Passport to Pearl Harbour. Two sites for ticket purchase.

Question

I am hoping someone will know this answer. I understand you can purchase tickets for the passport to Pearl Harbor on the recreational.gov site however that being said it opens up 56 days prior to the date you're looking to visit. There is also the Pearl Harbor historical sites which allows you to book right away with a $5 discount so which website should I be using to buy my tickets? Any help on this one would be greatly appreciated thanks in advance!

Answer

When it comes to purchasing tickets for the Pearl Harbor attractions, you are right that there are two main platforms: the Recreation.gov website and the Pearl Harbor Historical Sites website. Each has its own benefits depending on your needs.

1. Recreation.gov
The Recreation.gov website allows you to purchase tickets for the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, the USS Arizona Memorial, and other key attractions. The main advantage of this site is that you can reserve your tickets in advance (up to 56 days before your visit), which is crucial if you want to guarantee a spot, especially during peak tourist seasons. Tickets for the USS Arizona Memorial, in particular, can be in high demand, and booking early is recommended. Additionally, this website is the official platform for reserving free tickets to visit the USS Arizona Memorial itself. These free tickets are timed, and they are often the most sought-after, so booking ahead is essential for the best chance to get the time you want.

Pros: Advanced booking up to 56 days in advance, guaranteed tickets for the USS Arizona Memorial, free timed tickets available.
Cons: You can only book tickets for the USS Arizona Memorial and a few other sites (additional attractions must be booked separately). There is no discount provided on this site.

2. Pearl Harbor Historical Sites
The Pearl Harbor Historical Sites website allows you to book tickets right away and offers a $5 discount on select packages, which is a nice bonus. This site is useful if you want to purchase tickets for other sites within the Pearl Harbor area, such as the USS Missouri, the Pacific Aviation Museum, or the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum. It provides the flexibility of immediate booking and gives you access to various combo tickets that cover multiple attractions. While it doesn't offer free tickets to the USS Arizona Memorial, it is a good platform if you’re looking to explore more of the Pearl Harbor area beyond just the memorial.

Pros: Immediate booking, $5 discount on certain packages, access to combo tickets for multiple sites.
Cons: No free tickets for the USS Arizona Memorial, tickets are often more expensive compared to those on Recreation.gov for the USS Arizona Memorial.

Which site should you use?
If your primary goal is to visit the USS Arizona Memorial, and you're traveling during a busy period, it’s best to use Recreation.gov to reserve your tickets in advance, especially since it’s the official platform for free USS Arizona Memorial tickets. If you're looking to visit multiple sites and want to take advantage of discounts, Pearl Harbor Historical Sites would be the way to go, as it provides combo tickets and discounts on packages.

To summarize:
- For a guaranteed spot at the USS Arizona Memorial, use Recreation.gov for advanced booking.
- For discounts on a broader range of attractions, including USS Missouri, Pacific Aviation Museum, and more, use Pearl Harbor Historical Sites.

Passport to Pearl Harbour. Two sites for ticket purchase.

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