Tours of Pearl Harbor cover four distinct historic sites, each telling a different part of the same story of how the United States entered World War II. For travelers staying in vacation rentals and resorts on O‘ahu with Chase ‘N Rainbows, visiting this memorial and historic site is one of the most meaningful day trips you can plan during your Hawaii vacation.
How to Plan Your Tours of Pearl Harbor
Most tours of Pearl Harbor begin and end at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial Visitor Center, the free National Park Service gateway to all four sites. From here, you can watch the documentary film, walk the outdoor exhibits along the harbor, and head out to each attraction.
Two things are worth knowing before you go:
- The USS Arizona Memorial program is free but requires a timed reservation through Recreation.gov.
- The Passport to Pearl Harbor covers general admission to the other three sites and stays valid over two consecutive days.
The 4 Pearl Harbor Historic Sites to Explore
Of all the Pearl Harbor tours O‘ahu travelers can book, the four official historic sites are the heart of the experience:
USS Arizona Memorial
A Navy-operated shuttle boat carries you across the water to the white memorial built directly above the sunken hull, where 1,177 sailors and Marines remain entombed after the ship went down in nine minutes on December 7, 1941. You can pay respects in the Shrine Room, where the crew’s names are inscribed, where you may notice droplets of oil still rising from the wreck below, often called the “black tears” of the Arizona.
Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum and USS Bowfin
Launched exactly one year after the attack and nicknamed the “Pearl Harbor Avenger,” the Bowfin is a real World War II submarine you can step inside, ducking through narrow hatches and standing in the torpedo rooms and control room restored to their 1945 condition. The adjacent galleries trace the story of the Silent Service, and the Waterfront Memorial honors submariners lost during the war.
Battleship Missouri Memorial
Affectionately known as the “Mighty Mo,” she is the last battleship the U.S. Navy ever built, and it was on her deck in Tokyo Bay that Japan signed the Instrument of Surrender on September 2, 1945. Moored on Ford Island, the Missouri offers guided tours led by knowledgeable Pearl Harbor staff.
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum
The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum places you on the battlefield itself. Its exhibits fill the original hangars that were strafed during the attack, and you can still see bullet holes in the window glass. More than 50 aircraft span nearly a century of aviation history, and visitors can try the flight simulators or climb the Ford Island Control Tower for a sweeping view across the harbor.