Pearl Harbor tours give you a full day at the place where the United States entered World War II, with the USS Arizona Memorial, the Battleship Missouri, and three more historic sites grouped around one visitor center on Oahu. You can visit on your own or join a guided tour, and this guide explains what each site covers, what tickets cost, and how to plan the day.
Key Highlights
- The Pearl Harbor National Memorial visitor center and grounds are free to enter, and the USS Arizona Memorial boat program is free apart from a $1 Recreation.gov reservation fee per ticket.
- Reserve Arizona Memorial tickets on Recreation.gov at 3 p.m. Hawaii time, either 8 weeks ahead or 24 hours ahead, because same day walk up tickets are no longer handed out at the gate.
- Three partner sites charge separate admission: the Battleship Missouri, the USS Bowfin, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, or you can cover all three with the Passport to Pearl Harbor.
- Ford Island sites are reached only by free shuttle from the visitor center, so build shuttle time into your plan and carry photo ID.
- Allow a full day for the whole complex, arrive at least an hour before your Arizona program time, and bring only a small bag, since larger bags are not permitted past security.
Where Pearl Harbor sits
Pearl Harbor sits on the island of Oahu, about 11 miles west of Waikiki and close to Honolulu International Airport. On December 7, 1941, Japanese forces attacked the naval base here in the morning, sinking or damaging ships at anchor and striking nearby airfields. The attack killed 2,403 Americans and wounded 1,178 more, according to National Park Service figures, and it brought the United States into World War II the next day.
What a visit to Pearl Harbor covers
The visit starts at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial Visitor Center at 1 Arizona Memorial Place in Honolulu. Entry to the grounds and the two galleries, called “Road to War” and “Attack,” is free and needs no ticket. The galleries explain the tensions of the 1930s, the morning of the attack, and the war that followed, and they give useful context before you board the boat to the Arizona Memorial.
The USS Arizona Memorial is the centerpiece. A Navy boat carries visitors from the visitor center to the white, open air structure that spans the sunken battleship, where 1,177 sailors and Marines lost their lives. You spend roughly 15 minutes at the memorial itself, and the full program, including the boat ride each way and a safety briefing, takes about 45 minutes. Oil still rises slowly from the wreck below, and the wall of names at the far end lists the crew members who died aboard the ship.
On Ford Island, the Battleship Missouri tells the other end of the story. Japan signed the formal surrender documents on the Missouri’s deck on September 2, 1945, ending World War II. A guided tour is included with admission, and you can walk the decks, see the gun turrets, and stand at the surrender plaque. The Missouri sits within sight of the Arizona Memorial, so the two ships frame the war from start to finish in a single view across the harbor.
Two more partner sites round out the complex. The USS Bowfin, nicknamed the Pearl Harbor Avenger, was launched on December 7, 1942, one year after the attack, and completed nine war patrols. Visitors can climb through the restored submarine and then walk the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum galleries beside it. The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum occupies two hangars on Ford Island that survived the 1941 attack, with aircraft and exhibits that run from World War II to the present day. If you want the full picture before you go, our ultimate guide to visiting Pearl Harbor walks through each site in the order most visitors see them.
Tours departing Oahu, and tours from the other islands
Most visitors start from Oahu, where guided tours run every day and typically include round trip transportation from Waikiki and Honolulu hotels. A guided day usually covers the visitor center, the Arizona Memorial program, and at least one Ford Island site, with a Honolulu city drive added on some itineraries. Going with a guide suits travelers who do not want to drive, book separate tickets, or work out the shuttle timetable on their own.
Self guided visits work well too, and they give you control over pace. Drive or take a rideshare to the visitor center, reserve your Arizona program time in advance, and buy partner site tickets at the center or online. The trade off is planning: you handle the Recreation.gov reservation, the bag rules, and the shuttle yourself.
Visitors staying on Maui, the Big Island, or Kauai can also reach Pearl Harbor for the day. The homepage of this site lists tours departing from all four major islands, with inter island flights bundled into the day trip on some options. If you fly in for the day, choose an early flight and check whether Arizona Memorial boat tickets are included, since the free program must be reserved separately and is not part of the Passport bundle.
How to plan your day
The visitor center is open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day, when hours can change, so check the National Park Service site before you travel. Arizona Memorial programs run every 15 minutes from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., according to the National Park Service. Arrive at least one hour before your program time and check in at the ticket validation desk 10 minutes before departure, since late arrivals join the standby line and may lose their seats.
Book Arizona tickets through Recreation.gov only. Reservations open daily at 3 p.m. Hawaii time in two windows, 8 weeks ahead and 24 hours ahead, with a limit of 10 tickets per day per account, including infants. Each ticket carries a $1 non refundable fee, and tickets cannot be transferred or resold. If you miss your time or arrive without a reservation, sign up for the standby callback system at the tablets near the audio tour booth. You will get a text with your place in line, and waits on busy days can run several hours, so use that time in the galleries or at a partner site. For step by step booking help, see our USS Arizona Memorial guide.
Ford Island is an active military installation, and private cars are not allowed. Free shuttles leave the visitor center for the Missouri and the Aviation Museum, and the ride takes about 10 minutes each way. Carry photo ID, since it may be requested, and note that the USS Utah Memorial on Ford Island is open only to military personnel and their guests. Plan roughly 2 hours for the Missouri and 90 minutes each for the Aviation Museum and the Bowfin.
Tickets and the Passport to Pearl Harbor
There is no single ticket that covers everything, and that is the most common source of confusion. The National Park Service side, the visitor center grounds, the galleries, and the Arizona Memorial program, is free. The three partner sites are run by separate nonprofits and charge separately. The Pearl Harbor Historic Sites plan page lists adult admission at $44.99 for the Battleship Missouri, $25.99 for the USS Bowfin and Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, and $29.99 for the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, with reduced child rates. Prices can change, so confirm the current rate when you book.
The Passport to Pearl Harbor bundles general admission to all three paid sites, plus a self guided multimedia tour at the memorial and one virtual reality experience, and it stays valid for two consecutive days. The official Passport page lists it from $99.99 per adult and $49.99 per child aged 4 to 12. The Passport does not include the Arizona Memorial boat program, which must still be reserved separately on Recreation.gov. Do the math before you buy: if you plan to visit only one paid site, a single ticket costs less, while the Passport pays off if you will see all three. Parking at the visitor center costs $7 per day.
Guided tour prices vary by operator, group size, and what is included. Before booking any guided option, check whether Arizona Memorial boat tickets, partner site admissions, and hotel pickup are actually included, and read the cancellation terms.
Best time to visit Pearl Harbor
Honolulu weather stays warm all year, so timing matters more for crowds than for climate. The busiest periods are spring break, summer, Thanksgiving week, and the winter holidays, when Arizona reservations sell out within minutes of release and standby waits stretch for hours. Weekdays are calmer than weekends, and the first programs of the morning, from 8 a.m. onward, tend to feel quieter than midday departures.
Rain falls in brief showers through the year, and boat programs can pause for wind, weather, or dock maintenance. Keep the afternoon flexible so a delayed boat does not ruin the rest of your plans. If you have extra days on Oahu, our guide to the best things to do in Oahu covers beaches, hikes, and historic Honolulu sights for the rest of your trip.
Practical tips for a smooth visit
Bags cause more delays than anything else at Pearl Harbor. Only small bags, about the size of a wallet, plus clear bags, are allowed past security. Leave larger bags at your hotel or use the bag storage near the entrance for a fee, and pack light: water, sunscreen, a hat, and a phone camera are enough.
Wear comfortable shoes with closed toes for the Missouri and Bowfin, where ladders and narrow hatches are part of the tour. The Bowfin interior is cramped and not suited to visitors with limited mobility, and children under 4 cannot board the submarine. The visitor center, the Arizona Memorial, and the Missouri are wheelchair accessible, with accessible pathways and facilities throughout the grounds. For background reading on the people and ships behind the memorials, see our facts about Pearl Harbor.
Keep voices low at the memorials, stay with your group on the boat, and follow ranger instructions. Photography is allowed at most sites, but tripods and selfie sticks can be restricted, and drones are not permitted. Downtown Honolulu and Waikiki are a short drive away for the evening after your visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pearl Harbor free to visit?
Yes, entry to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial visitor center, its grounds, and its two exhibit galleries is free, and the USS Arizona Memorial boat program is also free. The only charge on the National Park Service side is a $1 non refundable Recreation.gov fee per reserved Arizona ticket. The Missouri, Bowfin, and Aviation Museum are separate partner sites and charge their own admission.
How do I get tickets for the USS Arizona Memorial?
Reserve them online through Recreation.gov, since same day tickets are no longer handed out in person at the visitor center. Reservations open daily at 3 p.m. Hawaii time, 8 weeks ahead and 24 hours ahead, with up to 10 tickets per account per day. Arrive at least an hour before your program time, and use the standby callback system if you arrive without a reservation.
How long should I allow for Pearl Harbor?
Allow a full day if you want to see the Arizona Memorial plus the three paid sites, since each site needs 90 minutes to 2 hours and the Ford Island shuttle adds travel time. A visit focused on the visitor center and the Arizona program takes about 3 to 4 hours.
Does the Passport to Pearl Harbor include the Arizona Memorial boat?
No, the Passport to Pearl Harbor covers the Battleship Missouri, the USS Bowfin, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, plus a multimedia tour and a virtual reality experience, but it does not include the Arizona Memorial boat program. Reserve the Arizona program separately on Recreation.gov, and note that the Passport stays valid for two consecutive days.
What is the bag policy at Pearl Harbor?
Only bags no larger than a small wallet, plus clear bags, are allowed past security at Pearl Harbor National Memorial. Larger bags must be left behind or placed in paid storage near the entrance before you enter. Pack light, carry water and sunscreen, and check the current policy on the National Park Service site before your visit.
Can I visit Pearl Harbor from Maui, the Big Island, or Kauai?
Yes, day trips to Pearl Harbor run from Maui, the Big Island, and Kauai as well as from Oahu, with inter island flights bundled into some options. Choose an early flight, confirm whether Arizona Memorial boat tickets are included in the tour price, and allow a full day for the trip. If tickets are not included, reserve your Arizona program time on Recreation.gov before you fly.
Start with the Arizona Memorial reservation, since that timed ticket sets the shape of your day, then add the Missouri. Book early, arrive early, and give the memorials the quiet attention they deserve.