Planning Your Visit To Pearl Harbor

Notas del editor

1. Aloooha, and Welcome! My name is Carl, and I am with Discover Hawaii Tours, the leading Pearl Harbor Tour Company in Hawaii. We’ve been doing this since 1995, and we always keep our tours small, personable, and affordable so that you get the best experience. Today we would like to provide you with some helpful information to make your visit to Pearl Harbor as enjoyable as possible.
2. I am going to give you some useful information about the attractions at Pearl Harbor, as well as some insider information that will make your trip to visit one of the most popular sites in the state as enjoyable as possible.
3. Pearl Harbor is located just to the westof the city of Honolulu.
4. On the island of Oahu
5. It’s about a 30 minute drive from the beautiful beaches of Waikiki.
6. There are many ways to enjoy all of the rich resources that Pearl Harbor has to offer.
7. Pearl Harbor was attacked on the morning of December 7, 1941
8. The attack came in two waves, the first hit at approximately 7:55 a.m., and by 8:30 the second wave of attacks had made it to the base.
9. The Imperial Japanese Navy was responsible for the devastation of the military airfields on Ford Island, as well as the fleet anchored in Pearl Harbor, and were motivated by aspirations to expand their empire.
10. Now Pearl Harbor has been turned into a national historic landmark, and is maintained by the National Park Service.
11. Visiting Pearl Harbor is a humbling experience for many
12. The calm waters and soft Hawaiian breezes are a stark contrast to the death and destruction that has left scars on Pearl Harbor.
13. Some of which are visible to this day.
14. Pearl Harbor is one of the most visited sites in the entire state, and the Arizona Memorial has become a symbol that is familiar the world over.
15. Pearl Harbor is something that visitors from all over the world want to do, and it is a free exhibit open to the public. Getting there, parking and waiting in line is often a major hassle and can cause unwanted stress during a time when distractions really take away from the experience of Pearl Harbor.
16. These are the five main sites that are at Pearl Harbor. We will cover each of them briefly with a description of what you should expect when visiting each of the monuments, memorials or museums.
17. There are a couple of rules that you should know about when visiting Pearl Harbor. The first and biggest rule is no bags. The national park service does not allow people to enter with an item that allows concealment of any kind. For this reason we suggest you wear some nice cargo shorts, now I say shorts because its usually pretty warm here in Hawaii, but cargo pockets will give you an advantage when you need somewhere to put your camera or some other item.
18. Another rule applies to camera lenses. There are no lenses that extend 6 inches from the body of the camera allowed inside Pearl Harbor. This might sound pretty bad at first, but you will have the chance to get up close and personal with all of the exhibits so your standard zoom lens will still provide some great pictures.
19. You will want to bring your government issued I.D. with you. The Pearl Harbor visitor’s center does not require I.D. to get into, but if you would like to see any of the exhibits on Ford Island you might be required to show I.D. They don’t check every day, but you wouldn’t want to risk not having it because you never know when they may require identification.
20. Another thing to consider is your attire, while there is no formal dress code at Pearl Harbor certain things are frowned upon as we ARE honoring soldiers who died for our country, and continue to do so. So please, dress respectfully; It is Hawaii, and the weather is almost always beautiful, but leave the bathing suites and the shirtlessness at the beach please!
21. Ok, now that we have all of the rules out of the way, you need to get tickets to see the Arizona Memorial. Anyone’s advice for getting tickets to go out to the USS Arizona will be to GET THERE EARLY! You could spend an hour waiting in line, and if the tickets are sold out for the morning you may not be able to visit the memorial until later that day. Guess you could always come back tomorrow? With a tour this is not the case, but we’ll discuss that later
22. The Pearl Harbor visitor’s center is the main hub for visitors to Pearl Harbor
23. The Visitor’s Center is where you’ll find the USS Arizona Memorial. Within the visitors center you will also find a gift shop full of Pearl Harbor memorabilia and collectibles.
24. Galleries full of displays and interactive exhibits which bring visitors closer to the sights and sounds of December 7, 1941, Museums Full of military as well as Pearl Harbor history, and located within the Visitor’s center is the USS Bowfin Submarine.
25. The USS Arizona Memorial is accessible through the Pearl Harbor Visitors center. Dedicated in 1962, the USS Arizona Memorial straddles the hull of the USS Arizona which found its final resting place in the shallow waters of Pearl Harbor.
26. Reading the names of the soldiers who gave their lives that day, and seeing the oil which continues to escape the sunken ship to this day all come to life as you board the USS Arizona memorial; it is a very humbling experience for many.
27. The USS Bowfin was launched exactly one year after the attacks on Pearl Harbor, and earned herself the nickname “The Pearl Harbor Avenger”; appropriately the USS Bowfin has been permanently home ported in Pearl Harbor.
28. There is a fee associated with the USS Bowfin Submarine. Visitors to Pearl Harbor can board the sub, and walk around the deck and the inside of the ship. After exploring the USS Bowfin, which made famous the term “silent service”, you’ll have admission into the Bowfin Museum which contains a plethora of military and submarine history.
29. Let me pause to say, this is exhibit is not for those who have issues with small spaces! I can’t imagine how those sailors LIVED in there!
30. The USS Oklahoma was sunk during the attacks at Pearl Harbor, and many years later a memorial was constructed to honor the crew members who lost their lives during the attacks. The memorials black walls signify the formidable hull of the Oklahoma, while the white marble standards stand perfectly straight
31. The USS Oklahoma Memorial is a salute to the tradition of “Manning the Rails”
32. The USS Missouri battleship, also known as the “Mighty Mo”, was retired from her service in the United States Navy in 1992.
33. There is no more fitting ship to be permanently retired at Pearl Harbor than the “Mighty Mo”, whose decks are where Japan surrendered to end World War II.
34. There is a fee associated with the Missouri, and the it is located on Ford Island too.
35. The Pacific Aviation Museum is dedicated to educating young and old visitors alike on the history of aviationin the Pacific.
36. Thereis a heavy concentration on military aviation history at the Pacific Aviation Museum.
37. The Pacific Aviation Museum also has relics from aviation history in the Pacific in general.
38. They recently opened a new exhibit which features items from early Pan American Airline history and its importance in the Pacific.
39. Now that we have covered all of the information regarding Pearl Harbor, let’s take a few minutes to talk about how you are going to get there.
40. Your first option to getting yourself to Pearl Harbor is a Taxi, which will cost you approximately $50 each way to get to the Visitors center. Good news is you got there, bad news is you have to figure out how to get back to Waikiki on your own.
41. Another option which many people consider is the city transportation, or TheBus! Now, this will probably be your cheapest option, as the tickets are $2.50 each way per person. There are a few disadvantages to TheBus though; like many things in Hawaii TheBus runs on Hawaiian time! This means you may be sitting there waiting for it. TheBus also has many routes and it can become overwhelming for someone not experienced in where they are and when to get off. And many people have told us that it took them 3 or more hours to get to Pearl Harbor by bus.
42. The third, and considered most appealing option by many is to take a tour. Obviously, I am a little biased, but trust me, the benefits far outweigh any of the other options.
43. With Discover Hawaii Tours you are going to get the best experience of Pearl Harbor available! We will pick you up at your hotel, or at the airport (if you come from a neighbor island). Then Your expert local guide will give you an in-depth lesson on the things that led up to attacks and fill you in on some of the less known details about what happened at Pearl Harbor.
44. When you arrive on site, your guide will escort you into the gates of the Visitor’s center, and give you a briefing on where to find certain things, as well as point out some interesting facts that you would miss out on without a guide.
45. A recent change in guidelines at Pearl Harbor also allows us to pick up your tickets to the USS Arizona Memorial so that you can avoid waiting in line. And when you arrive at Pearl Harbor your guide will walk you in to the visitor’s center, and give you a briefing on the area. This will allow you to know where everything is so that you can visit the exhibits you have an interest in.
46. Discover Hawaii Tours offers 9 tours which include visits to Pearl Harbor; you can spend a morning at the USS Arizona, or all day exploring the Battleships of World War II. We also offer tours to Pearl Harbor from 3 neighboring islands; Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island.
47. Whether you’re staying in Waikiki or flying into Honolulu from a neighbor island one of our expert guides will pick you up, provide exceptional narration during the drive to Pearl Harbor. You don’t have to deal with the traffic or finding directions, and you get the chance to sit back, relax and enjoy all of the beautiful Hawaiian scenery.
48. Tour 3, The USS Arizona Memorial Early Bird Tour, is a great tour for those who have a limited time schedule or are traveling with younger children who may lose interest in the historical aspects. This tour departs Waikiki at approximately 6:30a.m., and will have you back to your hotel by about 11:30 (Depending on traffic and other uncontrollable elements).
49. This tour goes to the Pearl Harbor Visitors center and the USS Arizona Memorial. It includes narration of Historic World War II events on the way. You’ll receive insider information and expert narration. The best part? You’ll be back to your hotel by lunchtime.
50. Tour 8, The Battleships of World War II Tour, includes all of the sites of tour three with the addition of admission to the USS Missouri Battleship and the USS Oklahoma Memorial.
51. ) Tour 8 is perfect for people interested in getting a good overview of Pearl Harbor and the attacks, without spending a full day at the sites. With three convenient departure times, you can really fit this into your schedule while on Oahu; you can leave at approximately 6:30a.m. and return at approximately 1:30p.m., leave at approximately 9a.m. and return at approximately 4:30p.m., or leave at 12p.m. and return at approximately 6:30p.m.
52. Tour 2, the 70th anniversary Pearl Harbor Tour, is our most comprehensive Pearl Harbor Tour.
53. This tour is for the real history buffs, and is one of our most popular tours because it includes admission to all of the attractions at Pearl Harbor and visitors leave with a firm understanding of the events that led up to and ultimately brought the U.S. into World War II.
54. Discover Hawaii Tours also offers tours that combine the Pearl Harbor Experience with other very popular island attractions. These tours operate the same as all of our others where we will pick you up at your Hotel, and drop you off there when your tour has ended.
55. Tour 6, The Arizona Memorial and Aloha Flea Market Tour, is a great tour for the shopper in the family. This tour starts with a trip to the Pearl Harbor Visitors Center and the USS Arizona Memorial, and ends with a trip to the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet. The USS Arizona Memorial is a humbling experience, and you and your family will learn a lot about the history and events which brought the U.S. into World War II.
56. Keep track of all the souvenirs that you see in and around Waikiki, because when you go to the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet you will find all of the same souvenirs at bargain prices, and many of the vendors are perfectly willing to negotiate!
57. Tour 5, The Pearl Harbor and North Shore Combo Tour, is a great tour for those interested in learning about Pearl Harbor, as well as seeing a lot of the other parts of the Island of Oahu.
58. This tour will start with an early morning tour of the USS Arizona Memorial, where you will see some of the exhibits at the Pearl Harbor Visitors center, and spend the rest of the afternoon traveling around the Island.
59. Tour 7, The Oahu Circle Island Tour with Pearl Harbor Tour is a great tour to get a taste of Pearl Harbor and the rest of the Island.
60. This tour is most popular with guests who want to see the most of Oahu because it is the best way to see all of Oahu in one day.
61. Tour 11, The Hawaii History and Culture Tour is a great tour for the whole family, and it is our most popular tour for visitors from a neighbor island.
62. You will get to experience Pearl Harbor and the Polynesian Cultural Center all in one day. See all of the memorials and monuments at Pearl Harbor. See and partake in reenactments of Polynesian daily life, and finish your experience with a delicious Barbeque lunch.
63. How to choose the best tour for your trip. Start by asking yourself some basic questions. First start with how many days do you have on Oahu? If you are on a shorter trip you can take a combo tour and fit a lot of what Oahu has to offer in one day. If you have more time you can tour on separate days; spending a full day at Pearl Harbor and another day exploring the rest of the island.
64. Are you a history buff? If you’re only lightly interested in WWII history then consider a shorter Pearl Harbor tour, or maybe a combo tour which includes Pearl Harbor and other attractions on Oahu.
65. Will you be returning to Oahu soon?Some people try to save sights for future visits, but we recommend seeing as much as possible while you are in Hawaii, because you never know when you’ll have another chance to see some of the most unique and beautiful sights in the world.
66. Have you been around Oahu?Many people come to Hawaii all the time, and a surprising number of them never see some of the most beautiful parts of the island. The north shore and windward side of Oahu provide some of the most scenic and unique sights available.
67. Okay, One more bit of shameless self-promotion and then we’ll watch a short video and you can have your promo code!
68. Our Awards and Honors include Exclusive membership in the Hawaii Visitor’s Bureau. A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau, Top rated Tour Company on Trip Advisor, and We have been featured on many T.V. channels.
69. We hold our guides to the highest standards possible, they are required to have commercial Driver’s licenses, and each day they meet with expert mechanics for strict inspections of their buses. We are Pearl Harbor Certified Tour Operators, and we enjoy taking our guests to see Hawaii, and ensuring that they have a fun, educational, and memorable experience.
70. Please note that at Discover Hawaii Tours we consider ourselves ambassadors of Aloha, so if you have any questions about your Hawaiian vacation and the plans you’re making please feel free to call us, our number is 808-737-3700 and our friendly reservation staff is always standing by to assist you.