For many Americans, visiting Pearl Harbor is a bucket list item. Just as much as mainland residents want to see Waikiki Beach or the famous North Shore during their Hawaii vacation, they often want to see Pearl Harbor too. Recently, I made my very first visit to Oahu, and like many others, visiting Pearl Harbor was important to me. Today, I present to you a tourist’s guide to making the most of your visit to this legendary locale.
When visiting Pearl Harbor, this article and its accompanying YouTube video should work in tandem to help you plan the perfect trip. Please enjoy the following short video that will help you prepare.
Visiting Pearl Harbor – Ford Island
When we arrived, we rented our locker ($7) to stash a few belongings and then immediately checked in at the visitor information counter. They scanned the QR code from our passport tickets that I had on my phone. The helpful staff then printed our actual tickets and explained that we would need to show them (and have them re-scanned) at every activity entry point. It was 9:30 in the morning, so I took that opportunity to confirm that we didn’t need to check-in for our Arizona Memorial reservation until 3:00pm for our 3:15pm time slot. The staff said that was true and helpfully suggested that we take the free shuttle bus to Ford Island to see the battleship and the aviation museum first. Why? She said this was because the shuttle buses get very crowded in the afternoons, so rather than risking missing our Arizona check-in time because we couldn’t get a shuttle, we should dispense with those more distant activities and plan the closer, walkable activities for the afternoon. A brilliant plan we were grateful for.
Key Point: The Battleship Missouri Memorial and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum are located on Ford Island, which is part of an active-duty military base. This means they are ONLY accessible via shuttle bus. You are instructed NOT to take any photos of the area from the bus. You can, however, take photos of the battleship and the aviation museum once you enter those attractions.
The USS Missouri (Battleship)
The Missouri was pretty big for its day. I found it sufficiently impressive. It is the length of three football fields, and yet, is narrow enough to fit through the Panama Canal. That’s genius engineering right there. While it saw combat during World War II, the thing that was most emotional for me was the opposite of combat. In September 1945, the deck of the Missouri was the site of Japan’s surrender. Though Japan had announced its surrender in August, the official, formal document was signed on the deck of the Missouri.
For me, there was one other thing about visiting the USS Missouri that felt significant. A few years ago, I wrote about the HMS Victory. I toured that 18th Century war ship while I was in England. I couldn’t escape the sense of impending danger as I looked at where the men ate and slept. Everywhere you turned, weapons were an arm’s reach away. As I ducked through doorways on the Battleship Missouri I had traveled forward 200 years, and yet, the shells and torpedoes, and other weapons of war were still an arm’s reach away from where the soldiers ate and slept. Apparently, the more things change, the more they remain the same.
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum
Housed in an airplane hangar, the aviation museum is also located on Ford Island. Since this part of the property is still an active-duty base, you can’t take pictures on the shuttle as you arrive, but you can take photos at the hangar once you’re there. If you’ve never seen historic planes of various types and sizes up close, it really is cool. World War II planes are famous for their exterior art and you can see several of those too.
This hangar that now houses the museum, used to have windows, though today they are gone. Outside, as you cross the tarmac to view and climb the old air traffic control tower, you will see a set of the original windows on display. Incredibly, these windows still show the bullet holes from December 7, 1941.
Pro Tip: Viewing the property from the lower tower is included with your admission and you get a great overview. It helps clarify the proximity of planes to ships and what direction attacking planes came from. For an additional $20, you can take a tour that includes access to the highest tower. There is also a flight simulator activity that you can try for an additional $10.99.
Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum
This museum tells the story of constructing these modern marvels as well as where and how they’ve been used. As you approach the museum, you pass through a ring that shows the exact diameter of the sub in the harbor (USS Bowfin).
The best part of the submarine museum, of course, is touring a submarine! The USS Bowfin completed 9 war patrols between 1943-1945. Incredibly, she navigated 100,000 nautical miles without any significant harm to her crew and sank at least 34 vessels during the war.
She was outfitted with the most modern (and clever) equipment. Check out this sink that folds away when not in use.
Here again, the young men slept on top of torpedoes.
Virtual Reality When Visiting Pearl Harbor
I had never tried virtual reality before, so I was really looking forward to this experience. Our Passport to Pearl Harbor Historic sites (purchased from recreation.gov for $99/pp) included a 15-minute virtual reality experience. To say that this activity was amazing is an understatement.
Once you put on your oculus, you are visiting Pearl Harbor from the air above it. In reality, you are seated on a stool that swivels a full 360-degrees, therefore, as you move your head up, down, look sideways, and spin on your stool, you can see the entire base from the air on the morning of December 7, 1941. In this way, you can see where the battleships were docked and which direction planes came from. If you are concerned about it being violent or overly realistic, don’t be. It is more like looking at a 3D map.
The sensation of floating over the area is unique, though. It’s not like anything I’ve ever tried before. At one point, I looked down and there was flooring under my feet. I think I was supposed to be on a tower like the one at the aviation museum. A moment later I looked down again and gasped because there was only air & water beneath me. It tricked my senses and it took a moment to re-adjust and realize that I wasn’t going to fall.
The Arizona Memorial
Seeing this memorial is the most famous, and most important part of visiting Pearl Harbor for most people. My video earlier in this article provides some important tips for accessing tickets and proper dress for visiting the memorial.
It was early on a sunny Sunday morning in December 1941. The USS Arizona was hit by 4 bombs and when the attack ended over 900 men lay at the bottom of the harbor with their ship. In total, 1,177 men were killed. In the years since the war, 45 survivors have chosen to have their ashes interred underwater with their shipmates.
The short boat ride out to the memorial is captained by uniformed, active-duty Navy personnel. Before we boarded the boat, a park ranger reminded us that we were about to visit a sacred space. He suggested that we read the names on the wall and that we could expect a name or two to “reach out to us.” The crowd was quiet as we passed each other and took turns looking out at the ship’s wreckage below us. No one had to tell us to use hushed voices. None of us could get words past our throats anyway. Personally, I wasn’t prepared for the wreckage to be so visible, so close to the surface (and in places above the surface).
I read the wall and I read the lower tablets and I wiped a tear.
A Final Word
Visiting Pearl Harbor required keeping track of more details and rules than I expected. Having said that, it was a seven-hour day well spent. I should also mention that there are several cafes on the property if you need to fuel up with lunch or a snack during your visit. In the end, I was glad that we took an end-of-day slot for the Arizona Memorial. Seeing the other displays first helped me understand and, for me, I think recovering the mood of the day might have been difficult if I had visited the Arizona first.
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February 18, 2026 at 10:46 am
It was the names on the tablets that got me. It still gets me when I think about it. I strongly recommend getting the pass and having the full experience of all of the activities/museums. You won’t regret it.
Loved the video!
February 18, 2026 at 4:29 pm
Yes, that Passport to Historic Sites pass was worth every penny. Each activity enhances the experience of seeing the Arizona Memorial, which is another reason why I’m glad I did that last. Glad you liked the video.