outoftown

Just went again last week. The Pearl Harbor is a an official cemetary and national monument. You do have to get tickets, but they are free. Every 15 minutes a group is seated for the historical footage film, then taken by boat to the floating memorial. I would advise you to go early in the day and get your tickets as soon as possible. There are several exhibits, both indoors and out where you can bide your time and a bookstore you can peruse during the hour or more wait before seeing the film.

The Missouri has a tarp covering the deck where the signing of the end of WWII occured. It costs $16 each for tickets, so Mrs. Outoftown and I skipped this, since we've seen the USS North Carolina berthed here in Wilmington, NC. It is a sister ship to the Missouri and we thought it would be too much deja vu to justify the cost.

If this is your first visit, look at the oil still coming out of the ship and floating on the surface. Look too at the new names inscribed in the Memorial for those veterans that passed away in 2003 and 2004 and elected to have their ashes included with their shipmates.

As a side note, your kids might be interested in the National Parks "Passport" book where they get cancellations at every National Park. You stamp the book everytime you visit a National Park. The cancellation station for the Pearl Harbor is at the entryway desk.

Enjoy your time in Hawaii.
Outoftown

pedersontb

Nice summary. I would just add that half-day tours around Honolulu that include the Pearl Harbor visit are worthwhile as the tour guide helps manage the logistics and adds some excellent insight about Hawaii, etc.

Krysia

As I may have 6 - 8 hours in between copnnceting flights in HNL, is there a tour company that goes from the airport, or can anyone recoomend a private car company (limo company?) that could take us to Pearl Harbor and back ?

FlyinHawaiian

Pearl Harbor is only a few miles from HNL; a taxi would be easy enough and only $10-15, I would think. Only issue I would see is that you would need to find a place to store any carry-on luggage, as Pearl Harbor is incredibly strict on personal items. Anything larger than camera case can be turned away.

slippahs

With such a lenghty layover and good discount for car rentals, it might be worth the extra money to just rent a car for the short duration, so that you'd have a place to store your belongings while visiting the memorial and Missouri. Or, if you have club membership with UA/CO/NW/DL/AC, etc, you might want to call the club and see if they'd store your luggage for you.

aloha

DoggyDaddy

I seem to remember that you can only visit the Arizona Memorial (over the ship) by visiting the Official Government site. You cannot (or could not)visit the site by a 3d party tour group - they just cruised past the Memorial without stopping.

We did the Official tour, and it was well worth it!

Is this still the case?


DD

chasbondy

I had 5 hours to kill at HNL last Sunday AM. I asked the TSA how I could take a taxi to Pearl Harbor with a carryon. The only answer I got was "forget it". So, I decided to check in and ask the Hawaiian ticket agent. She said "thats easy: You can check in your bag, in which case you will lose the laptop in your carryon, or take a shuttle to a hotel and rent a room for the day".
I'm thinking with Pearl Harbor being a mandatory visit for all real Americans, that you'd think they would have a better solution than that???? You'd think that some entrepreneur could install lockers at the end of the parking lot at Pearl for a 3 to 4 hour max???

Alpha Golf

Rent a car. leave it in the trunk. Rentals in Hawaii are really cheap.

L1011toHNL

When we were there in November, we had similar situation, but the concern of car break-ins in the parking lot. They have good security patrolling the lots now, so that shouldn't be a problem. There was a private bag check place in the parking lot as well for those who didn't want to leave their things in cars or who didn't have cars. So that's an option as well. It's certainly more difficult than before they took away the baggage storage at HNL!

Pearl is a definite yes on any trip to/through Oahu.

Cheers.

ezmonee

Actually, breakins are still a problem in Hawaii. I would not suggest leaving anything in the rental car. A friend of mine did this and it worked.

rent a car for the day, as originally stated.

Second, intentionally leave your carry on bag at the car rental location, with your name, number, flight number, (and even one copy of the rental agreement in the bag).

Then when you return the car, ask the desk "I think I left my bag here when I left."

But that implies trust in the employees. in my friends case, it worked.

alanh

I used the bag check facility at Pearl Harbor with no problems last month. I'd suggest going this way. I'd be very wary of leaving anything of value in the car.

JohnMD

Locals have been known to steal from "rich tourists" so be careful about leaving anything in any sort of car, esp. a SUV or convertible because that just screams tourist. Try the baggage check at Pearl; sounds like a good option to me.

WebTraveler

Could turn it in at airport lost and found and then check back in later for it?!

Doppy

I would never do this. Avis staff at LAX swiped my friend's sunglasses out of the car we returned within less than 20 minutes. (Actually, they were his perscription glasses inside of an Oakley sunglasses case. )

You've got no reason to trust them and anyone could run off with the bag that you forgot. Then what are you going to do?


I doubt anyone is going to break into a rental car's trunk in the Pearl Harbor parking lot. That's my take.

UA Fan

I have a day in HNL while in transit and was wondering if it would be possible to go to AZ memorial ASAP and get a ticket and then come back later like around 2 for the tour.

1) Is this possible , does each ticket correspond for a particular tour? I noticed that there are tour companies that include the memorial, do they have some different kind of tickets or is it the same?
2) Also is the a bus that takes a trip around the island.
3) Lastly how long would it take by bus to the Iolani palace.

Thanks.