Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Nobody who visits the memorial will ever forget it. The deck of the ship lies 6 feet below
the surface of the sea. Oil still oozes slowly up from the Arizona's engine room to stain the
harbor's calm, blue water; some say the ship still weeps for its lost crew. The memorial is a
stark, white, 184-foot rectangle that spans the sunken hull of the ship; it was designed by Al-
fred Pries, a German architect interned on Sand Island during the war. It contains the ship's
bell, recovered from the wreckage, and a shrine room with the names of the dead carved in
stone.
Try to arrive at the visitor center, operated by the National Park Service, no later than
1:30pm to avoid the huge crowds; waits of 1 to 3 hours are common, and they don't take re-
servations at this time. While you're waiting for the free launch (operated by the U.S. Navy) to
take you out to the ship—get the
audiotour
★★★. This will make the trip even more mean-
ingful. The tour (on an MP3 player), which runs about 2½ hours, is like having your own per-
sonal park ranger as your guide; the $5 fee is one of Hawaii's best deals. Narrated by Ernest
Borgnine, it features stories told by actual Pearl Harbor survivors, both American and Japan-
ese—not to be missed! Plus, while you are waiting for the boat, the tour guides you step by
step through the museum's personal mementos, photographs, and historic documents. You
can pause the recording for the moving 20-minute film which precedes your journey to the
ship. The tour continues on the launch, describing the shore line and the memorial itself and
continues at the site, giving you a clear picture of that fateful day; it continues through your
boat ride back. Allow a total of at least 4 hours for your visit.
Due to increased security measures, visitors cannot carry on purses, handbags, fanny
packs, backpacks, camera bags (but you can carry your camera or video camera with you),
diaper bags, or other items that offer concealment. However, there is a storage facility to store
carry-on-size items (no bigger than 30 x 30 x 18 in.), for a fee.
Note:
Parents, note that baby strollers, baby carriages, and baby backpacks are not allowed
in the theater, on the boat, or on the USS Arizona Memorial. All babies must be carried. Un-
fortunately, the USS Arizona is a high-theft area—leave your valuables in your hotel safe.
Pearl Harbor.
&
808/422-0561
(recorded info) or 808/422-2771.
www.nps.gov/usar
. Free admission. Daily 7am-5pm
(programs run 8am-3pm). Children under 12 should be accompanied by an adult. Shirts required; swimsuits and flip-
flops highly discouraged (shorts acceptable). Wheelchairs gladly accommodated. Drive west on H-1 past the airport; take
the USS
Arizona
Memorial exit and follow the green-and-white signs; there's ample free parking. Bus: 20; or
Arizona
Memorial Shuttle Bus VIP (
&
808/839-0911
), which picks up at Waikiki hotels 7am-11:30pm ($9 per person round-trip).
USSBowinSubmarineMuseum&Park
★
The USS Bowfin is one of only 15 World War II sub-
marines still in existence today. You can go below deck of this famous submarine—nicknamed
the “Pearl Harbor Avenger” for its successful attacks on the Japanese—and see how the
80-man crew lived during wartime. The Bowfin Museum has an impressive collection of
submarine-related artifacts. The Waterfront Memorial honors submariners lost during World
War II.
11 Arizona Memorial Dr. (next to the USS
Arizona
Memorial Visitor Center).
&
808/423-1341.
www.bowin.org
.
Admis-
sion $10 adults, $7 active-duty military personnel and seniors, $4 children 4-12 (children under 4 are not permitted for
safety reasons). Daily 7am-5pm. See USS
Arizona
Memorial, above, for driving, bus, and shuttle directions.
