Pearl Harbor, Oahu

Pearl Harbor on Oahu is an important historical location. On December 7, 1941, which FDR later dubbed “The Day of Infamy,” the Japanese bombed the U.S. Pacific fleet in Pearl Harbor, instigating the United States’ immediate entry into World War II. Today, nearly 70 years later, about 1.5 million people visit Pearl Harbor each year, making it Oahu’s most-visited destination.

 

Visit USS Arizona Memorial

 

A visit to the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor is both a humbling and enlightening experience. Upon arrival at the park grounds, visitors can get free tickets for the timed program, which includes a 23-minute documentary on the Pearl Harbor attack, a talk given by a Pearl Harbor survivor or a National Park Service ranger, as well as access to the Visitor’s Center museum and bookstore. After taking a self-guided tour of the grounds and examining the interactive exhibits along the water’s edge, visitors can board a 100-passenger Navy shuttle boat out to the actual memorial.

 

The 184-foot Arizona Memorial was built in 1961 atop the sunken USS Arizona battleship and has now come to symbolize the lives of all the soldiers who perished in the Pearl Harbor attack. Even today, decades after the ship was wrecked, oil still leaks from the battleship into the sea. The USS Arizona Memorial consists of three distinct areas: the Entry Room, the Assembly Room and the Shrine Room, which contains a marble wall inscribed with the names of all those who died aboard the USS Arizona. Visitors will have 15 minutes to explore the memorial before they are ferried back to the Visitor’s Center.

 

As this is such a popular tourist attraction, visitors should plan to arrive early in the morning to get their free program tickets. The memorial is most easily accessible by car or by one of Oahu’s public buses. There are also various tour companies that offer bus service as well as a local guide.

 

Nearby attractions that might also interest visitors are the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park, the Pacific Aviation Museum and the USS Missouri (the site of Japan’s formal surrender in World War II). Tickets to most of these surrounding attractions can be purchased at the USS Bowfin Museum.

 

Pearl Harbor Visit Tip:

 

Post the 9/11 attacks, security restrictions have tightened at Pearl Harbor. Visitors will not be allowed to carry any items or bags that allow for concealment (including purses, handbags, diaper bags, backpacks and fanny packs). Cameras are allowed, but camera bags are not. Storage containers (30”x30”x18”) are available at the Visitor’s Center for a nominal fee. It is best to leave any valuables at home.