Visiting the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor
Posted on Mon, Dec 7, 2009 by Sheila
Today, I want to share my experience and advice for visiting the USS Arizona Memorial — an exceptionally somber and historic site. I’ve visited Pearl Harbor three times and each time it conjures up so many emotions. As I reflect back on my many trips to Hawaii, no single place has generated as many emotions as my visits to the USS Arizona Memorial. The overwhelming emotion I feel is sadness. In fact, as hard as I may try, I cannot fight back tears. In addition to feeling sorrow, I also feel angry about the attack, injury for my country, gratitude for the extreme debt of lives that were paid, and pride for the valiant effort of the few servicemen who were able to fight. How’s that for a vast range of emotions?
I highly recommend a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial on your Oahu vacation. In fact, a visit here tops my list of the best things to see and do on Oahu. Even if you are vacationing on one of the other islands, you can take a day trip to visit the USS Arizona Memorial either by organized tour or independently.
Here’s what you should know and expect when you visit the USS Arizona Memorial:
1. The USS Arizona Memorial is located in the Pearl Harbor area of Honolulu. The physical address is 1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, Hawaii. Of course you can drive there in your rental car, but you also have an option of public transportation or using the services of an organized tour operator. See this link for directions and public transportation options.
2. It’s free to visit this national park. Even parking is free. For $5, you can rent headsets that provide interesting commentary at 23 different listening stations. I think it’s definitely worth the price to rent the headsets.
3. The memorial is open every day of the week from 7am until 5pm. It is only closed three days of the year — Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day. I read and hear a lot of misinformation about when you should arrive. So, I asked a park ranger for his advice.
- Off season (September – May, except for holidays) – the only time there is a wait to enter this national park is first thing in the morning and the line is usually gone sometime around 9am.
- On Season (Memorial Day – Labor Day, plus holidays) – it’s best to arrive early in the morning for your best chance to be admitted. The visitors center can accommodate approximately 4,500 visitors per day, and during the “on season” sometimes 6,000 or more people come to the memorial. That means that about 1,500 people aren’t admitted each day. The Park Ranger advise to arrive well before 1pm to secure your visit during the “on season”.
- 2012 Update: A new ticketing process has been implemented, allowing you to book your ticket up to three months in advance for a $1.50 fee. Read more about the new USS Arizona Memorial ticketing plan. Up to half of the available tickets will be issued in advance, while the other half will be available to walk-in visitors.
4. Absolutely no bags of any kind are allowed. I’ve observed many people who are carrying purses, camera bags, etc read the sign that bags aren’t allowed and then proceed on as if it does not apply to them. Every single one of them are turned away. So, you do need to think about the logistics of securing your valuables. See this link for more information on the security measures and planning your visit.
You can carry in cameras, wallets, cell phones, etc. You just can’t bring them in a bag. A Go Visit Hawaii reader, Dave, commented that if you need a bag, you can ask for a bag from the bookstore once you are inside the facilities.
A private vendor operates a storage facility for visitors to all the attractions at Pearl Harbor. There is a nominal storage fee. The storage facility is located near the entrance to the USS Bowfin Submarine Park. It’s open daily 6:30am to 5:30pm.
Do not leave your bags in plain sight in your rental car. If you want to leave your bags in the trunk, you should very discreetly place them in the trunk prior to arriving at the memorial parking lot. I should note that it is still risky to do that.
5. Your ticket will include an assigned time for the memorial tour that includes watching an excellent 23-minute documentary film depicting the attack on Pearl Harbor, taking a short boat ride to the actual USS Arizona Memorial, and touring the memorial. You will need to queue up at the theater approximately 10 minutes before your assigned time. Tour times start at 7:45am and the last program of the day starts at 3:00pm.
6. Most likely, you will have a bit of a wait before your assigned tour program. While you wait for your assigned time, there’s plenty to see and do. If you’ve rented the headset, this is a perfect time to use it. Otherwise, you can do your own self-guided tour of the museum, walk around the harbor grounds, and peruse the bookstore. It’s a good idea to be prepared to repel mosquitoes as I have been mosquito bitten in the museum.
7. Please be respectful when you visit the memorial as it is the underwater tomb of 1,177 service members.
Update:
8. For a great view of the USS Arizona Memorial, sit in the back of the boat on the return trip back to the shore.
Have you visited the USS Arizona Memorial? What did you think of your visit?
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Thanks for the great post Sheila. I’ve visited the Arizona Memorial twice. The signage along H-1 isn’t always the best so the first time I was there I actually drove to the base at Pearl Harbor thinking that was it, but the security guard redirected me.
Going out to the Arizona Memorial was both a sobering and inspiring experience when you think about all those boys (and most of them were just boys not older than 20) that gave their lives.
Both times I’ve been there I was fortunate enough to meet a survivor of the attack. Because it’s now been 68 years since the attack, those opportunities are shrinking. Some day I’m going to take my kids there so they can see it first hand and gain a better appreciation of the sacrifices that were made on that day.
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sheila Reply:
December 7th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Thanks, Adam, for the warning that the H-1 signage could be more helpful. Andy and I used a GPS navigation system the last couple of visits, so that probably kept us from getting lost.
Thank you for reminding us that most of the servicemen were boys. You are exactly right, they were very young.
I hope that you’ll be able to bring your kids to see this memorial some day soon.
Thanks again for your comment!
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sheila Reply:
December 7th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Oh, and one more thing, Adam. I’ve never been brave enough to approach one of the surviving servicemen. I’m afraid I’d burst into tears. I get misty-eyed just imagining saying a simple thank you to them.
I’ve been “blessed” with an abundance of sensitivity. Darn it!
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Adam Proehl Reply:
December 7th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
I hear ya there. As someone who was born in the 70′s, it’s hard to imagine what life must have been like. I’m sure even the stories don’t do it justice.
When we were there for the first time, we also went to see the Missouri and stood in the spot where MacArthur signed the formal surrender document. When I thought about the fact I was standing on the ship where the war officially ended combined with the fact we were in the harbor where it began for the US, I could feel the chills even on a sunny 85 degree day.
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Sheila, a great post. I, too, know those emotions that well in my soul upon visiting the USS Arizona Memorial. It is so important to never forget. It is so important to remember those who lost their lives, mostly young men mowed down in their prime. It saddens me that we are still in a warring world. I wish it were not so. It must be the hardest thing to lose a family member to war. It is never enough to know one’s husband, son or father died a hero.
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sheila Reply:
December 7th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Mahalo, Paula for your first time comment and kind words!
I agree with you, it is very important that we never forget the brave men and women who lost their lives that day.
When I reflect back on the images from my visits to the USS Arizona Memorial, one photograph comes to mind. It’s an image of a couple of very young seamen wearing only their underwear, who were manning a gun on one of the battleship decks. Gosh, what heros!
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Sheila:
Oh, you MUST tell them! I’ve written stories about survivors. They relish such encounters. They listen to you, but you listen to THEM. They never tire of hearing the appreciation. And they shouldn’t. They deserve to know every bit of gratitude! Go for it!
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Pearl Harbor original footage set against Harper John’s song of the story of a still alive survivor ….performed by the American /British duo INDIEKLINE see Youtube “USS ARIZONA SINKING.
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Get there early.
I’ve been several times. We had to wait almost 3-hours one time and got one of the last boats of the day because we got there late in the afternoon. However – Just like you said. There was plenty of other things to see & do do so we didn’t mind that much.
A long wait might be difficult if you have small kids with you or are elderly.
You can get some Great pictures if you sit in the very back of the boat on your way back to shore.
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sheila Reply:
December 11th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Dave – thanks for that back of the boat trick!
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I was there!
You’ll find a short video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhAj6CInx7o
(and the USS Missouri: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMjE3qEtCgM)
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sheila Reply:
December 11th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
Great videos, Stefan!
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If you are lucky enough to travel with someone in the military you can get in early (7:00am i believe) they must be wearing their dress uniform (out of respect). On most days there is a re-enlistment ceremony available to military and their guest only. The story of the kamikaze pilot and the Captain of the Mo is my favorite story so I really suggest ppl tour the Mo too. As for Adam driving onto the ford island bridge honestly it happens twenty times a day. The guards are use to it.
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