Today is Day 4 in Hawaii and we are visiting Pearl Harbor National Memorial on Oahu. Along with our daughter and friends Lisa and Jack, and their kids, we are tackling Hawaii’s famous landmark. See everything you need to know before visiting Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.
Make sure to check back regularly for all of our adventures in Hawaii at: Destination – Hawaii.
Planning a Visit to Pearl Harbor National Memorial
No trip to Oahu is complete without a trip to Pearl Harbor National Memorial. This site honors over 2,300 servicemen who died here during the attack on December 7, 1941. This attack led to the United States declaring war on Japan and entering World War II. You can read more about Pearl Harbor at: Pearl Harbor National Memorial (U.S. National Park Service).
The ideal 1st stop is the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, which is open 7:00AM to 5:00PM daily. And no reservations are required for the center, grounds or museums. But there is a $7 parking fee payable via a mobile app or the on-site kiosk. Though the highlight for many is a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial. This program includes an orientation, a boat ride to and from the USS Arizona, and time at the memorial. Boats leave daily, every 15 minutes from 8:00AM to 12:00PM, and 1:00PM to 3:30PM. And it is highly recommended to reserve your time in advance. It’s also recommended to go early or late to beat the crowds, so we reserve an 8:45AM time. Reservations are free, but they do charge a $1.00 fee for each ticket. And they can booked at: USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor National Memorial Tours – Recreation.gov.
It is recommended to check-in 1 hour before your time, so we’ll get there early. This should give us plenty of time to explore the visitor center and watch the park film before we load the boat. The USS Arizona Memorial Program takes about 45 minutes, so we’ll have ample time afterwards.
Arriving at Pearl Harbor
Well things don’t always go as planned. We’re running late. So when we arrive, I drop the ladies at the front and go find parking. We park a couple lots away and find a kiosk in the lot to pay. We then put the receipt in our windshield, and rush to the entrance to meet the girls. However when we get there, we find out we forgot about their strict bag policy. They wouldn’t let the girls in with their bags. So they had to put them in some lockers near the entrance for a fee. But once stowed, we are allowed in.
Once through the entrance, we have about 15 minutes before our reservation for the USS Arizona Memorial Program. We don’t have time for the visitor center, so we rush straight to the Pearl Harbor Memorial Theater to check-in. We find a sign with our reservation time and get in the line in front of it. And though we are 10 minutes early, they call us in to the theater for the orientation.
USS Arizona Memorial Program
Once everyone is seated in the theater, a national park ranger at the front of the room starts to talk. He gives us a brief explanation of the day of the attack and how many soldiers were lost that day. And he explains how the memorial is the final resting place of many of them. So, it’s important to be respectful while there. He also explains a little about the boat that will take us there. And after about 5 minutes, he has set the tone for the program. And at exactly 8:45AM the doors open, and everyone walks outside to board the boat in silence.
It’s a full boat, but we find a row for the 3 of us. And once everyone is secured, we head across the blue harbor. The large boat provides a smooth ride across the slightly choppy water. On the way we see a mooring quay for the USS Nevada (BB-36).
A mooring quay is a concrete structure used to secure the ship in place. During the attack, the USS Nevada was the first ship hit by a torpedo. And despite multiple bomb hits, it was the only battleship that managed to get underway during the attack. Though it was salvaged and went on to further battles, this mooring quay is left to remember it here.
But a minute later, we’re approaching the USS Arizona. On one side is its mooring quay, and the other is the dock for our boat. And we can already see many people at the memorial. Once the boat has been docked, we’re able to exit the boat and walk up the ramp.
USS Arizona Memorial
We walk through the entryway and it opens up inside. There are plenty of windows including on the roof, letting in plenty of natural light. We see a line on our left for those returning on the boat we came in on. And we have about 15-20 minutes to explore.
The memorial crosses over the USS Arizona below us. So when we look out right, we can see part of the sunken battleship sticking out of the turquoise water. It’s only about 40 feet deep here. So some parts, like the bases of gun turrets, are still viewable above the water.
We can also see the newly refurbished mooring quay just past it. And as we continue to walk we can see the Viewing Well, or an opening to the water below. Here we can see more of the sunken ship. And just past it, is the Shrine Room.
When we walk in, we hear a woman telling us to come closer. And after the room is full, she begins to talk about the servicemen whose names are etched upon the marble wall in front of us.
The Shrine Room in the USS Arizona Memorial
The Shrine Room displays the names of the 1,177 Arizona crewmen lost during the attack on Pearl Harbor. And because conditions were too hazardous, the remains of over 900 of them are entombed in the ship below.
We’re surprised to hear more than 30 survivors also had their ashes interred here to be with their lost brothers. And hearing how the divers take the ashes into this sacred site is moving. The magnitude of the loss on this single ship during the attack is immense. And after the talk people start to leave, but we just stay for a few minutes.
Leaving the USS Arizona Memorial
Walking back we look out the windows to see the other side of the sunken ship. Now it has more meaning to know how many were lost below. And our shadows our cast on the ship resembling those lost under the water forever.
We also see some oil on top of the water. Called the “black tears” of the Arizona, the ship still leaks oil today. Though the environmental concerns have been outweighed by the risks of removing the oil trapped below. So it continues to slowly leak to this day. And it’s estimated to continue for centuries.
About this time we can see the line is starting to form for the return trip. So, we slowly head back out the entryway for the boat ramp. We’re one of the last onboard and find seats scattered throughout the boat for the return trip. We spent about 20 minutes on the memorial, but there is so much more to Pearl Harbor National Memorial.
Pearl Harbor National Memorial Grounds and Park Film
After the 5 minute boat ride, we are back where we started and ready to explore more. Across the harbor, we can look back at the USS Arizona Memorial as well as USS Missouri nearby The Missouri was not present during the attack on Pearl Harbor. But on the deck of this last battleship commissioned in the U.S. is where Japan surrendered ending World War II.
You can also visit the Battleship Missouri Memorial, which is a separate ticketed admission. Unfortunately with our flights this afternoon, we don’t have time. But we did stop at each of the informative signs learning more about the attack on Pearl Harbor.
There are signs about Japan’s plan as well as a map of Pearl Harbor on the day of the attack. Another sign lists the more than 185 vessels present on the fateful day and which ones were sunk. Other signs talk about the 1st and 2nd wave of attacks. And others talk about the hazards of salvaging sunken ships as well as honoring the dead.
Also located outside is Remembrance Circle, a tribute to those whose lives were cut short during the attack. After about 20 minutes walking around in the Sun, I am ready to get back indoors. And the park film is about to start at 9:45AM.
The park film is located in the Pearl Harbor Memorial Theater where we checked in earlier. This 23-minute documentary vividly recounts the events of December 7, 1941 providing a detailed account of the attack. And we kept our eyes glued to the screen. It’s definitely worth the time, and we’re very glad we did it.
Pearl Harbor National Memorial Museums and Gift Shop
After the film, we exit the theater to find the 1st museum simply called “Attack”. We learned so much more about Japan’s attack from the park film, and this museum provides even more informative exhibits.
There’s information about radar being newly used, as well as a draft of FDR’s declaration of war letter to Congress. In the letter, he famously describes December 7th, 1941 as “a date that will live in infamy”. The other museum is called the “Road to War” and offers stories that lead up to Pearl Harbor.
We learn about a Japanese spy disguised as homeless while hitching rides from drunken sailors to get intel. They also have a nice replica of the Arizona before the attack and how battleships were an aging fleet. The battleships would eventually get replaced by aircraft carriers. After about 30 minutes in the 2 small museums, we head to get something to eat. We find the snack bar that has lots of options. They even have spam musubi which I get to try. After some snacks, we head to the gift shop.
Before we go into the gift shop, we see a table where an author is autographing his books. A perfect gift for Becky’s dad, so we get one. The author even poses for a picture with his book. Inside is plenty of apparel, toys and other souvenirs. After a little shopping, we have 1 more thing to do.
Last stop at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial Visitor Center
The Pearl Harbor National Memorial Visitor Center is a collection of all the buildings and areas we’ve been to today. But, Becky has yet to find where she can get her national park passport stamped. We find out it’s at one of the counters where the park rangers offer information.
Becky gets hers and our daughter’s passport books out to get them stamped. The park rangers are very helpful and eager to answer any questions. They also have information at the next booth about purchasing access to additional historical sites. We already talked about the Battleship Missouri Memorial. But there’s also a Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum and a Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum. Though they are run by independent companies and the costs are much more expensive. But after almost 3.5 hours, we’re ready to head back for lunch and to pack. We’re headed to the Big Island later this afternoon.
Summary of Pearl Harbor National Memorial
Pearl Harbor National Memorial stands as a solemn reminder of the attack here December 7, 1941. We learned so much about that fateful day including about the 2,403 that died here. And the 1,177 that died just on the USS Arizona. We would recommend doing the park film before the USS Arizona Memorial if you can. But even though we didn’t, the USS Arizona Memorial was the highlight of our visit. Seeing the sunken ship up close, and hearing the stories of the servicemen still with the ship was powerful. It’s incredibly moving, and we won’t forget our time here.
We got back in time to finish packing and go to lunch with Becky’s Aunt Carolyn. We are really grateful we got to stay and spend time with her while on Oahu. But now it’s time to leave for the Big Island. Oh, but stay tuned for our day trip to Maui tomorrow!
Make sure to check back regularly for all of our adventures in Hawaii at: Destination – Hawaii.