Pearl Harbor National Memorial

Pearl Harbor

The memorial to the Japanese surprise attack of 1941, with the white memorial spanning the sunken USS Arizona, the surrender deck of the battleship USS Missouri, and aviation and submarine museums.

Pearl Harbor lies 15 km west of Honolulu. On 7 December 1941, Japanese forces attacked the US Pacific Fleet here, drawing America into the war. Today it is the most important World War II memorial site in the United States. The visit has four parts. First, the free Pearl Harbor National Memorial (run by the National Park Service) includes two museums, the Road to War and Attack, where an optional Chinese-language audio guide costs $8, plus a coastal memorial trail. Second is the centrepiece, the USS Arizona Memorial. Visitors first watch a 23-minute film, then take a Navy boat to the white memorial that spans the sunken battleship. The ship still lies underwater and still leaks oil droplets every day, and the names of the 1,177 officers and crew who died are inscribed on the wall. The boat ride is free, but there's a $1 reservation fee per person. Reserve on recreation.gov up to 8 weeks ahead, or try for same-day tickets from 3 p.m. the day before. A small number of first-come, first-served tickets are also available on site. Third, the USS Missouri on Ford Island, where Japan's surrender was signed on the deck of this battleship in 1945. Adult admission is about $35, including the shuttle bus. You can see the 16-inch main guns and the marks left by a kamikaze strike. Fourth, the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum (about $22, where you can enter a World War II submarine) and the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor (about $26, housed in the original hangars, where bullet holes are still visible). The Passport combined ticket costs about $90 and covers everything. Arrive when the site opens at 7 a.m. if you can. The full visit takes 4–6 hours. Getting there: TheBus Routes 20 or 42 from Waikīkī take about an hour, Uber takes about 25 minutes, or you can join a half-day tour with transfers (about $50–100). Parking is free if you drive. Security rules: bags of any kind, including handbags and camera bags, are not allowed. Lockers at the entrance cost $7 per item, so you may only bring a camera and phone. Please behave solemnly at the memorials. Nearby, you can visit the Aloha Stadium swap meet (Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday), or return to town to see Iolani Palace.

Pearl Harbor National Memorial

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