Pearl Harbor is not one attraction — it is four historic sites around one harbor, and the difference between a frustrating day and a great one is planning. The good news: the Pearl Harbor National Memorial grounds and the USS Arizona Memorial program are completely free. The three other sites charge admission, the Arizona boat ride needs an advance reservation, and the bag policy is strict. This guide covers all of it, with hours and prices verified against official sources.
Key Highlights
- The Pearl Harbor National Memorial grounds, exhibit halls, and the USS Arizona Memorial program are free — but the Arizona boat ride requires a reservation made on recreation.gov, with a non-refundable $1 fee per ticket.
- There are four main sites: the USS Arizona Memorial (free, reservation required), the Battleship Missouri Memorial (about $35 for adults), the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum (about $30 for adults), and the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum (about $26 for adults).
- Plan a full day for all four sites; three hours covers the Arizona Memorial and visitor center alone. Arrive early — morning slots mean smaller crowds and cooler air.
- Bags larger than a small wallet are not allowed inside. Leave big bags at your hotel, use the paid storage lockers near the entrance, or bring a clear bag.
- Ford Island (Missouri and Aviation Museum) is reached by shuttle bus from the visitor center — private cars are not allowed on the base. The submarine museum sits next door to the visitor center and is the only site you reach on foot.
Getting There
Pearl Harbor sits on the south shore of O‘ahu, about 10 miles west of Waikiki — a 20- to 30-minute drive in normal traffic. First time on the island? Our quick explainer on which island Pearl Harbor is on will orient you. The address is 1 Arizona Memorial Place, off Kamehameha Highway; the parking lot charges a daily fee of around $7 per vehicle (rates change).
The budget move is TheBus. Routes 20 and 42 run from Waikiki to the memorial area for a couple of dollars each way. Rideshares and taxis from Waikiki are plentiful, though snagging one back in the mid-afternoon crush takes patience. For a zero-stress option, guided tours run out of Waikiki with hotel pickup; several bundle transportation with paid-site admissions.
Getting between sites works two ways. The Battleship Missouri and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum sit on Ford Island, an active military installation closed to private vehicles. A complimentary shuttle leaves the visitor center for Ford Island roughly every 15 minutes — budget about 30 minutes for the round trip. The Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum (USS Bowfin) is right next to the visitor center and is the one site you simply walk to.
Best Time to Visit
Go early. The first Arizona programs start at 8 a.m., and the smaller crowds, softer light, and cooler air before 10 a.m. are worth the alarm. Arrive at the visitor center at least an hour before your Arizona program time — you will need the buffer for parking, bag storage, and the walk to the theater.
Honolulu weather cooperates year-round, so timing within the day matters more than season. Crowds peak during spring break, summer, and the December holidays, which is when Arizona reservations vanish fastest. For thinner crowds, pick a weekday in April–May or September–November. Brief rain showers pass quickly on O‘ahu’s leeward side; the sites stay open and the Arizona program runs in all weather except a rare Navy boat suspension.
The Four Sites at Pearl Harbor
1. USS Arizona Memorial
The emotional center of the harbor. The memorial straddles the sunken hull of the USS Arizona without touching it — 1,177 sailors and Marines died when she exploded on December 7, 1941, and 1,102 remain entombed in the wreck. Inside, names are etched on a marble wall, and on calm days you can see the famous “black tears” of oil still seeping from the hull.
The program runs about 75 minutes: a short park film, the Navy shuttle boat ride out, time to walk the memorial, and the ride back. It is free, but every visitor needs a timed reservation. Our dedicated USS Arizona Memorial guide walks through the whole experience.
2. Battleship Missouri Memorial
Where the Arizona marks the war’s beginning, the “Mighty Mo” marks its end — Japan’s Instrument of Surrender was signed on her deck in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. She later served in Korea and the Gulf War. Touring her is the most hands-on of the four sites: teak decks, the surrender site, gun turrets, and crew quarters.
General admission is around $35 for adults and roughly $17 for children 4–12, including a 35-minute guided tour — confirm current rates on ussmissouri.org, since prices shift. She is open daily 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and most visitors spend 1–2 hours aboard. For more on the ship and her sisters, see our Battleship Missouri guide and our look at the battleships of World War II.
3. Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum
The surprise favorite for many visitors. Two WWII-era hangars on Ford Island still carry bullet holes and strafing scars from December 7, and inside sit more than 50 aircraft — a Japanese Zero, a P-40, a MiG-15, an F-14 Tomcat. The restored Ford Island Control Tower is worth the climb for its 360-degree harbor view alone.
Admission runs about $30 for adults and roughly $18 for children 4–12 (per the museum’s official site; confirm at pearlharboraviationmuseum.org), open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For the aviation backstory before you visit, read our piece on the history of aviation at Pearl Harbor.
4. Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum (USS Bowfin)
The USS Bowfin — the “Pearl Harbor Avenger” — completed nine successful war patrols in the Pacific between 1943 and 1945 and is moored a short walk from the visitor center. Descending into her torpedo rooms, galley, and control room gives the clearest sense of any site of how cramped submariner life was. The campus adds museum galleries, outdoor missile exhibits, and the waterfront memorial to the 52 American submarines lost in World War II.
Per bowfin.org: $25.99 for adults, $14.99 for children 4–12, open daily 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with last entry at 4:15 p.m., closed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Children under 4 are not permitted aboard, and the steep ladders and tight spaces are tough for anyone with mobility concerns. Allow 1.5–2 hours.
Tickets and Reservations
The memorial itself — visitor center, two exhibit galleries, park film, grounds — is entirely free. The USS Arizona Memorial program is also free, but it needs a timed reservation made only through recreation.gov. Tickets release daily at 3 p.m. Hawai‘i time in two batches: 8 weeks (56 days) ahead and 24 hours ahead. The fee is $1 non-refundable per ticket, up to 10 per day. Programs run every 15 minutes, roughly 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The 8-week batch sells out fast in peak season, so set an alarm. Missed out? A free standby callback system — sign up on the tablets near the audio tour booth and you get texted if seats open — but a spot is never guaranteed.
The other three sites are independent, need no reservations, and can be bought online or at the door. The Passport to Pearl Harbor bundle packages the Missouri, Aviation Museum, and Submarine Museum at about $100 for adults — confirm on the official sites — but note it does not include the Arizona boat seat, which you still book separately on recreation.gov.
What to Bring and the Bag Policy
This is what catches visitors off guard. Bags, purses, backpacks, camera bags, fanny packs, and luggage are not permitted inside the memorial — only small wallets, phones, and cameras carried without a bag. Clear stadium-style bags are generally allowed at NPS discretion. Paid storage lockers near the entrance cost a few dollars, but simplest is leaving bulky items at your hotel or in your trunk.
Otherwise pack for a sunny morning outdoors: sunscreen, a hat, a refillable water bottle, and comfortable walking shoes — you will be on your feet a lot. Dress respectfully; this is a war memorial, so swimsuits and bare feet are not appropriate. Snacks are fine outdoors, and there are cafes and waterfront dining near the Bowfin if you want lunch without leaving.
Practical Tips
Start with the Arizona program and work outward: get your timed slot done first, then decide how much of the day the other three sites get. The Missouri and Aviation Museum each need the Ford Island shuttle factored in — do the round trip once if you can.
Hydration matters more than you think. Midday heat around the harbor is real, shade is limited, and there are no restrooms on the Arizona Memorial or the boat — use the facilities before your program. Keep your phone charged and your reservation QR code handy; park rangers cannot modify or rebook recreation.gov reservations.
Finally, give the place its due. Keep voices low on the memorial, supervise kids gently, and ask the rangers questions — it is the fastest way to turn a good visit into an unforgettable one.
Nearby Things to Do
After the harbor, Honolulu fills the rest of the day easily. Downtown’s historic core — ‘Iolani Palace, the Kamehameha statue, the Hawai‘i State Art Museum — is about 15 minutes east. Our roundup of things to do in Honolulu covers museums, food halls, and more.
With another full day, pair Pearl Harbor with Diamond Head: the crater hike takes a morning, and the contrast between a 300,000-year-old volcano and a 1941 battlefield in a single day is pure O‘ahu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a reservation to visit Pearl Harbor?
Only for the USS Arizona Memorial program, and yes — it is essential. Reservations are free (plus a $1 per-ticket fee from recreation.gov) and open 8 weeks ahead at 3 p.m. Hawai‘i time, with a second small release 24 hours before. The visitor center, exhibit halls, and grounds need no reservation at all, and neither do the three paid museums.
How much does it cost to visit Pearl Harbor?
The memorial grounds and the USS Arizona Memorial program are free, aside from the $1 reservation fee per Arizona ticket. The paid sites run roughly $35 for the Battleship Missouri, $30 for the Aviation Museum, and $26 for the Submarine Museum per adult, with child discounts at each. Budget for parking (around $7) and bag storage if you need it.
How long should I spend at Pearl Harbor?
Give the Arizona Memorial and the visitor center about three hours without rushing — the program itself is roughly 75 minutes including the film and boat ride. To see all four sites properly, plan a full day of six to eight hours, including shuttle transit to Ford Island.
Can I bring a bag into Pearl Harbor?
No. Bags larger than a small wallet — backpacks, purses, camera bags, fanny packs, diaper bags — are not allowed inside the memorial. Clear stadium-style bags are usually permitted, and paid storage lockers are available near the entrance. Phones, wallets, and cameras carried without a bag are fine.
How do I get from Waikiki to Pearl Harbor?
It is about 10 miles and 20–30 minutes by car, with paid parking at the visitor center. TheBus routes 20 and 42 run from Waikiki to the memorial cheaply but slowly, and rideshares are plentiful. Many visitors book a guided tour with Waikiki hotel pickup to remove the logistics entirely.
Is Pearl Harbor appropriate for kids?
Absolutely, with realistic expectations. School-age kids tend to engage strongly with the ships and submarines — the Missouri and the Bowfin are the hits. Keep the visit to two or three hours with younger children, since the Arizona program asks for sustained quiet. Note that children under 4 are not permitted aboard the USS Bowfin submarine.