Park Rangers at Pearl Harbor National Memorial offer the following 10 tips:
Be Informed: The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is managed by the National Park Service, it is home to Pearl Harbor National Memorial, the USS Arizona, Oklahoma, and Utah Memorials. ThePearl Harbor Visitor Center is open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reservations are only required for the USS Arizona Memorial Program. There is a no bag policy, however storage is available nearby for a fee. Check the website often for the most up to date information: www.nps.gov/perl.
Know Where to Go: 1 Arizona Memorial Place Honolulu, HI 96818. Be sure to use this address. A search for "Pearl Harbor" on Google Maps will take you to the active military base, not the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. Traffic congestion and construction is ongoing in the area and detours may be in effect, plan to arrive early, there is plenty to see and do.
Know What You Need: Reservations or tickets are not required for Pearl Harbor National Memorial. Anyone is welcome to visit the grounds, museums, and watch the film free of charge. Reservations are only required to reserve your time for the USS Arizona Memorial Program.
Have a Back-up Plan: Did you miss your scheduled program time? Unable to make a reservation via recreation.gov? There are a lot of other opportunities available. You can visit the museums, watch the 23 minute park film on the open air lanai, and take in the scenic shoreline views; participate in the Pacific Historic Parks managed Audio Tour, or Virtual Reality Center, become a Jr Ranger (sold in the bookstore); or visit our neighboring Pacific Historic Site Partners, not managed by the National Park Service.
Make a Reservation: The walk-in first-come first-served same day ticket distribution program is no longer available. USS Arizona Memorial Program reservations are only available from Recreation.gov. There are only 1800 USS Arizona Memorial Program reservations available for any given day. Tickets must be reserved, and they go fast! For example, if you are interested in visiting on July 12, 1800 total reservations will be released in two batches. The primary booking widow; 8-weeks in advance at 3 pm HST on May 17th. And the second batch of reservations for July 12 will be released 24-hours in advance at 3 pm HST on July 11. Recreation.gov is the official reservation website for the National Park Service, USS Arizona Memorial Program. If you have a reservation, arrive 1-hour early to ensure you do not miss your timed departure. You must check in at the theater 10-mintues before your timed departure or you will miss the boat.
Recreate Responsibly: Know your limits. Based on Pearl Harbor National Memorial reservation redemption rates, only 8-10% of Visitors can participate as standby. Waits for standby space available seating is 1-3 hours long. You must physically be in line and wait your turn, which can be a challenge in the heat and humidity. Standby may be discontinued for health and safety considerations.
Learn Something New: Expand your knowledge of Hawaii, Hawaiian History and World War II. Visit our neighboring Pacific Historic Site Partners not managed by the National Park Service: Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, Battleship Missouri Memorial, and Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. Head downtown to visit: Iolani Palace, a living restoration of Hawaiian national identity and the only official royal palace in the United States. The Bishop Museum, showcases cultural and natural history exhibits from Hawaii and Polynesia. The Japanese Cultural Center, shares the history, heritage, and culture of the evolving Japanese American experience in Hawaii.
Be Kind: Let's remember, we are all a community. We are all people. Be respectful of the resource, fellow visitors, the Volunteers, and Park Rangers assigned to assist you. Pearl Harbor National Memorial tells the story of service and sacrifice. As the final resting place for over 900 sailors and Marines, using your cell phone for talking and texting while onboard the USS Arizona Memorial is not appropriate.
Download the App: The NPS has a new free app with tools to explore more than 400 national parks nationwide. Find interactive maps, tours of park places, on-the-ground accessibility information and much more to plan your national park adventures before and during your trip. Download the NPS App in the iOS App Store and Google Play Store.
Stay Informed: Check our website and social media channels for up-to-date information on trip planning tips, how to make a reservation, and more. Information is updated frequently. Websites to review:
