also something worth knowing is no bags allowed, you must check them unless they are see-through. We had read this ahead of time so took only what we could fit in pockets and that saved time waiting in line at the lockers.

The visit was very nice. Seeing what happened in the early 40’s really made you think of what was sacrificed for our freedom.

Free entry and only US$7 for parking for the day

If doing your own thing, tickets for SET TIMES for ferry to the Arizona come out, on line, at 3pm daily - for the next day’s visit. That costs US$1. Tickets are limited so be quick at 3pm on line. So if you are flexible with dates, wait till you hit the jackpot. We didn’t get an on line $1 booking so we hoped for the best and joined the Stand-by queue at the ferry entrance which is about 70 metres from the ticket offices. Those offices are themselves ,inside the entrance to the whole area. Again, entrance is FREE.

We waited about 40 minutes in the stand-by queue. Those who had paid the $1 on line had priority and went before us. I was told that 45 minutes was the average wait time but I really don’t know.

Despite being free entry for everything (?) we paid about US$20 pp for an audio tour (on line, but I presume payable on site too - not sure) with headphones and good map. It would have been very good value but there was plenty to see without it. Great if you were spending most of the day there.

Hints:

On our visit (just before midday, early May), wait time before a parking spot became available was 10 minutes. I don’t know about other times or months.
There seemed to be plenty of disability spots free.

Bag security very strict. I had to return to our parked car with my relatively small bum bag/fanny pack. Fortunately, the car park is within 100 metres of the entrance. If, like us, you find carrying water, phone, wallet and hat awkward, others seemed to be utilising the bag which came with a souvenir from the gift shop which is inside the entrance.

Emotional but recommend to everyone. The ferry ride over gives you a view of how the ships were positioned that day and how vulnerable those young men were. It is a reminder of why we should not dismiss our freedom but treasure it and the people we have lost defending it.

Matthew was our Tour director on the 28th of February 2023. He started our tour with the stop at the Ali'iolani Hale building (Hawaii 5 0 office), the Historic Iolani Palace, the Four Gift Banyan Trees from India, State Capitol Building and the Eternal Flame. Then we continued to Pearl Harbor. The wind blew extremely hard, which we were informed it could cancel the tug boat out the Arizona (which was disappointing) but there was plenty of free history museum's in the Visitors Center Location. Our wonderful guide also shared with us that we could take the shuttle bus to Ford Island and visit the Missouri Battle Ship, you could pay admission or just view. We chose to pay extra admission since we had the time. The aviator area was good to see and then we headed back. I hope to return to Pearl Harbor and see the tears of the Arizona. Thank you Matthew for the wonderful history lesson and helping taking our memorial picture.

It's a memorial to a terrible day. Facilities are nice and the park-like environment is beautiful. Arizona memorial boat ride and experience is humbling and powerful. If in HNL, it's nearly a must-do to appreciate what happened and the cost it imparted.

Ok, I believe this is a MUST visit for every American, but it was confusing to book & confusing when we 1st arrived. After we got past the confusion, it was great!

First off, it is confusing when booking. There are a lot of tour company options when booking, it's hard to know which one to book without paying more than you should. We booked the Passport for $89.99 a person at Pearl Harbor Tours, which is a self guided tour including all the other memorials besides the USS Arizona & 1 virtual reality. It ended up being nice. Everything was included & we didn't have to buy any other tickets.

Then you have to book the USS Arizona separately because it is actually a National Park. This is a timed slot ticket, so you have to leave whatever exhibit you are at & leave enough time to get over to the USS Arizona boat ride line 15 minutes before your time slot. Thankfully, our timed slot worked out perfectly, but I can imagine that is not always the case. They had a Stand-by line with several people in it, so I am guessing they missed their time slot & had to wait for another time. Our boat was packed & they leave right on time

Plan to either bring NO bags or a clear bag if you must have some items with you. I would not leave anything in the car. You can bring a wallet & your cell phone. There were several people with refillable water bottles too, it was hot. If you bring a bag, you will have to pay to put it in a locker area

When you arrive, the pay for parking app was difficult to use. Make sure you either know or take a pic of your license plate before leaving you car because you will need it. When my husband tried to pay for parking, it kept saying it didn't go through, but it actually went through 2x, even though it said it didn't, so we paid for parking twice, which was frustrating, but we didn't let it ruin our day.

Then when you arrive inside, it is difficult to understand where to start. I immediately went to the Natl Park desk & asked a ranger. After talking to this 1st ranger, we were even more confused. Another ranger must have noticed that we were confused, so she came over & asked what time our slot was for the USS Arizona & she showed me on my map (I had pre-printed & brought with me) exactly what to do in order & that was such a GREAT help! We followed her suggestions & the timing for everything worked out perfectly all day!

Once we got past the confusion & were on our way, we thought all the exhibits were nicely done all day.

I definitely recommend starting early. We got there around 9:30 am & we were able to see everything perfectly, but I would actually recommend getting there earlier than we did just in case the timing doesn't work out for something or you have to backtrack for some reason or you want to take your time & read everything (we didn't do that)

Ok, so the Ranger broke Pearl Harbor down into 3 major areas which helped it not be so confusing: (See my notes on the attached maps)
Area 1: Ford Island which consists of the USS Missouri, the USS Oklahoma memorial & the Aviation Museum. You must take a shuttle bus to this part
Area 2: The Submarine area
Area 3: The USS Arizona area

Here is what we did in order:
The Ranger suggested that we take to shuttle bus over to Ford Island 1st before it got too crowded, so that is what we did. The shuttle bus is near the Submarine museum

1. Took the shuttle bus to Ford Island (Area 1 on my map) & toured the USS Missouri (where WWII ended) & the Aviation Museum. The bus goes in a continual loop from the Visitor Center to the USS Missouri to the Aviation Museum & back to the visitor center about every 20 min or so. There is a snack shop at the USS Missouri that sells Dole Whip & drinks & snacks. There is also a bigger snack shop at the Aviation Museum

2. We took the shuttle bus back to the Visitor Center & toured Area 2 on my map, the USS Bowfin & the Submarine Museum. There was a food truck/snack shop there so we ate lunch there.

3. Our tour included 1 virtual reality, so we did that next which was actually really cool. It is in the center near the Info desk. There were several different ones to choose from, but we just did 1

4. Then it was time for our USS Arizona tour (Area 3 on my map) (our time slot was 2:30). Make sure to get in line 15 min before your time slot. You get on a shuttle boat that takes you to the USS Arizona Memorial. You are at the Memorial about 15 min then the shuttle boat takes you back. After you get back, there is a movie that runs every 30 min, so we watched that.

5. Lastly we did the 2 galleries near the boat line: Attack & Road to War near the USS Arizona line still in Area 3 on my map

That took the entire day.

After we left Pearl Harbor, we drove to the National Cemetery/Memorial of the Pacific at the Punchbowl because my great uncle was KIA during WWII & his name is there. I would suggest that everyone visit this Memorial even if you don't have family there. It is a nice addition to visiting Pearl Harbor. It is free & is an actual cemetery, so it should be treated as you would treat the USS Arizona. You can read my review of this Memorial on it's own page on Trip Advisor

I hope this review helps it not be so confusing & more enjoyable for people!

We had a chance to visit the Pearl Harbor Memorial during our recent visit to Hawaii. It is a moving experience as you stand above the ship where so many lives were lost in yet another war. And you consider all the many other lives that were lost as a result of this one event.

The area is very large, with more to see then just the Arizona memorial. There is a submarine to explore and several museums to visit.

A must see on Oahu.

Humu was our driver and narrator. He was very knowledgeable and professional. Highly recommend this tour. Did a reasonable amount of Honolulu city tour before making our way to Pearl Harbor. Very well organized and everything was on time.

This was one of the experiences we planned for Hawaii that my husband was most looking forward to attending.
We learned about the history of the memorial and seeing the actual site with the oil in the water was surreal. We had heard about that, but seeing it made the entire experience very real.

Be sure to book your tickets on the day that they come out. They release them at 3pm Hawaii time 56 days before the date you want. They get scooped up very quickly so be sure to mark your calendar and make a recreation.gov account beforehand so you can be logged in.
The day we arrived, we were pretty early, and about 25 people were already waiting outside in line. We all walked over to the line for the memorial ferry and all of those people got in the stand-by line. We ended up being first in the reservations line. Those people have to hope that others just don't show up. So get tickets early!

Also, you have to pay for parking now and the process was rather confusing. There was just a little sign telling you about a QR code and no one we asked really seemed to know much about it. My husband had to go back out to the car to get our rental license plate number and I paid via phone. Do this beforehand and save yourself the trouble.

Shuttle to pearl harbor memorial with Finny! excellent driver and great guide. Gave lots of info and history. Very engaging.

We toured Pearl Harbor shortly after the WWII museum in New Orleans so all of that emotional experience was still fresh in our minds. We didn't book a paid tour and took a chance on doing it our own. We really had no time seeing everything without the tour. I recommend the free guided tour on the Missouri as you learn so much about the role the ship played in ending the war. Also go to the Arizona first as we booked an afternoon slot (also free) but did stand as soon as we got there and didn't have to wait. We had also pre booked the Bowfin and the Aviation Museum which was a small cost. It was a very emotional day and the exhibits were all put together extremely well to help you learn as much as you can while you are there. Definitely a must visit while on the island.

We went because we should. We were wrong as this became a highlight of the entire trip. The movie explaining the lead up and the event itself was a must do before you get on the boat to the monument. Also the personal stories in the museum are so touching. The monument itself was stunning and brought out all the feels and emotions.

We bought the Passport to Pearl Harbor which included admission to all of the museums, etc. We bought the admission to the Arizona separately.

We really enjoyed the day. The grounds are really large so it is able to facilitate large crowds. People move around the various attractions well. The Arizona memorial was great, it is a shame there aren't people there to "enforce" the quiet voices. We had an American family either young children who were running around yelling and shouting on the memorial, and their parents looked on proudly at them. Despite many people looking at in horror at their behaviour.

The gift shops are great with lots of range of things to purchase.

The air conditioned coaches were very welcome with the hot days. They came very frequently to collect people from the various other attractions.

The Missouri was slightly disappointing. A lot of work has gone into restoring it (understandably given its age) however we felt it has taken away some of its authenticity. Movements are restricted to only very small areas of the ship so it didn't take long to walk around at all.

Didn't know what to expect and websites seemed to confuse and complicate.
Once on site it became very easy to get around and enjoy the history and understand the signifcance of this event for the world.
Didn't need to book anything.
Watched the movie and visited USS Arizona Memorial site of Remeberance (via the standby que)

A most enjoyable afternoon. Highly recommend. Then drop into bar 604 after to reflect.

Felt it was our duty and responsibility to go, but it was just OK.
We got tickets about 2 months in advance online only paying $1 per ticket. Parking was $7 and bag storage was $7 (unless you have a clear bag)

The time at the USS Memorial was super short considering the big to do about making reservation and being in line on time. There was a guy telling the story without a microphone. If you stopped and listen to him then you actaully ran out of time to look around.
The government staff were cold and not very helpful, they just seemed to be moving herds of people.

The movie plays every 30 mins was good to learn the story behind Pearl Harbor. Probably worth to do that before you go to the memorial.

We did not visit the other battleships as that was not an interest of our group.
We were there 2 hours. Long enough.

Once was enough, but dont stress about it if you cannot get tickets.

We were here yesterday together with my son and my husband. We deciddd to buy a snack as we did not eat lunch yet. I boughtt a cup of yogurt. When i went to the cashier, i asked if they provided spoon. She did not respond and did not look at me. I asked again with my voice a little bit louder so she could hear me. She did not rrespond and was doing the packing of our items. I asked again fot the third time and yelled,”I said Yes, did you not hear me!!!!” My husband did not even hear her that she answered my question but suddenly startred screaming in front my 7 yo son. I told her im going to report her for bad customer service and even responded,”Go ahead report me!” She even looked at me in the eye. We left that snack store feeling upset and my son kept asking what happened. She dhould just stay home if she does not like to serve customers wven answering questions properly.

Iffy. If you REALLY want to see the USS Arizona, make sure to pre-book the boat ride/tour. Otherwise you are out of luck. The on-site museums about the lead-up and the attack are interesting, but they take about 30 minutes to tour and then....
You have to pay to park, although I would say just risk it and don't pay the 7$ for 30 minutes. I know it's an iconic stop and that's why we did it. However, I would never do it again.

We were there with a tour group and we only had a hour and a half in the park and thats not a lot of time to see everything. We saw the Arizona and the museum that goes with it but did not see the movie but I heard it was good. The only thing I did not like was you have to use an app to scedule a time for the Arizona. There were a lot of people very frustrated with it and when you get your time and you walk up to the entrance they put you in a line to wait. But it does go fast and they move people to the site very quickly. We also got to see the submarine and its museum, they both were very good. This is an active military base and most of the people working there are military so its very structured. If you decide to go dont go with a tour, they just do not give you enough time to see everything.

Fantastic event a must see! Book in advance at least 2 weeks ahead if time to he sure you see everyting

This is something that everyone should see. Also visit the "Punch Bowl" cemetery while on Oahu. The boat ride was very pleasant and once we arrive we knew we were on sacred ground.

First, this place is amazing and a must see fire any first time visitors. It has built up quite a bit in the 11 years since I was there last, but things have changed in other ways that can't allow me to give it a 5 anymore. They don't allow bags of any sort. You could leave them in your car, but with sighs posting it is a high crime area (most likely a scare tactic), you'll pay $7 to have it check with the park. Admission is free, but not much else. There used to be outdoor displays at the Bowfin that are now in a museum you need to pay for to see, like one of the captured Japanese mini subs. Shuttle to the Missouri is free, but it will cost $34/per to see that. Most disappointing is this isn't a place of somber reflection anymore, it's an amusement park. Not necessarily the Park's fault, but there was a time if you didn't follow their instruction, you were promptly corrected. The Japanese had more respect on the memorial than the Americans did. You are told the memorial is a quite place, but when eating to board the boat back to the park, it turns into a loud social hour; and In spite of the clear no smoking policy, especially on the memorial, I saw on woman pull out her vape. No respect for the place.

We bought the USS Missouri tickets before hand and had reserved our time for the USS Arizona well in advance. We spent around 2 hours on the Missouri - having the free guided tour to begin with then wandered around on our own. Then we had a lunch stop at the visitor centre and a walk around the exhibits there...then we had the boat ride to the Arizona memorial....it's hard to describe your feelings on there just utter respect for the fallen. Everything was done with grace & passion. We had a very interesting day there.

Staff were dumb, incompetent, and uncaring (all 3). If these people were in charge in 1941, I would be writing this in Japanese. We bought 2 Passport Packages with everything for $198 instead of paying $240 for everything separately (including $80 for 2 Missouri tours). This would have been a great time for salesperson to tell us last bus to Missouri leaves way before park closes at 5:00. Around 3:15 we asked how to get to Missouri and told last bus had already left (it hadn't). We were then told we could get refund at sub museum (we couldn't). The sub museum said it could reimburse Missouri tickets only if bought separately, as it is mathematically impossible to calculate value of Missouri tour within discounted Passport Package (it isn't); $80/$240=1/3, 1/3*$198=$66. Since they can't do remedial math and haven't implemented a policy to reimburse even a set low amount, they decided to keep the entire $66 that was overpaid. Note that in 1941 every sailor on the Missouri could calculate how to shoot down an attacking plane moving fast in 3 dimensions. Virtual reality of attack ($20 each) was a different waste of money (9-minute cartoon with low-level graphics).

Our guide, Junior was very friendly and knowledgeable. A great experience from start to finish!

The pearl harbour experience was great, Polynesian cultural centre never disappoints!

This is a must do while in Oahu. It's very beautifully done (as beautiful as such a place can be). There's a lot to read and observe while there.

Do review nps.gov website BEFORE you go. Access to basic grounds for FREE - including museum and film and many exhibit. Access to USS Missouri and some other attractions rather expensive - but you really should/must go.

Teach your kids with historic visual aids. Very moving and leaves you with a great since of patriotism.

Before going I always thought I’d go and visit and thought it would be a quick visit because truthfully I’m not really interested in war memorials but let me tell you……I was stunned. We arrived and had to put our backpack la in lockers. No bags allowed inside for obvious safety reasons. It’s free to go in but you have to pay for some extras like the ride over to the Arizona and the submarine tour. But it was so worth it. We went to the submarine tour and toured the Bowfin submarine. It was pristine and I could not imagine being out at sea under the surface in such tight cramped spaces. Absolutely amazing.

We then got a picture in front of it and they superimposed it on a black and white newspaper of the day Pearl Harbor was nombres. Of course that was $20 but we bought it because it truly was so cool.

We went through all the walking tours and listened intently as they told the story of the brave soldiers. Particularly touching was the last letters home from the soldiers to their families in their own handwriting. It was gut wrenching.

We then walked over to take our ferry ride to the Arizona Memorial. It was a little choppy but we could not miss it. The memorial dedicated to the over 1000 soldiers that died there was very minor ing. Those that survived have been cremated and in a very sad and gut wrenching ceremony have been laid to rest next to their brothers. I wept with sorrow. It was truly very very touching.

So from a not wanting to really go, to a it is a must go……do not miss this historic and amazing perfectly preserved piece of history.

If you’re in Oahu, visiting the National Pearl Harbor Museum is an absolute must. It’s a powerful reminder of our history and the sacrifices made for the freedoms we enjoy today. Walking through the exhibits, you really gain perspective on the events of that December day and the impact they had on the world.

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to see the USS Arizona Memorial since I wasn’t able to book it in time—but even without that, I’m so glad we made the trip. The museum itself is well-done and informative. It’s a sobering but important experience, and one that everyone should take the time to have.

You can't not come to Pearl Harbor when visiting Oahu. A very sobering experience for sure. Book the Arizona tickets in advance for just $1 and avoid the standby line.

I'm not a history buff but my husband really wanted to visit the memorial and the battleships and it surprised me to see the inside of the two ships offered on the tour. I enjoyed seeing the artifacts, the small quarters, the flags designed by the sailors.

My husband and I visited Oahu in September & we toured the Missouri & Air Museum.
You can spent as much time as you like on the ship. There is so much to see and learn. I would definitely recommend going on one of the early tours. Make sure to bring plenty of water as it does get very hot.
Our next stop was the Air museum. It was a refreshing change as the museum is air conditioned. Make sure to get the headphones as there is plenty of excellent information. There are plenty of historic planes and historical facts.
The bus will pick you up at Pearl Harbor and take you to both sites. I would highly recommend both of these tours. Make sure to get your tickets as soon as you know the dates to get the earlier tours. You can actually spend the entire day at Pearl Harbor. Wear comfortable shoes. There are many tight spaces, lots of stairs & tons of walking.

An attraction with tens of thousands of reviews hardly needs mine but hey, for the people who look in the next few days, this might help. Book ahead for busy times. Some people who came on the (public) bus with us didn't but still managed to get a walk-in, not everyone is so lucky. Its generally well organised but don't queue up early, 5 minutes early is too early!

Don't bring a bag, but they do have lockers. There's not much to eat but you won't starve if desperate as long as you don't mind chips. As a non-American I don't have the same emotional tie to the memorial however I was surprised by how moved I was. Its my second visit and I still found it incredibly moving, well worth a visit. I was especially moved by the way a gent on my boat trip wearing a Vietnam Vets (naval) cap gave a discreet salute as he walked off the memorial.

Very disappointing. Money needed everywhere and no respect to the past. Compared to Europe and their memorial sites this place is awful 😥

Must see in Honolulu! Visit the Missouri as well. Allow 3 hours+. Our teenagers were very impressed.

We prebooked tickets through the recreation.gov website and cooked directions as best we could given all the warnings in the emails we received. I'm not sure that we needed to be so concerned, as things seemed a bit more relaxed once we arrived.

The one piece of information missing from all the emails was their no bag policy. Luckily, we had plenty of time for me to run back to the car. I do wish we had planned more time to visit the museum exhibits while there because they do have some great information and videos.

The boat ride to the memorial was good, and the park ranger at the memorial was very informative.

A must do. Get there early for a few reasons. Parking will be easier and the boat which goes to the Arizona memorial may not get cancelled. Mine did as the winds picked up in the afternoon. Definitely do the film first which gives you the full history. If you don’t manage to get tickets for Arizona memorial on line there is a standby queue and there’s a boat leaving every 15 minutes, you can also get tickets on arrival. The battleship Missouri was $35 but worth it. Plan for the best part of the day to enjoy everything is about 5 hours

Always makes you appreciate the sacrifice made by others.
If you have not been make it be on your top 5 of your bucket list.

So when tides high wasn’t much to see you kind of get put on the viewing platform roughly 10 later ferried back. Two very small viewing rooms but that’s it really. Shame when Mickey Mouse has a huge complex with him in mind built and this disastrous event gets this.
A venue you have to visit but not one I’ll return to,

Well worth doing, informative and a humbling experience. The museum and videos were worth viewing. Although I did expect a bigger museum. I didn’t expect the Bowfin submarine and the USS Missouri to be an additional charge, so missed out on that which was disappointing. I should have researched our tour better before selecting it as time didn’t permit us to visit these areas.
The USS Arizona memorial was a humbling experience, you could see sections of the battleship above the water and the oil that is still leaking from the ship.
The Park Rangers, Navy officers and staff were all very friendly.
This should definitely be on your list of places to visit.

Visited uss arizona, uss missouri, aviation museum and bowfin.

Waited about 30 min in stanby line for uss arizona. Nice standby system.

Very nice bus to missouri and aviation museum. Runs very often.

Loved the uss arizona and missouri.

Bowfin way too many people in submarine at same time. You are stuck.

Aviation museum is a huge disappointment vs DC and Seattle aviation musuems. Would skip that one.

Full Day trip. So much to see, remember. The submarine and Missouri were amazing... what the men had to endure.... Tour included lunch - it was tasty and filling.

It is a must when visiting Hawaii but one thing to mention do not follow Google satnav as it takes you to the military base! Use directions /address given on pearl harbor memorial website. We went having not prebooked anything and managed to get straight on the Arizona memorial in the standby line which I was surprised by and that it was free. We went on a Sunday, maybe that helped. The Bowfin sub was really good at a small charge which I thought was worth it.

This was one of the highlights of our trip to Hawaii. We bought the tickets from the National Parks recreation.gov site for the whole day and visited the Missouri, Arizona (separate ticket), the Bowfin sub, the airport and all the museums. It was a very moving experience.

The Pearl Harbor USS Arizona Memorial is part of a larger site that includes separate museums not run by the US National Park Service but by a separate organization. As such, the $1 reservation fee at the parks website only covers the USS Arizona Memorial portion.
When you make the reservation, it tells you to be there 1 hour ahead of the time; however, this is a bit misleading. You actually only can line-up for your boat ride 10 minutes before your reservation time. There is a short ~20 minute film but you can watch this before or after your boat ride (it starts at the 15 min / 45 min each hour). The mandatory talk is in a separate theatre where a park ranger goes over the safety instructions/rules for the boat ride.
The boat ride out to the memorial is nice and relatively short. The ships are all piloted by active Navy members and everything is organized and smooth running.
I do think being there earlier is safer. There are some small museums you can peruse first and then also walk along the harbour.
Make sure you read the ranger tips on the parks website - it tells you exactly what you can bring in and specifies that there are no bags allowed. The lockers always have a line up so it's easiest just to not bring one.

It was a privilege to go to this sobering monument- not "attraction".
I understand salt water can wreak havoc on things, but it seems the memorial over the USS Arizona could be better maintained. Kind of wish photos at the memorial weren't allowed, except for family and extenuating circumstances. I saw a woman taking a selfie. A selfie? Really?
And men, please remove your hats. It is a memorial.

Very worthwhile trip even though the wind was too strong to make it out to the Arizona memorial. Tour guide Karma was very knowledgeable and shared interesting facts about Honolulu. Even played his guitar and sang while we waited for people to come back to the bus. We wanted to see this since both of our fathers were in World War II. Both had specific memories of hearing of the attack on the radio that Sunday morning.

A must visit place. The memorial is very moving. We did the audio tour as well and it really added to the experience. I also recommend watching the movie on site. The USS Missouri is interesting too

This is a #1 must see, we didn’t book we simply arranged an Uber for 7.30 am and went out to the visitors Centre once there we joined the standby queue for the Arizona and purchased a family day pass, we had two kids under 7 with us. Three adults
There were no crowds no lines at thus time of the day and we were called to the call back line for the Arizona within 15 minutes so we did this tour first
The place is easy to navigated the staff are super friendly and the exhibitions are world class a day out that was simply amazing

You have to make this a priority when you are in Oahu

It is critical that you visit our national parks and see these types of memorials in your lifetime. Even if you hate history or looking at old stuff…you need to read every story board, every informational placard, every list of names of soldiers who died in battle, and yes. You need to book a time and get your butt on that pontoon boat to visit the memorial up close and read the 1000+ names of the men who are entombed in the USS Arizona. (Also, book directly through the park service (it’s only $1 per person)).

Absolutely, I must see. Get to stand by list to get on The Arizona only took 10 minutes to be called back up front, didn't even have time to get a drink of water excellent. It's very fast, easy to get around. There's a video in one of the buildings to watch to the left as you come in, it's very, very informative and tells you about the war. That's how it all started.

Pearl Harbor was very cool to see. Juice was an awesome tour guide. I would highly recommend checking it out.

We bought tickets to the USS Arizona Memorial online and didn’t go with a tour group. We enjoyed being on our own wandering the park and spending as much time as we wanted at each building. The USS Arizona Memorial itself was so interesting - we even saw some oil bubbling up to the surface yet - after 80 years! Very interesting and somber! Highly recommended!!

I wish we had more time there There was alot more to see and do We did not have the time They had other exhibits that wold have been wonderful to see

Important to read the plaques/rent the audio so you can understand what you are looking at in the water. Please do not go it you aren't able to be quiet and stay off your cell phone as required to do.

If you go down to the far west end of the park near the coach bus pickup for the Missouri, they have a hot dog stand there. Dogs are $7.75 and absolutely delicious. The kid selling them wasn’t too excited to answer questions or work in general, but I’d go back just for the dogs. Very memorable.

Pearl Harbor did not have the significance to us, as neither of us are US born. If you are like us, and don't connect, then there is not actually very much to see. The main site is small and has a very limited amount of cool space, so can be quite uncomfortable. It we had driven there then we would have stayed 30 minutes or so, unfortunately we went on a tour bus and had to spend 4 hours. Apologies to those who do connect to this very historic site.

This was such an incredible experience. I cried during the documentary. Going out the USS Arizona on the boat gave me goosebumps. This is something you definitely can't miss if you're in Oahu. We booked our tour through viator so we had drop off and pick up included.

The most heart rendering experience. I cannot describe the feeling other than exceptional. I think of all those poor boys entombed in the Arizona and my heart just breaks. Be respectful when you visit. They gave their life.

My husband and Inhave been before, but this time brought back our 4 kids and my mom. We had the kids watch Pearl Harbor movie before we came to Hawaii on our vacation & so glad we did. They understood what a special & sacred place this was and so into reading everything about it. To me this was way more educational than the scho they missed last week. The tour guide and workers there were so kind & helpful! Very special experience. Must do when coming to O’ahu.

This was an amazing experience to see the history of Pearl Harbor. Very sober. The USS Arizona still leaking oil today. Park rangers and staff were very friendly and informative. Put this on your bucket list.

Impressive in a word. If you are on the island of Oahu you should definitely go here. A beautifully landscaped tribute to a terrible piece of history. What we hadn't done was reserve a spot to go to the ship the Arizona. We were put on the waiting list. In our case, that meant we couldn't go until the next day. Unfortunately, that was not an option. That was the only downside to this trip.

A must see especially for first time visitors to O’ahu. It’s a place for remembrance & to pay respects to not only those who fell on 7 December 1941 but to all service men & women past & current.

You can visit the Pearl Harbour memorial site for free but I highly recommend a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial, Bowfin submarine, USS Missouri and Pearl Harbour Aviation Museum.

You can book through a tour operator or do it yourself, which is what we did. Tour operators take you there but they don’t take you around to all the sites. There are dedicated guides who do this & work for Pearl Harbour Memorial, this is part your ticket cost.

Book your tickets as soon as you can to the USS Arizona through the Reservations.gov site - they’re $1 per person. These sell out quickly! When you get to the Pearl Harbour memorial, book the rest of your tours there. We got a Lyft for about $80 return trip from Waikiki.

I recommend you wear closed in shoes if you’re going to see all the sites as you’ll be climbing ladders/stairs in the sub & navy ships. Water, sunscreen & a hat is highly recommended. Bring snacks too as the food is expensive.

This was a nice half day tour of the memorial during the peek time of Christmas. We opted for the audio experience which I highly recommend - super informative with recordings from those who were there during the attack. Make sure to book the ferry ride to the Arizona in advance, as the standby tickets could mean a bit of a wait

Excellent experience capturing the history of the US’s entrance into WWII.
Not free, but less expensive than most tourist attractions.

This trip was very solemn, reminiscent and peaceful. It would have been more worth it if the driver/tour guide accompanied us during the tour around Pearl Harbor.

Do not buy tickets for the USS Arizona Memorial! Get there early in the day, entrance to the grounds is free, and get in the stand by line for the Arizona Memorial. You will have no trouble getting to see it. Don't waste your money on tickets 😅

We had a great time. The memorial was beautifully kept and a definite must in Oahu.

You can't help but feel emotional when you visit here. When you enter the memorial, you can't help but feel respect for those on that fateful day.

Be warned: You are not allowed to bring bags, backpacks, handbags, diaper bags, camera bags, anything larger than a woman's clutch, etc., into this park! Lockers are outside the entrance and now charge by the bag instead of getting the entire locker to yourself. That being said,

This park is well worth the visit. Half of the park is run by the NPS and half is run by a private organization. The part run by the NPS is free and you don't have to pay to visit these areas. You can absolutely enjoy this park without spending additional money. Make sure to visit the exhibits and see the movie by the ferry shuttle line area. There is a separate line for people who only want to see the movie. This is a fantastic park and a Must See.

The memorial is emotional, beautiful. Make reservations in advance. The walk in line was long. Many did not get to visit.

Truly a must see when in Honolulu. The Arizona Memorial is such an incredible site and the highlight of our trip. So much history in one place with this and the USS Missouri. Highly recommend

To all the Members of our Armed Forces, Thank you for your Service, Respect.
This is a place of Honor and the Ultimate Sacrifice. Definetly a Must See.

We visited Pearl Harbor back in 2010. It was an experience we would not forget. When we booked our 2024 trip to Hawaii we wanted our university age daughters to experience it too. We booked our $1 tickets ahead of our travel dates online. This was easy to do and highly recommended. There’s a check in locker area for your bags/purses as you can’t bring them onto the memorial. Clear bags are allowed and check website for info. We toured around the grounds first looking at all the exhibits and documents. The guide who gave us a brief intro before we went on the boat to the memorial was wonderful. He really made the experience a touching moment for many of us in the room. The memorial itself is well done and a wall has all the names of those who died in the attack and are a part of the USS Arizona. I never realized how many lost several family members on this attack. There are many brothers listed when you look at the names on the wall. This is a must do visit for the trip to Hawaii.

I was thoroughly impressed by the staff, facilities and experience. This by far was the most surprising enjoyment of our trip. I really didn't want to make this stop as I recognize this for solemn experience it is and I didn't want to be reminded of such a great tragedy on a vacation but the others in my party did so I went along. I am so glad I did. Yes this is a solemn experience but also a place of history learning, education and beauty. There are parts, especially on the boat ride to the USS Arizona that are heavy on the soul but the rest is very much like any other national park. It was a great highlight for me.

This is a National park and therefore FREE. It is not necessary to pay to get in. Reservations are helpful, and the fee for those are to have the option of making a reservation. With that said we found it hard to make a reservation, especially last minute. Because we were willing to show up as the gates opened (7:00am) we had NO issue getting in the park or on the boat to USS Arizona as standby (8:00am - first trip of the day). There is something very reverent about being the first group of the day and honestly the only way I would wish to visit.

Considering we did show up at 7 and before coffee there is a snack bar and offers coffee.

STAFF - OMGoodness outside of the tremendous amount of respect for those who serve our Nation, can I just stay the people who work this park are amazing. They are well spoken, friendly, but also reverent when needed. They shared their experience and respect for the location. With that said - waiting in standby for the USS Arizona - the have the best rule - Only one person from your party needs to stand in line so the rest can explore the other displays. This allowed the rest of my party to view and take in everything and my loving husband time to find the snack bar for my coffee as I held our place. But more importantly it let us all know that we would be getting on.

Bowfin is not free but worth the experience. Considering all the items that were free my husband and son had no issues paying for access to the Bowfin. Again everything here was amazing and I can't wait to come back and experience more.

A very humbling experience and renewed my love and gratitude to be an American. Make reservations! It was 45 minutes to ride out, view the Arizona Memorial and ride back them about another hour to walk the property and hit the gift shop. We did not tour the battle ship or submarine.

Ok so if you want to go see the USS Arizona and don’t have tickets read carefully. My girlfriend and I had tickets for a 3:30 time slot but decided to get there first thing in the morning at like 7am. We went straight for the standby line which gets you on the boat to the the memorial in first come first serve for those without tickets. Around 8 the line was getting long. So I think the first boat over was at 8:15 and we got on no problem not needing a reservation. We also had someone in line hold our spot and we watched the pre movie next to the line which is a must if you want to get the most out of the experience. The movie tells you the details of December 7th and what the military had to deal with on that awful day.. The day was perfect for us and we took in the sights including the USS Missouri and the aviation museum. So go early and beat the rush!!!

I like to do a lot of research before i visit a place, and I was a little confused by some of the reviews and what to buy. Here are some thoughts to help avoid confusion.
1) We went in March - not crowded. I would check for when cruise ships will be in port and avoid those days for your visit. 2) You need to book a reservation to take the boat to the Arizona. This is the most critical thing to do prior to your visit. 3) When you get to Pearl Harbor you will park in the visitor lot. You will need your license plate # to complete the parking app. 4) Be prepared to carry no purses or other bags into the facility. There is food on site. 5) You can buy the Pearl Harbor Visitor pass ahead of time. This limits you to the day you can go and encompasses everything at Pearl Harbor. You can buy the pass at Pearl Harbor or just pick the things that you want to do (this is what we did)
Once you arrive, there are several educational exhibits at Pearl Harbor to walk through prior to your visit of the Arizona Memorial. They are well done. There is a virtual experience that my wife and i did not do. There is a submarine museum and aircraft museum as well that we did not do. After seeing the exhibits and doing the Arizona (very moving and the main thing we wanted to see in Hawaii), we bought a ticket to go to the USS Missouri. This is HIGHLY recommended. There is a bus that runs from the National Memorial to Ford Island, where the USS Missouri is. I was a little confused by the National Park Website. The bus to Ford Island / the USS Missouri is available and you can take every 15 minutes or so....
The USS Missouri is really great and takes at least an hour to two to see. For the US, the war began with Pearl Harbor and ended on the USS Missouri - so it is fitting to see both.
For us, seeing the exhibits, visiting the Arizona Memorial, the USS Missouri, and the National Cemetery took the whole day. My son did the audio tour on his visit and really liked it.
Another review recommended seeing the National Cemetery of the Pacific after Pearl Harbor. We did this and were so happy we did. Very happy to have remembered all those who sacrificed for us.

National memorial of international significance. Sober place to visit. We're well organized and interesting free museum.

Cousin K was so welcoming and made the experience very interesting and fun for 2 teens. He explained how the tour would go and the agenda from start to finish. He also made sure to give us recommendations for food and activities while on vacation. He made it very personable and the whole family enjoyed it.

We visited Pearl Harbor on Memorial Day weekend, so there were additional programs going on across its campus. This is a large facility! Bags are not allowed, so you have to pay $7 to store them or leave them in your car if you are okay doing that. Parking is $7. The museum is very good and covers two small buildings. If you want to visit the USS Arizona, you should reserve your tickets in advance. They are $1 per person to cover the short ferry ride. We went on the last tour of the day, and there were spots open for people who did not reserve, but I would not count on that. One note is that if you search online for Pearl Harbor, you may see the tour company websites at the top of the search, and they will want you to pay more. If you go to the National Park website itself, you will see the actual costs involved, which are minimal considering what you are seeing.

Nice memorial to our fallen veterans of the Battleship USS Arizona. I think 1034 service men died. Only 1 still living survivor who is 102.

We spent at least 6 hours at Pearl Harbor, looking at the free museums, the USS Arizona Memorial tour and the USS Missouri Memorial. We arrived early and walked around the outside area before looking at the free museums. Once we lined up for our USS Arizona Memorial tour, everything ran smoothly. Lunch at 604 restaurant just outside Pearl Harbor and spent the afternoon at the USS Missouri Memorial. If you want to see everything, get there at opening time and don't book in anything else, you will likely be there the whole day.

Simply a MUST DO when on Oahu. Such reverent history and solemnity to respect those who gave their all on that terrible day. Take your time. Do your homework to have the best experience. Teach your children and their children about why this place is so important.

An absolute must IF you travel to Hawaii. You can be where so many brave men were at the height of battle, feel their energy, see how they lived, see where they died defending their beloved nation.

Despite the government shutdown we were able to see all the exhibits! Touring the site that officially brought the U.S. into WW2 and then standing in the spot where the official surrender of Japan to the allies was truly an experience. The USS Arizona memorial is very solemn and moving. The tears of oil from the fuel bunkers is moving. The park service and Navy personnel do a tremendous job of telling the story of what happened that December 7th morning. The aviation museum is small, compared to the naval museum in Pensacola or the USAF museum in Dayton, but worth the visit. A unique part of it is that you get to see some of the restoration being done! I cannot do justice in describing this museum! Note that you cannot bring anything larger than a woman’s wallet inside the park and you will be on an active Naval instillation so there are some restrictions as to where you can go or what you can photograph. Expect to spend a whole day or split it into 2 days to take everything in!

This was a wonderful place to visit. It has been on my bucket list to visit Pearl Harbor and it did not disappoint. Make sure you read all the websites and blogs before going, there are some do's and don'ts and they don't muck around with the don'ts. It was a hot day when we went and didn't get to everything but we were happy with that. We booked the Arizona Memorial for 9am and then went on the Battleship Missouri tour. It took most of the day and was very interesting. The staff are lovely despite what I read online, they ARE very helpful and patient.

Go to learn the true history, and pay your respects to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

The Memorial is amazing -- the museum,the tour, the movie, the merch, etc.

Would recommend: Highly
Would re-patronize: Again and again

a very emotional tour of the Arizona Memorial, followed by an excellent walking tour of the USS Missouri and the air museum. Unfortunately we were physically unable to navigate through the USS Bowfin submarine. The driver from Aloha Sunshine Tours, Jorge, was very knowledgeable about not only the Pearl Harbor Museum and all of the displays, but he presented a wonderful Hawaiian history lesson that was greatly appreciated.

There are several exhibits at The Pearl Harbor National Memorial besides the USS Arizona Memorial. Even if that is your only destination, there is more information that is free.
You can look at the USS Bowfin submarine to get an idea of size while reading plaques of stories of subs that were saved, lost, or destroyed during WWII. That is a little overwhelming as there are many unsung heroes & subs that were vital, but forgotten to all but family members.
You have options of films to watch to help with understanding Pearl Harbor & an audio tour of the area, taking it moment by moment.
A few of my friends did a VR goggles experience where you can "see" several different scenarios, including piloting a bomber, the attack on Pearl Harbor itself, among others. That is extra & not part of your admission ticket.
You can spend hours here & still not get everything in. And the gift shop has plenty of items for sale to remind you of your time here.

Specifically with reference to the USS Arizona memorial, this was a bucket list item for me and my wife. There are several pieces to Pearl Harbor, and you may not want to see all of them. A couple of things before you go….you need to but a ticket to get into the park to start with, then you need to buy a ticket to get on the boat to get to the memorial. Then, no purses/backpacks/etc. are allowed in. You will have to “check” your bag at a kiosk for a small fee. Also, there is limited parking…we ended up parking past the “official” lots, looking for signs saying we weren’t allowed to park there. Seeing none, we locked the car, hoping it would be there when we were finished. If you definitely want to see the Arizona memorial, you should book your time in advance. There is usually some room on every boat, so you can try and grab a standby seat. We liked the fact that staff did their best to remind everyone that the memorial is a grave site and should be treated with respect. There were a couple of ignorant tourists that were remonstrated but, all in all, I thought it was all done respectfully. You get about 15 minutes on the memorial before the boat bringing the group after you shows up and you have to leave. There is a free shuttle bus that takes you to Ford Island to visit the USS Missouri, USS Oklahoma memorial, and the Aviation Museum. The Missouri is worth a visit, as it is the site where the Japanese surrendered. The Aviation museum wasn’t that impressive, and I would pass, unless you have little kids….cuz planes are always cool to little kids. There is a 23 minute film, documenting the attack, that is worth watching. All told, you probably only need 4-5 hours to cover everything. There is food available at all the locations, so you can sit down in the middle of your day and grab some food to fill your tank.
We enjoyed our visit and would recommend it to other visitors. Recommended.

The only redeeming element of this experience was the chance to honor those that were killed and recognize the commitment of our forefathers to provide the freedom we enjoy today.

Otherwise, the museum was basic and small, the film about the events need to be update technologically. A more interactive experience would be key to bringing the original experience back to life.

However, the worst part was the staff. We were treated like cattle. Park rangers were uncaring and we felt unwelcome. I could give many example of comments, actions and attitudes, but they all add up to rudeness.

I don’t recommend this experience for anyone else.

Make sure to book reservations at recreation.gov 8 weeks in advance. If you don't, you'll be fighting for reservations, every day at 3pm for the next day. They no longer do the movie prior to visiting the memorial, but we did have a great intro story from one of the staff. The memorial itself is just as touching and emotional as always. It's great experience to bring children and teens to raise awareness and teach some history.

This is a must-see attraction when visiting Oahu. Parking costs $7 per vehicle but admission is free. There are some activities you can do that cost, but you can take the boat ride out to the memorial site for free. There are 2 brief oral presentations included with that. There's also a free museum on the grounds. Reservations are required (but free), and this is really something you should take the time to see.

Understandably a very sad event for our US friends and this is very well done. It’s amazing how well executed and clever the Japanese were. It’s war after all.

Shame you can park your car cheaper than you can store an handbag (no bags allowed inside). Doesn’t mention that on the website.

Of course you should visit and the museum is very well done.

Somber, reverent -- and rushed. Would do differently.

I strongly suggest reading this blog (highlights summarized below) in planning your trip: https://destinationwwii.com/visiting-pearl-harbor-helpful-tips

We visited as part of a paid tour and did not have context to understand what is there and where -- and make the scheduled tour bus back to Waikiki in time. It was also very expensive for what we actually got (much of which is free: shuttle to the two paid museums or $1 to reserve online (USS Arizona boat). The 'tour' we bought included narrative about the city and a little Hawaii culture on the way there and back but *did not include a guide on site* and provided only minimal direction to the Pearl Harbor site complex with which we appreciated but found lacking and stressful. At $159/per person, the 'tour' was a lot more expensive than it needed to be for essentially transportation from Waikiki to Pearl Harbor and back, reservations we could have made for ourselves for $1, and some entertaining narrative and music. It was nice to have a guaranteed ride and see and learn a little about the city but not worth what we paid.

I strongly suggest reading this blog (highlights summarized below) in planning your trip: https://destinationwwii.com/visiting-pearl-harbor-helpful-tips

BLOG SUMMARY
Go to the (free) U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii first! Then, visit Pearl Harbor and the various sites.

Only four Pearl Harbor sites have a fee:
-Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum (located at main complex)
-Battleship Missouri (must take free handicapt-accessible shuttle if not US Military. No shuttle reservations.)
-Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum (must take free handicapt-accessible shuttle if not US Military. No shuttle reservations.)
-Top of the Tour at Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum (not included in PHAM ticket, and requires reservation)

There are only three sites that require a reservation:
-USS Arizona water shuttle (Book online in advance for $1 or get a day-before ticket - run by US Navy for NPS) - read the blog or NPS site very carefully for this.
-Bus tour of Ford Island (Book online in advance, presumably for a $1 fee - run by NPS. See linked blog for info/URL)
-Top of Tour tour ($fee. Not included with Aviation Museum ticket. Book in advance.)

You do not need reservations for, but could buy tickets in advance when there is a fee for:
-Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum ($fee)
-Battleship Missouri ($fee)
-Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum ($fee)
-USS Oklahoma memorial
-USS Utah memorial and Ford Island Historic Trail (if you have military access)

As Pearl Harbor is an active military base, unless you are US military or accompanied by a member of the US military, you cannot just drive you own car/get a rideshare to:
- Ford Island / Ford Island Historic trail
- USS Utah

A big thanks to Ashley Smith for her very helpful blog post. I wish we had found this info before planning our trip! https://destinationwwii.com/visiting-pearl-harbor-helpful-tips/

Historical place with a lot of memorials. American history of war with Japan. Great to see a beautiful place with lot of Veterans and tourists.

We visited Pearl Harbor National Memorial in early November.
My advice is to avoid all the tours you are constantly being offered. Do it just by yourself. Then you do not have the time pressure and you will not spend a lot of money.
We went there by bus from Waikiki Beach. It was an approx. 45-50 minute ride and cost USD 6 to get there. Then, we took the tour to visit the USS Arizona Memorial.
I was amazed that that most of the proud American tourists (90% of the visitors at that time) were wearing baseball hats and shorts and ladies wearing almost like beach clothes. Come on, this a memorial site, you are not going to the beach! (You would be kicked out in Europe from any historical sites!)
It was really sad to see the site of such a brutal attack by the Japanese forces.
An absolute must to visit place!

We did the Pearl Harbor Excursion from Ko Olin with E Now Tours through Disney's Aulani Resort. It was wonderful. They picked us up right at the resort and took us to the museum and memorial. The driver got us all through security, gave us a brief rundown of where everything was and our tickets for the boat to the USS Arizona and left us to explore on our own. It was beautiful and somber and a definite must see/do in Honolulu.

This is a must do for anyone that has the resources and time to make it here. The experience was chilling and eerie but it had a sense of peace that I have rarely seen. You can feel the pain in the air. I also love how much respect the staff has for the location. They remind you that it is a memorial and grave, not a tourist trap. I highly recommend.

We did a city tour package from our hotel. This included a city tour. By the time we picked up everyone from the different hotels and did the city tour and got to the memorial we were crunched for time. It was an 8 hour deal but we spent 2 hours on just the pick ups and city tour. When we got to Pearl Harbor, we had a set time for the Arizona which was fine. You get roughly an hour to get out there, tour it and come back. Then you have to take bus to the Missouri which eats up time waiting. To make a long story short, I suggest taking an Uber out there early and plan to spend the day there if you want to see everything. Maybe even two days. There’s a lot to see but a tour package limits your time.
Great place to visit but it takes a good deal of time. Do some prep work before going so you can plan what you want to see and do since there are several exhibits. You have to pay for the exhibits so plan accordingly.

Didn't make reservations early enough to go the Arizona Memorial but did do the U.S.S. Missouri, which was amazing. If you think about it, WW II started at the Arizona and the Japanese surrendered on the Missouri, which is parked within 100 yards of the Arizona Memorial, which you can see. The Missouri wasn't built when Pearl Harbor was attacked so that's why it's intact today.

What a great trip
Very emotional
Really good museums
Arizona memorial a fitting tribute
Staff very helpful and friendly

Parking costs $7. You must not have a handbag or backpack (some had small transparent bags otherwise there are lockers but I don't know if they are paid). Entrance is free to tour the outdoor monuments. And, you have the option to sign up on a waiting list to visit the USS Arizona. Then you can add entries to museums (fees apply) to go deeper according to the topics, if you wish. Welcoming is cordial.
I think it's a visit to make.

If you've never been here before, you might be surprised to find that the central area of the visitor center is free. You can spend a couple of hours in this area alone. Also free is a boat out to the USS Arizona. You can book a ticket in advance which basically gives you a fixed time to go out to the wreck, or you can queue up and take your chances. When i was there, the queue was pretty small.
There are also some paid exhibits which provide additional information and experience, but you can learn a lot about the events without paying.
Be aware that, if you are spending a few hours here, the food and drink options are not good.

I went with my 13-year-old daughter to so she could learn some history as she is taking American history this year. We chose to go with Robert Tours since they picked up at a local hotel close to a private home where we were staying. The driver/tour guide was very friendly and informative as we drove through the city and finally to Pearl Harbor.

I actually grew up in Honolulu and was familiar with the sights we passed by and the driver's explanations were pretty accurate though limited due to the limited time.
At Pearl Harbor, we did have to wait to get to the movie auditorium and the instructions were a bit confusing. For example, we were in line before our alloted time so we had to step away and come back later. The wait wasn't that long but in July, it's quite hot so it was uncomfortable. We decided to eat a light lunch and the pickings were slim but adequate.

After the movie, we got on the launch taking us to the memorial. It was organized well and no problems with motion sickness which I'm prone to. Once we arrived you could feel the solemnity of the memorial and were respectfully quiet as we wandered through it. My daughter took pictures and lingered at the sides to look at the submerged USS Arizona as I whispered the details of the attack and the remains laying below us. The amount of time we were allowed, about 1/2 hour, was just right as we boarded the launch again.

I'm glad we chose to go through a tour company since we got to see a lot more than if I had driven to Pearl Harbor myself. We also saw the state capitol building which houses the state legislature, Kawaihao Church, Iolani Palace, Father Damien's statue, the governor's residence and even the condominium where former President Obama's grandmother had resided (I just knew where it was as a former resident). We went to the National Memorial Cemetary of the Pacific aka Punchbowl Cemetary where those killed in action or veterans are interred.

Also going through tour company guarantees you to get to the Arizona memorial as they book ahead of time.

It was worth it for my daughter as she was the only one in her American history class to correctly identify the Pearl Harbor attack when the class was shown a black and white photo of the attack.

I’ve noticed several reviewers complaining about the folks that work here but our experience was just terrific. We were advised by Ranger Gilmer at the gate, and the trip worked out great. We managed to go standby and were on the first boat to the Arizona Memorial. Everyone was very nice everywhere and we enjoyed the day very much.

A place to pay respect. I still gave it a 5 star even though the women's bathroom did not have a soap in the soap dispenser when we went there. Try to reserve an earlier time slot online for the USS Arizona, reservation opens 30 days before and it's free (I think there's a 1 dollar/person processing fee). We reserve a 9am time slot, that time slot is for the boat ride going to the USS Arizona. Go to the boat ride line 10-15min before your time slot. We saw people coming in line on the exact time of their time slot and they already missed their boat. We arrive at the parking at 8:20am. When we were coming out at 11am, people were having a hard time looking for a parking spot. When you get to the parking, you have to scan a QR code to pay for parking. We also went to the 2 mini museums that are free.

Our driver and guide, Kimoke'o, was a very safe driver, very knowledgeable, gave specific info for each tour, told us how to do standby for the Arizona Memorial. He was friendly, always positive, added local flavor and just enough humor. He made the trip to and from attractions enjoyable.

My family traveled to Oahu as part of a high school music department trip. Our group consisted of teens, school staff, and family members, plus our tour guide. The teens were scheduled to perform on the grounds that morning, so we got there early and were able to watch the flag-raising at 8:00 am. We also had additional time before the performance to check out the USS Bowfin. We walked through the sub. It was interesting, but we didn't do the audio tour or anything like that.
The band and choir students put on a lovely performance featuring a variety of patriotic music and a crowd of more than just the family members of our group gathered to listen.
Once the performance was finished, we were free to roam the park and check out the museum exhibits, etc. Since we were unable to secure tickets for the USS Arizona the day before, we had to sign up for the standby line. There was a wait, but it wasn't terrible. We were able to board the second boat from the time we got into the line. The park rangers in charge of the boat lines seemed cranky.
Once we got on the boat, the park rangers and military personnel gave very concise directions on the procedures for visiting the memorial and reminded everyone to keep in mind that we were visiting a memorial and that we should keep our voices low.
When we arrived at the memorial, we walked all the way to the back where the wall of names of the lost servicemen is. We heard a brief presentation and then were allowed to look around at the rest of the site. Our tour guide had recommended that we wear the flower leis we received when we first arrived in Hawaii to the memorial so we could honor the fallen by releasing the flowers into the water. It was the most meaningful part of my visit. One of the park rangers snipped the lei string and then we could release our flowers into the water. The rangers then took our strings to dispose of properly.
Once we returned from the USS Arizona, my family and I explored the museum and other parts of the grounds. The exhibits were informative and interesting, but I did feel like the gift shop seemed a little disrespectful for what is supposed to serve as an important memorial. There were educational books and other items that seemed appropriate, but there were also a lot of silly little tchotchkes that would be better sold at other gift shops. There was also a jewelry stand on the premises, which also seemed highly inappropriate.
While elements of the visit disappointed me, I am overall happy that I got the opportunity to go. The park felt far more touristy than it should have.

Such an amazing and beautiful memorial, with so much history and sadness all in one! The museums were spectacular, although we didn’t get to go onto the USS Arizona because of weather conditions. After watching the short film regarding the invasion, I feel as though I never need to step foot on their burial ground.

If you don't know to reserve months in advance it becomes a stressful situation. Our advice is sign up for alerts and keep checking your phone or computer. Being a party of 6 thought we weren't going to get to go but it worked out at the last minute. Fantastic memorial with smaller museums that are easy to follow and well organized. All staff seem happy to be here.

Having long desired to visit the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, our tour exceeded our expectations. The grounds are beautifully cared for, the tours run like clockwork, the exhibits are thorough and heart-grabbing. All the staff members and tour guides spoke and behaved with great respect and honor, befitting the many heroes who have served here. We now have a greater depth of appreciation for the many heroes who perished and those who survived in service to our nation. Thank you to all who made this visit possible.

Something every American should see. A moving and comprehensive look at our history and the people who lived it. Plan ahead. On the park service web site you can reserve your boat ride to the Arizona well in advance, and also buy the pass that provides entrance to the memorial site and the Missouri, the submarine museum, and the aircraft museum. Remember the entry for the four memorials and the boat ride to the Arizona are two different transactions. And read the background information since there are protocols that need to be followed- after all it is the military and moreover in the case of the Arizona a gravesite for those sailors who made the ultimate sacrifice. We ubered from our hotel downtown. No need to do a tour and risk not getting to the Arizona itself. Plan on spending the whole day. We spent several hours and still did not see everything. If we ever are lucky enough to get back to Hawaii (a long trip from the East Coast) we will go back and see what we missed. Restaurant 604 next door is a good place to rest and refresh after the long day. Staff at the memorial is very helpful and patient, so don't hesitate to ask if you have questions, although if they see you looking around they will help without being asked. Try to get there early before the crowds build up for a better experience.

Parking was rough in finding a spot🙁 Parking is $7🙁 Can’t take in any bags or purses, but they will store it for you for $7🙁 What to see the Great Missouri $40 Museum, more $$$$$🙁 Submarine, more big $$$$ Get your tickets days earlier is my advice for the memorial 🤫 The information show rooms are small and crowded🙁 The only redeeming element of this experience was the chance to honor those that were killed and recognize on the memorial🇺🇸. Snack center is small, way overpriced like every thing else and little selection. That’s all we really did🥲 With the money grab taking place you would think they would update the reading boards around the park, weather worn and hard to read, embarrassing 😡🤬 Disney like price grabbing off our dead heroes…..THIS is what we have become🤫 EXPECTED better, then again, it is the government- SMDH

We flew into Honolulu on Thanksgiving Day. 1st day we visited the National cemetery. It is huge! Very well laid out. The next day we boarded the Norwegian cruise ship and for a week we island hopped. Very nice way to see the islands. Although some excursions were pricey, they were good. Sometimes it's cheaper to get off the ship and take a cruise around the island by one of the vendors on the dock.
Came back to Honolulu for a few more days before coming back home. Saw the Pearl Harbor National Memorial. Very nice! Did learn you can get there by bus. $3.00. And if you have a Soc. Sec. card, it's only $1.25! Costs nothing to get into the Memorial, but make sure you have no purse-or have your "stuff" in a clear bag- or you'll have to pay $7.00 to check it. Well laid out and very interesting!
My husband was in the service, but not during a war time. He laughingly says he was stationed in the foreign country of Texas!

You can get your tickets to the USS Arizona before your trip from the govt website for $1. Parking is $7. You do not need to spend a lot of money for a tour. This is totally doable on your own. The museum is well laid out and accessible. Give yourself at least 90 minutes to go through the museum.

Was rainy on the day that my group went but was still very cool to see. The USS Arizona looked very eerie in the water. A must see!

If you visit Hawaii, you must see Pearl Harbor. Make your reservations and see the USS Arizona. If your schedule allows, try and view the video before you head out to the memorial.

In the month of March I had no particular problems visiting. I hadn't booked anything but as soon as I entered I went to the left where you find the tablets to book for the visit to Arizona. In my opinion the free part is more than satisfactory for entering the atmosphere of the story (two museum rooms, theater and Arizona).

I don't know what I can say that probably hasn't been said by thousands prior. This should be required for anyone visiting Oahu. The importance and relevance cannot be understated.

The first thing to remember is entrance to the Pearl Harbor Memorial is FREE! Parking is $ 7 which can be paid on your cellphone upon arrival. The ferry to the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial is also free, but it's highly recommended you make an advanced reservation. There is a 'stand-by' line, which does seem to move. The U.S.S. Missouri (battleship) and the U.S.S. Bowfin (submarine) cost extra, but again they both carry such historic significance it's worth it.

Visiting Pearl Harbor was the #1 thing we wanted to do when visiting Hawai'i and it's the reason that we came to O'ahu and not one of the other islands. It is an incredibly humbling and somber experience to visit the USS Arizona Memorial and to remember what happened there over 80 years ago. Seeing the "Black Tears" of oil that is still seeping out of the battleship is truly an experience. We then took the ferry to the USS Missouri and we loved the way that they had arranged the Missouri to face the Arizona; you can view the two places where the US's involvement in WWII started and ended simultaneously and it's something we'll never forget.

Being able to see exactly where WWII ended with Japan's surrender was pretty amazing as well after having read about these historical events for years. One of our favorite things to see was that the signer for Canada accidentally signed on the wrong line (something we've all done) and it was a nice reminder that you don't always have to try to be perfect and that historical ceremonies can still have some snafus. The USS Bowfin submarine is also a very interesting site to see and you can walk through the boat and tour the top of it as well.

Lastly, visiting Ford Island and the Aviation Museum was a thrill; it houses an amazing collection of historic planes and it's amazing to see windows that still have bullet holes in them from the attack (it was akin to seeing the building with a cannonball hole in it at Gettysburg).

The entire site is extremely well done and everything is respectful to the sailors who served on these vessels and to those who lost their lives in the attack. Visiting Pearl Harbor was a humbling and emotional experience and one that we will never forget.

I’m a big history buff, so I went to Pearl Harbor expecting to love it. I was sorely disappointed. I’ll start with my thoughts on the Pearl Harbor National Memorial and then talk about my experience on the USS Arizona.

First, the logistics of visiting were not easy—they actually make it really frustrating to visit. We couldn’t figure out how to pay for parking until we got all the way up to the park entrance and finally saw signage. Of course we were parked as far away as possible, so we lost a lot of time having to go back and check the license plate on our rental car, etc. And then the bag rules seem unreasonably strict. They won’t even allow small purses in, which means I had to pay $7 to store my purse onsite, which was very hard on me. I particularly didn’t like not having my medications with me all day. And you don’t store them in secure individual lockers, they’re in a small building just on a table with everyone else’s, sort of like a coat check. Not very secure and wildly expensive at $7/person. Overall, we probably spent our first 45 minutes there figuring out parking and waiting in the line to check our purses.

Once we got inside, we found the layout of the memorial very confusing—it took us a bit of time, and a few conversations with park rangers, to figure out where everything is. The memorial is nice, but much smaller than I expected it to be. I think, for me, the biggest issue inside is that it was so overwhelmingly crowded, and we were there on a Monday morning in April—not peak season. We finally gave up trying to see the museum because it was wall to wall people and we couldn’t get close enough to read the plaques or see anything there. It’s also obviously very hot, which we were prepared for, but there’s not a lot of shade there to cool off in. Be sure to bring a lot of sunscreen, or a hat. We watched the movie in the theater and it was well done, although like what we did see in the museum, it was fairly impersonal. In both the movie and the museum, we didn’t see a lot of personal accounts of real people’s stories, or artifacts from those days. I think hearing those stories from survivors would have made it a much more meaningful experience.

For the USS Arizona, it was stressful getting the tickets—we could only book our tour tickets to visit the memorial a day ahead and they sell out literally in minutes. When you’ve traveled thousands of miles to be there, that’s a gamble that added a lot of stress on us. We were lucky to get them. The ride over to the USS Arizona memorial is short and the memorial itself is stunning and beautifully done. It was very haunting looking at the sunken ship and seeing on the wall all those lives lost too soon. We happened to be there just a couple days after the last remaining Arizona survivor had passed, so the flag was flying at half-mast. That added another layer of emotion to the visit.

Overall, I’m glad I’ve seen it—it’s an important part of US history and everyone should see it once. But I definitely wouldn’t go back. I think the national park service needs reevaluate the flow of the park and definitely its capacity—perhaps timed tickets or something like that , like they do in many museums now. That would make it a more enjoyable experience for sure.

Very interesting tour, full of history! It's worth getting to know the details of the terrible attack that happened that day up close!

Every US citizen should experience this park. It helps you imagine what the attack was like and how it changed history. You can get an audio tour and do it at your own pace. YOU MUST GET tickets ahead of time or sign up for a stand by list to go on the shuttle to the actually memorial site. You also MUST have a clear bag or pay for a locker during your trip.