 | Honolulu Pearl Harbor Reviews | Tips 11 - 20 of 84 |  |
Monday, February 10, 2003
Hans and I vistited PEARL HARBOUR which was part of the Honolulu City Tour.
When we arrived by tour bus we received our reservation time and waited for the boat shuttle to take us to the Arizona Memorial. Leave a Comment Phone: National Parks Service 422-2771
|
Visiting Honolulu?
Read reviews about Honolulu Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
The Arizona Memorial is built in Pearl Harbor stands on pillars driven into the bottom of the harbor and just above the sunken USS Arizona. On December 7, 1941 the ship was sunk and 1,177 men were killed. More than 900 of those men are entombed within the wreck so the Memorial and the remains of the ship which are still visible at the water line so it serves as both tomb and tombstone. The names of the 1,177 men are enscribed in stone inside the memorial. Also, in a profound expression of the solidarity of the men serving on the Arizona at the time of its sinking, some two dozen survivors who have since died are entombed in the ship as well. If such is their wish, urns containing their ashes are taken by divers to be entombed there. The names of some two dozen of these men are also enscribed in stone inside the memorial. The design of the structure is a swooping shape somewhat reminiscent of a ship and is said to symbolize the low and high points of Americas defeat and eventual victory.
There is a 23 minute film at the visitor's center which is well worth seeing. There is also a small museum there as well as a gift shop. Leave a Comment Directions: Admission is free and a shuttle boat is provided from the visitor's center. Hours are 7:30 - 5:00 p.m. except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Days.
|
 | |  |
Mighty MO, as fondly referred to as, is one of the bookmarks in PearlHarbor that make the ending of World War II. Get a guided tour of the battleship and a history buff will feel like he's in heaven. Entrance fee ranges, so check in advance to see what tour you'd like. Ask for Jeremy (tourguide), he really knows his history!
Pictured here are the Battleship Missouri and Arizona Memorial from an aerial view. To the right is Ford Island. Leave a Comment Other Contact: US$14 and up
|
We awoke around 5:45am to set out for Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial. Thanks to our Frommers guide book, we knew to get there early to avoid crouds. We arrived around 7:00am when the museum was due to open at 7:30am. There was a line that had already formed. The museum opened at 7:30 sharp and we were fortunate enough to be among the last people admitted onto the first Navy shuttle to the Memorial. We first sat through a brief documentary film about the history of Pearl Harbor and the dirty Japs (just kidding). We then boarded our Navy shuttle to the USS Arizona Memorial. After we left the shuttle, everyone was on their best behavior. Gentlemen removed their hats as the tourists spoke in hushed voices and clicked frame after frame of film. The mood was somber and somewhat profound. The water glistened with a thin coat of oil, which still seeps up from the ship's hull only 8 feet below the surface. At the far end of the Memorial, we saw the wall with all the names of the sailors who were buried with the ship. About 100 yards away we saw the USS Missouri docked. The Japanese surrender treaty was signed aboard that ship. The shuttle to depart came about 15 minutes after we arrived. Returning on our Navy shuttle, we passed the smaller memorial of the USS Nevada. Docked near the museum we saw the USS Bowfin submarine - also known as the "Pearl Harbor Avenger." As we pulled near the Bowfin, we came upon the wake of another boat and my side of the boat got our butts soaked. Even my Nikon camera got sprinkled but I was able to dry it quickly. We got back in our Jeep by 9:00. The Frommers guide said allow at least 3 hours but we were able to see everything in 2. Leave a Comment
|
| | |
A must for all history buffs, especially those fascinated with our boats and subs! This particular sub served during the WWII. Take the tour of the sub along it's narrow passage ways and see what it's was like for servicemembers who had to live in these confined areas! Be sure to visit the museum also. Leave a Comment Directions: Same area as US Arizona on Kamehameha Hwy, just past the Pearl Harbor Naval Base.Other Contact: Adult $US8 Child $US3
|
Visiting Honolulu?
Read reviews about Honolulu Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
Visiting the Arizona Memorial is an absolute must! This is a free tour which begins with a 20 minute movie of the bombing of Pearl harbor, then a boat ride to the memorial with an audio account along the way. Take a few moments in silence as you walk around the Memorial, atop the sunken USS Arizona. Be sure to visit the Bookstore and Museum before leaving the area. Leave a Comment Directions: Along Kamehameha Highway, just past Pearl Harbor Base.
|
Operated by the National Park Service, the memorial to the crew members of the U.S.S. Arizona who perished on the morning of December 7, 1941 is a moving experience. The memorial itself sits in the waters of Pearl Harbor on Battleship Row where the Arizona and ofther battleships were moored on that fateful morning. The Arizona and Oklahoma were total losses and while the Oklahoma was eventually removed and salvaged, the majority of the Arizona was left on the bottom of Pearl Harbor. The memorial sits directly above the fallen ship and visitors can view the battleship just below the surface of the water. Small passenger boats operated by the U.S. Navy take visitors in shifts out to the memorial which can only accomodate 100 or so visitors at a time. As a result there are limited number of visitors allowed each day.
TIP 1: Get to the visitor's center as early as possible, in order to get timed tickets which tell you when you can view the introductory video and then catch the launch to the memorial. We arrived just before 8am and there was already quite a line. We got tickets for the 9:30 program. The last program of the day is a 3pm and the tickets will likely be gone well before that. Don't bother going after 12 noon if it's the busy summer season.
TIP 2: Due to increased security measure since 9/11, anything that can be a means for concealment is not allowed on the tour. That means purses, backpacks, fanny packs, etc. Save yourself some headache and leave them in the car. Cameras are allowed, just don't bring them in a camera bag. Leave a Comment Phone: 808.422.2771Directions: From Waikiki, take the H-1 west to Highway 99, the Kamehameha Highway, which is Exit 15A, Stadium/USS Arizona Memorial. Follow the signs for USS Arizona Memorial to the visitor's center. There's plenty of free parking there.Website: www.nps.gov/usar
|
| | |
We spent a day at Pearl Harbour - you have to start early in the day to see everything. There are really three different ships to see, and the free tickets to the USS Arizona get given out first-come, first-served. See the Arizona Memorial first -- the tribute to the 1,200 Americans still buried with their ship on the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour (Dec. 7, 1941). You see a movie, then board a boat to the Memorial which straddles the USS Arizona sitting just below sea level. Sixty years after it happened, and oil still seeps from the sunken ship - reflecting rainbow colours off the top of the ocean - almost poetic.
Next, tour the U.S.S.Bowfin -- a WW II submarine. You get to board the sub and re-live a WW II mission via a self-guided tour on a walkman.
The final ship at the site is the U.S.S.Missouri - The Mighty Mo -- the battleship on which the Japanese officially surrendered after WW II. The Missouri also saw action in the Gulf war. The Battleship Missouri is a huge ship - easy to get lost on her.
By the way, if you actually do visit all three ships in one day, it is a l-o-n-g day. Our kids (who are older teens) lost patience with historic ships somewhere between the Bowfin and the Missouri.
The Arizona Memorial is free - After the Arizona, just around the corner is the Bowfin. Tickets for the Bowfin and the Missouri are bought at the same spot. The price in 2001 to see both is $18 for older-than-kids. Leave a Comment Directions: Pearl Harbour
|
| | |
A 16 by 50 feet oil painting on the back wall of this information center was painted by
John Charles Roach. There is an information desk and this Visitors center was completed in 1980 and a combination of private funds an government funding was
used to pay for it. Branch 46 of the Fleet Reserve Association raised the private funds. Leave a Comment Phone: 808-422-0561or 808-422-2771Directions: To get here take state Highway 99, or Kamahameha Highway it is about 45 minutes west of Waikiki.
|
For any person interested in history, spending a day at Pearl Harbor is a great way to see in person what happened there so many years ago. We visited the Arizona Memorial, which is free! You watch a movie about the events of Dec 7, then take a short boat trip out to the memorial, which is above the sunken ship. The architecture is beautiful. We also took a tour through the USS Bowfin submarine, which is close by. You are given a headset, and one of the former commanders of this sub guides you through what life was like for those that lived on the sub. Another highlight of our day spent in Pearl Harbor was seeing the USS Missouri, or the Mighty Mo. This battleship has served in a number of wars, including the Gulf War, and is absolutely massive. You can take a guided tour, or look around by yourself. Even if you aren't a history buff, these tours are still very fascinating, and a lot of fun! This was a really special experience for my family, since my grandfather fought in the US Navy during World War II. I gained a greater appreciation of the sacrifice so many men and women have made for our freedom. Leave a Comment
|
| | |
More Sponsored Links for Honolulu Oceanfront Hawaii Hotels
Hotels That Suit Your Taste & Style Starting From $64! Hurry & Book Now Ala Moana Hotel
Official Site- Honolulu Hotel with Kamaaina Rates Starting at $119! Honolulu Hotels
Low Rates Guaranteed - Book Your Room with the Hotel Experts Today! |
 |
 |
Search Hotels
Find the best room rates |
|
 |
|
on March 9, 2005
on March 6, 2005
on August 22, 2003
on June 15, 2004
on April 22, 2006
on September 28, 2005
on March 13, 2003
on January 9, 2004
