USS Arizona Memorial Pearl Harbor-WWII Valor in the Pacific
add photosSandals and Flip Flops are permissible, but bathing suits or profane T-shirts are not allowed on-site.
From Waikiki take H–1 west, exit at 15A, and follow the signs. The entrance is actually along Route 99, the Kamehameha Highway. The Arizona Memorial shuttle bus (839–0911) offers round-trip transportation ($$) from several Waikiki hotels. Call 422–2771 for recorded information or 422–0561 to speak to an operator or go to www.nps.gov/usar. The visitor center is open daily 7:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. The shuttle boat runs from 8:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. daily (it starts at 7:30 A.M. in the summer).
15 Reviews for USS Arizona Memorial Pearl Harbor-WWII Valor in...
25
161 family found this helpful
"Hawaii"
This was an awesome place to go to. First of all Hawaii is just absolutely beautiful place to be. The kids and I really enjoyed coming here and taking the tour. My oldest daughter also did a research project, so she got to take in all the pictures we took and some of the pamphlets that we took when we got there. The weather was also really nice. It is easy to get to and don't forget your stroller. I highly reccommend coming here especially if you are visiting hawaii!
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'11, '12
0 families found this helpful
"I was bored to tears"
I know I'm not suppossed to say this but I was bored to tears. Hawaii is full of beautiful beaches, gorgeous plush landscapes, and yummy places to eat.....this place doesn't compare to all that Hawaii has to offer. If you only have a week I say skip this place. Read about it online or from a book. Stroller friendly. Toddler Friendly. Parking was easy.
0 families found this helpful
"Simple, yet powerful"
I highly recommend taking some time while on Oahu to visit Pearl Harbor. Though not an elaborate destination, it is truly something to stand right where our country was attacked (not a common historical event) and catapulted into WW2. The tour information is very helpful and thorough and reading all the names on the wall while standing over the Arizona certainly puts things into perspective. Take your upper elementary and older students for a hands-on history lesson.
0 families found this helpful
"A must see"
This memorial is such an important part of American history, it can really be an emotional attraction. I would suggest paying the $5 for the audio tour though. It's more time consuming but you get so much more information. Probably not the best attraction for small children though.
0 families found this helpful
"Must see"
What a humbling part of our American history!
Arrive early in day, to get your preferred time to take the boat out to the Arizona memorial. You could have heard a pin drop as we got off the boat to see the USS Arizona.
Be sure to tour the grounds, historical documentations, beautiful scenery, good gift shop.
0 families found this helpful
"Wonderful Memorial"
If you are in Hawaii you need to visit the Pearl Harbor Memorial. It is a huge part of history. As you ride the boat out to the memorial you begin to think of what it must have been like on Dec. 7th, 1941 and what those soldiers must have been thinking of as they watched the planes attack. It is a very solemn memorial and most people are very quiet as they move about it. Make sure you get there very early as the line gets very long early on. It is free and worth the wait.
0 families found this helpful
"riding a boat"
As a kids eye, I think riding a boat to sanken ship is the only attraction, and everything else is kind of boring. Of course, this is a great historical place to teach to kids, so I think if you have kids in elementary or up, you should take this place. Security is very tight there, so you have to leave all the bags in the trunk.
0 families found this helpful
"Not that exciting for small kids"
I had Pearl harbor on my list of must do's while visiting Oahu & so I checked it out. I ended up going without my kids since I was coming back from a day of fishing & it was on the way to the hotel. I didnt go on the actual tour, but did walk around & took some great photos of the memorial. In the short time I was there, the place was overrun with tour buses full of Japanese tourists & it honestly felt kind of ironic. My expectations of feeling patriotic & emotional were actually replaced by the feeling of being at a tourist trap. I dont think this place would have interested my small daughters in the least & I am glad that I didnt drag my family along. I would rather watch a good documentary on the war & spend my vacation time at Waikiki beach or Hanauma Bay.
1 family found this helpful
"A must see"
This is definately for older children - I would say atleast school age but this is something that I go to every time. I recommend going here early to get your ticket time and go over to the museum and take a walk through it, otherwise the wait can get very long! The second time I visited this memorial we waited about an hour to get our ticket for a call back time. But, this is really worth the wait. You can see the ship from above the water and you have to chance for some real reflection.
I like to couple this with some other near by attractions. I usually go to the aloha swap meet on the same day :)
0 families found this helpful
"Such an experience"
Seeing pearl harbor and the Arizona memorial is such an experience. This is completely free. but there are only so many tickets handed out each day, so get there early. When you get there any bags at all have to be either left in car, or checked put in a locker for about $2 so if possible don't bring any bags/purses. even camera bags are not allowed. If you have a baby that uses a stroller use a baby carrier like a baby backpack/sling/snuggie etc. strollers are also not allowed. After checking in bags you recieve a ticket that gives you a time that your tour begins. you can be given a time of more then an hour wait. There are usually a lot of people so it can be a bit crowded wait for your time slot you are given. There is a small museum and gift shop to look at while you are waiting as well. When your time is called, you will proceed into a theater where you will watch a short film about pearl harbor and then you will get on a boat to go out to the memorial. Young kids of course like the boat ride. When you reach the memorial you will get off and have time to look around, take pictures etc. then you will be taken back on the boat and your tour is done. If you are a history buff at all this is a great place to go. it can be a bit of a sad experience, but awe inspiring at the same time.
1 family found this helpful
"Not a place for young children"
Pearl Harbor is worth seeing, however this is essentially going to a graveyard in the sea. There is an expectation that you will whisper, be respectful, and not engage in ideal chatter. Older children (7 or 8 and up) can appreciate the memorial and the history while maintaining the proper respect for the dead.
It fills up fast and though the new visitors center provides some things to see, the wait can be very long. Make this your first stop of day and arrive long before open during tourist season especially.
If you have a mixed bunch of children it might be best to divide and conquer: 1 adult take the older kids to see Pearl Harbor and the other adult take the younger school age kids to the USS Bowfin next door.
2 families found this helpful
"Temporary Closure"
The US Parks Service is temporary closing boat tours to the USS Arizona Memorial 11-15 January 2010. What does this mean, you can still go to the shore side of the Memorial and visit the new visitor center, but you will not be able to take a boat out to the Memorial itself. My two cents, if you are here for the week, still worth the trip so you can see the memorial, even if only from a distance. If you can adjust your schedule, while the shore-side displays are nice, the real reason you go to the Memorial is to actually see the Memorial.
Don't Recommend for Under Three
The Arizona Memorial is exactly that, a memorial. Not the place I would recommend taking kids under say three - but over that, this is one of the not to miss places on Oahu. It may not be the most fun place to visit, but definitely one so deep in history and learning that it is a great experience. If you are not attending with a tour group, suggest you arrive at opening so you can get your tickets early - they will run out of tickets for the day and that is that. You never know if the day is going to be busy or not until you get there. The experience begins with a 25 minute video recapping the events of Dec 7 and the US entry into WWII. This video is really good, but a little graphic for 3-4 year olds. You cannot bypass the video which makes this a really hard activity for under 2-3 year olds (climbing up and down the stairs and in general being disruptive is more entertaining than the video). After the video, you get to board a boat (BONUS!) and head to the Memorial. Kids just seem to know they need to be good on the Memorial, but definitely suggest limiting your time on the Memorial and getting in line early for the next boat off. If you could bypass the video this would be an easy trip for under 3, but with the video and potentially a 2-3 hour wait, this can end up being an awful experience for the parents. Keep in mind this is an activity around water and boats - I think we have lost not one but two shoes off the Memorial (they hook their feet in the railings and then the shoes magically fall off).
1 family found this helpful
"Must see on Oahu!"
There is a reason that the Arizona Memorial is one of the most visited spots on Oahu. This memorial is truly breath taking and humbling.
Probably not the best place to visit with younger kids, but older kids should appreciate the historical significance.
Watching the movie prior to taking the ferry out to the memorial gives you the background information to appreciate what you are about to see and actually setiing onto the memorial about the ship gives you a feeling that is hard to describe.
Tours are free and no reservations are required, but waits are common. You should plan to be there for at least 2 hours.
0 families found this helpful
"Fun with the Family"
The Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor is consistently the most visited and most recognized attraction on Oahu every year. Although Pearl Harbor captured worldwide attention on December 7, 1941, with the surprise attack by Japanese planes that catapulted the United States into World War II, the military controlled the area long before that. In 1887 King Kalakaua signed the Sugar Reciprocity Treaty that provided for profitable, duty-free exportation of sugar in exchange for the U.S. Navy’s full control of the harbor.
A visit to Pearl Harbor consists of an onshore museum/display area, a short film, and a boat ride to the memorial. The visitor center at Pearl Harbor emphasizes the area’s strategic location and the military’s presence in Hawaii since 1887. Today all five services are represented here. Oahu is the headquarters of CINCPAC (Commander in Chief Pacific), which oversees 70 percent of Earth’s surface, from California to the east coast of Africa and to both poles.
The museum displays materials from World War II naval history. There are actual letters written by servicemen stationed here to loved ones on the Mainland. The letters paint a poignant picture of young men who lost their lives. There is a great system of maps that show the route of the Japanese planes and models of the ships that were damaged. There’s even some old wreckage displayed in glass cases.
The film depicts life in the islands before the attack, the military happenings in other parts of the world, and the far-reaching devastation caused by Japan’s bombs. It’s an emotional and impressive film, made even more meaningful by the elderly veterans who are often there. By the time the movie is over and you’re shuttled to the boat, there are more than a few damp handkerchiefs.
The boat takes you to the USS Arizona Memorial, where the remains of 1,100 men are entombed forever within the hulk of the once-mighty battleship. The memorial was built in the 1960s, and Elvis Presley staged a benefit concert that helped raise more than $60,000 for the building fund. The structure straddles the sunken ship, and looking out into the water, you can see the Arizona sitting on the ocean floor. It is still leaking oil and shows no signs of stopping. The walls of the memorial are decorated with the names of all the soldiers who lost their lives on December 7, 1941.
The facility does become quite crowded; it’s best to arrive before 10:00 A.M. for the shortest wait. On the average, expect a ninety-minute wait from when you arrive and are given a ticket until your number is called and you’re ushered into the theater. During that ninety minutes, however, you can walk around the museum. There is a gift shop, snack bar, and restrooms.
Paradise Cruises (593–2493) offers a different type of cruise around the harbor from 8:30 A.M. to noon but does not stop at the USS Arizona Memorial or the visitor center. ($$$–$$$$).
3 families found this helpful
"A Piece of History"
This is a wonderful learning opportunity. I would recommend a little background knowledge before going and that it would be more interesting for older children. Sometimes it can be packed so call ahead and ask for a good time to go. Although it is dated the historical significance can be instilled in children and the impact of war and peace. Please take the time to share this piece of history with your child.
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