Tour operates daily with travel time of approximately five hours. Hotel pickup is between 6:15 am - 6:45 am and return between 11:45am - 12:30pm. A half day full narrated tour to Pearl Harbor where guests will have a chance to visit the Arizona Museum and board a navy launch to see the USS Arizona Memorial which is built over the main structure of the battleship Arizona. This is then followed by a tour of the city of Honolulu, including a drive by the state capitol building, King Kamehameha's statue, Iolani Palace (the only existing palace on US soil), Arizona Memorial, Punchbowl national cemetery, Washington place, Kawaiahao church, mission houses and downtown Honolulu. STRICT SECURITY MEASURES: As a reminder, security measures are being enforced at the visitor center. No purses, handbags, fanny packs, backpacks, camera bags, diaper bags, luggage or other items that offer concealment are allowed in the visitor center or on the memorial. Strollers with pockets and compartments must be empty before being allowed in the visitor center. Personal cameras are allowed. The USS Arizona Memorial (USAR) is built over the remains of the sunken battleship USS Arizona, the final resting place for many of the 1,177 crewmen killed on December 7, 1941 when their ship was bombed by the Japanese Naval Forces. This loss of life represents over half of Americans killed on this "Day of Infamy", the worst naval disaster in American History. The Memorial is located about 2 miles west of the Honolulu Airport in Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu. The Memorial is managed by the National Park Service (NPS) and consists of a shore side visitor center (VC), where the tours begin, and the Memorial located in Pearl Harbor. The Memorial is accessible only by the NPs tour from the visitor center. The VC is open 7:30 am to 5:00 pm, seven days a week except New Years Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Tours begin about every 15 minutes from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. The tour programs are free and tickets are available on a first come, first serve basis. During busy summer and winter holiday periods, it is recommended that you arrive at the VC before 1:00 pm to ensure getting a tour program ticket. There are no age or size restrictions, but children 5 years old must be accompanied by an adult. Appropriate dress is required, i.e. no bathing suits or bare feet. The tour program consists of a brief introduction by a park ranger, Pearl Harbor survivor or volunteer. A 23 minute film on the history of the Pearl Harbor attack follows. After viewing the film, visitors board a Navy operated launch for the trip to the Memorial. The entire program takes on hour, fifteen minutes. While waiting for your tour to begin, you may view the museum exhibits and displays along the shoreline or visit the bookstore where a wide range of materials on the Pearl Harbor attack may be purchased. |