Should you visit Pearl Harbor on your own or take a tour?

We recommend taking a tour, so you do not have to deal with the logistics. Half-day tour: the Pearl Harbor from Waikīkī Tour picks you up in Waikīkī and takes you to the USS Arizona Memorial and the Visitor Center. From $38 per person. Full-day tour: the Complete Pearl Harbor Experience Tour picks you up in Waikīkī and gives you time at every site, with all tickets included. From $193 per person. If you would rather go on your own, buy the Passport for a self-led tour of everything except the USS Arizona Memorial, and reserve your free Arizona ticket separately at Recreation.gov.

Do you need tickets or reservations for the USS Arizona Memorial?

Yes, the USS Arizona Memorial requires a reservation. A limited number of tickets are released every day at 3:00 p.m. These tickets sell out fast, so set a reminder for yourself to visit the site at exactly 3:00 p.m. Tickets are free at recreation.gov. If you do not have a reservation, you can sign-up for standby tickets at the Visitor’s Center. Learn how to do that here.

Can you visit Pearl Harbor with kids?

Yes — Pearl Harbor works for the whole family. Children under four are not allowed inside the USS Bowfin, but every other site is open to them provided they are well behaved. The USS Arizona Memorial is not stroller-friendly and asks for silence from all guests. We recommend the Battleship Missouri Memorial, where kids can climb in and out of the ship and see what it was like to live and work aboard, and the Aviation Museum, where they can get close to the aircraft and there is room to push a stroller.

Oʻahu · Hawaiian Islands

Visiting Pearl Harbor

Four sites, two areas, one full day

Pearl Harbor is a national memorial with four distinct sites spread across two separate areas: the Pearl Harbor National Memorial Visitor Center and Ford Island. Visiting the USS Arizona Memorial, which floats directly over the sunken USS Arizona battleship, is free but still requires a reservation via Recreation.gov. With four sites plus the Visitor Center to explore, you will want to reserve an entire day. The guide below covers each attraction and helps you plan ahead, so you can give the experience the attention it deserves without feeling rushed.

Is Pearl Harbor worth visiting?

Yes — for most people travelling to Oʻahu, Pearl Harbor is worth it. More than 2,400 service members died in the attack. Visiting ground zero is a chance to learn what happened that day and how it changed history.

I recommend signing up for a tour that picks you up from your hotel and handles tickets for all four sites: the USS Arizona Memorial, Battleship Missouri Memorial, USS Bowfin Museum and the Aviation Museum. It is not the cheapest way to visit, but it is the most hassle-free. Skip Pearl Harbor if your main reason for coming to Oʻahu is to relax on the beach.

Quick Facts

Location	1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, HI 96818
Hours	Daily 7 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed Jan 1, Thanksgiving and Dec 25
Drive time	~30 min from Waikīkī or Ko ʻOlina
Public transport	TheBus #42 stops at the Visitor Center
Parking	Free, but arrive by 7 a.m. — lots fill fast
Bags	Prohibited site-wide; paid storage at the Visitor Center
Time needed	~7 hours for all four sites
USS Arizona tickets	Free, reserve at Recreation.gov
Passport	$99.99 adult / $49.99 child — excludes USS Arizona
Accessibility	Wheelchairs everywhere except USS Bowfin; no strollers on Arizona or Bowfin

What are the must-see sites at Pearl Harbor?

The top four sites are the USS Arizona Memorial — the one everyone should see — plus the Battleship Missouri Memorial, USS Bowfin Museum and the Aviation Museum.

USS Arizona Memorial — The bombing of the USS Arizona on December 7, 1941 was the defining attack on Pearl Harbor, costing 1,177 lives. The remains of 900 service members are still inside the sunken ship directly beneath the memorial. It is the most important site at Pearl Harbor.
Battleship Missouri Memorial and the USS Oklahoma Memorial — The USS Missouri is the battleship where Japan signed its unconditional surrender on September 2, 1945, ending the Second World War. Visitors can tour most of the ship, including the surrender deck, marked with a bronze plaque. The USS Oklahoma Memorial sits by the Missouri’s entrance, dedicated to the 415 sailors and 14 Marines lost aboard the Oklahoma in the 1941 attack.
USS Bowfin Museum — A fleet attack submarine launched exactly one year after the attack, the Bowfin ran nine patrols during the war. You can explore the interior including the control room, torpedo room and crew quarters. The cramped spaces give a visceral sense of submarine life — I am 5ʻ9” and had to duck through every passageway. If you are claustrophobic, consider skipping this one: it is tight, and there are no windows.
Aviation Museum — On Ford Island, inside two wartime hangars, with an extensive aircraft collection ranging from biplanes to modern jets, plus the Ford Island Control Tower.

How long do you need, and what should you prioritise?

To engage with everything Pearl Harbor offers, plan a full day — it took me about seven hours to cover all four sites and the Visitor Center. With only half a day, prioritise the USS Arizona and USS Missouri memorials.

If you have…	Do this, in order	Notes
~2 hours	USS Arizona Memorial (reserve ahead) + Visitor Center exhibits	Skip Ford Island. This is the most important site.
~4 hours	USS Arizona + USS Missouri	These two give you the beginning and the end of the war story at Pearl Harbor.
~6 hours	USS Arizona + USS Missouri + either USS Bowfin or the Aviation Museum	Missouri first (last entry 3 p.m.), Arizona second (last tour 3:30 p.m.), then Bowfin (closes 4:30 p.m.) or Aviation Museum (closes 5 p.m.).
~8 hours	All four sites — consider the Passport	The Passport covers everything except the USS Arizona Memorial. $99.99 adult, $49.99 child (ages 4–12).
Two days	Split everything across two days	The Passport is valid for two consecutive days.

Recommended Pearl Harbor itineraries

Half Day

7 a.m. - Arrive and Park at Visitor Center. Drop bags at bag storage near the entrance and secure your standby number for USS Arizona if you do not have a reservation. Use the restroom before boarding the boat to USS Arizona Memorial.
8 a.m. - USS Arizona Memorial
9 a.m. - Take the shuttle to Ford Island. Shuttles run every 15 minutes.
9:15 a.m. - Battleship Missouri Memorial & USS Oklahoma Memorial
11:30 a.m. - Take shuttle back to Visitor Center

Full Day

7 a.m. - Arrive and Park at Visitor Center. Drop bags at bag storage near the entrance and secure your standby number for USS Arizona if you do not have a reservation. *Note: The security bag check line can take about 10-15 minutes to get through.
8 a.m. - Browse the museums at The Visitor Center.
8:45 a.m. - USS Arizona Memorial
9:45 a.m. - Watch the USS Arizona documentary (about a 25 minute film)
10:30 a.m. - Take the shuttle to Ford Island. Shuttles run every 15 minutes.
10:45 a.m. - Battleship Missouri Memorial & USS Oklahoma Memorial
12:30 a.m. - Lunch break
1:00 p.m. - Aviation Museum, Ford Island Control Tower tour and flight simulator
2:30 p.m. - Take shuttle back to Visitor Center
2:45 p.m. - USS Bowfin Museum
4 pm. - Do any last minute shopping, visit the bookstore, go home

Common mistakes first-time visitors make

Not reserving USS Arizona Memorial tickets ahead of time.
Bringing a bag — bags are prohibited and must be left in the car or paid storage.
Leaving the Battleship Missouri for last; it closes at 3 p.m.
Underestimating how long each site takes.
Not arriving by 7 a.m. — parking fills fast.
Skipping sunscreen. You will be walking outside, and it gets hot.

Getting there, bags, dress code and food

Location: 1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96818

Driving distance: ~30 minutes from Waikīkī, ~30 minutes from Ko ʻOlina.

Alternative transportation: TheBus #42 will take you from Waikīkī to Pearl Harbor (it drops off right out front of the Visitor Center), Rideshare from Waikīkī costs about $20-$30 each way, depending on which app you use and the time of day. Rideshare may be harder to access from Ko ʻOlina.

Parking: Plan to arrive at 7 a.m., so you can find parking before the lots fill up.

Hours: Open daily, except New Year’s Day (January 1), Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day (December 25), 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

No-bag policy: Bags are prohibited throughout Pearl Harbor, not just at the USS Arizona Memorial. This means no backpacks, purses or camera bags anywhere. Bag storage is available for a fee to the right of the entrance to the Visitor Center. Since diaper bags are prohibited you are allowed to pack diapers and wipes inside a completely clear plastic bag.

Dress code: Civilians should dress respectfully. Uniformed service members must wear Class B or higher, battle dress uniforms are not allowed. I recommend wearing light, cool clothes and bringing a light jacket you can tie around your waist. It gets hot outside, but chilly in the theater and shuttle bus to Ford island.

Food and beverages: There are drinking fountains throughout the Visitor Center and on Ford Island. There is also a Visitor Center snack shop that sells water, sodas, chips and pre-packaged sandwiches. At the entrance to the Missouri Battleship, there are two food trucks with a large menu including burgers, chicken sandwiches, Kālua Pork and Dole Whip. The Aviation Museum Restaurant serves beer and wine. Jake’s food truck at the USS Bowfin Museum serves burgers, nachos, fried chicken and beer and wine. About a seven minute walk from the entrance of the Visitor Center is Restaurant 604, a lively oceanfront dive serving plate lunch, drink specials and appetizers for $6.04 each. Visit Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. for live music. 57 Arizona Memorial Dr #108, Honolulu. Open daily 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. (until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday).

Wheelchair/stroller access: Wheelchairs can go anywhere except the USS Bowfin. Strollers are not allowed on the USS Arizona Memorial or USS Bowfin.