Pearl Harbor from Waikiki (2026): Tickets, USS Arizona Reservations & Bag Rules

Visiting Pearl Harbor National Memorial to pay respects at the sunken USS Arizona is an essential historic pilgrimage when staying in Waikiki.

Getting to Pearl Harbor from Waikiki: Car, Bus or Tour

Pearl Harbor National Memorial is at 1 Arizona Memorial Place, west of downtown Honolulu. Enter that exact address in your GPS, because a generic “Pearl Harbor” search can send you to the gate of the active military base. Getting to Pearl Harbor from Waikiki works best as a morning trip, before H-1 traffic builds.

• Driving: Allow about 45 minutes, depending on traffic. Take H-1 West to exit 15A (Arizona Mem./Stadium), not the Hickam exit. Parking is $7 per day, paid by QR code in the lot; it cannot be prepaid. If your hotel charges a lot for overnight parking, our Waikiki parking hacks explain how to rent a car for just one day.
• TheBus: Route 42 links Waikiki with the memorial in roughly an hour. The westbound Arizona Memorial stop (#4322) has been closed since April 2022, so riders use the Kamehameha Highway/Kalaloa Street stop (#477) instead. The fare is $3.00 with a HOLO card (two hours of transfers) or $3.25 in cash, and HOLO fares stop at a $7.50 daily cap.
• Tours: Many Waikiki operators bundle hotel pickup with museum tickets; confirm what the fee covers, because USS Arizona Memorial boat reservations are separate from museum passes.

USS Arizona Memorial Reservations and Timing

Entry to the visitor center, its exhibit galleries and the waterfront grounds is free. The USS Arizona Memorial program, a Navy-operated boat ride to the white memorial that spans the sunken battleship, is free too, but it runs on timed reservations from Recreation.gov, which charges a non-refundable $1 management fee per ticket.

• Release schedule: Tickets open 56 days (8 weeks) ahead at 3:00 PM Hawaii time on a rolling daily basis, and a second batch is released one day ahead, also at 3:00 PM HST. They can sell out within minutes, so create your account and log in before the release.
• Who needs a ticket: Everyone in your party, including children over age 1.
• Standby: The NPS says standby tickets exist but are limited, so treat them as a backup plan only.
• On the day: Arrive one hour early and check in at the theater 10 minutes before your slot. Boats can be cancelled for high winds or mechanical problems.

Battleship Missouri, Submarine and Aviation Museum Tickets

Three nonprofit museums share the campus. The Battleship Missouri and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum sit on Ford Island, reached by shuttle bus from the visitor center. Prices as of October 2026 (adult 13+, child 4–12):

Ticket	Adult	Child
Passport to Pearl Harbor (all three museums, Arizona multimedia tour, one VR experience)	$99.99	$49.99
Battleship Missouri Memorial	$44.99	$19.99
Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum	$29.99	$17.99
Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum (USS Bowfin)	$25.99	$14.99

With only a morning, pair the Arizona Memorial with the Missouri, where Japan signed its surrender in 1945: the start and end of the Pacific War in one visit.

Bag Rules, Food and Visiting Respectfully

• Bags: Anything that conceals its contents and is larger than 1.25 x 2.25 x 5.5 inches is refused, from backpacks and purses to camera bags; clear bags are fine. Paid storage near the entrance takes every size, including suitcases, handy on the way to or from Honolulu Airport.
• Food and water: Only clear water is permitted on the boats and at the memorial, and alcohol is banned on the premises.
• Etiquette: The Arizona is a war grave: more than 900 of the 1,177 sailors and Marines killed aboard her remain inside the hull. Keep your voice low in the Shrine Room, where their names are engraved, and dress for a memorial, not the beach. The visitor center closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Our guide to Thanksgiving week in Waikiki lists what else closes that day.

Where to Stay Nearby

For an early start at Pearl Harbor, stay at the ʻewa (west) end of Waikiki, which shaves a few minutes off the drive west toward H-1; the hotels near Pearl Harbor are closer still. Hilton Hawaiian Village is the largest resort there. Our guide to where to stay in Waikiki compares every neighborhood, and if you plan to rent a car for Pearl Harbor and the west side, check Waikiki hotels with free or cheap parking before you book.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you visit Pearl Harbor without a reservation?

Yes for the visitor center, galleries and grounds, which are free and open 7:00 AM–5:00 PM. The USS Arizona Memorial boat program is different: it runs on timed Recreation.gov reservations with a $1 fee. The NPS mentions limited standby tickets, but same-day free tickets are no longer available, so book 56 days ahead or try the next-day release at 3:00 PM HST.

How long should I plan for Pearl Harbor?

Allow at least three to four hours for security, the Arizona program and the galleries, plus about 45 minutes each way from Waikiki. Adding the Battleship Missouri turns it into a full morning, and seeing all three museums takes 6–8 hours. A good afternoon pairing on the way back is ʻIolani Palace downtown, which needs its own advance booking.

What is the best time of day to visit Pearl Harbor?

Early morning. The first Arizona program runs at 8:00 AM, the lot is emptier and you finish before the midday heat and the tour buses. Afternoon slots work, but the last boat departs at 3:30 PM and the visitor center closes at 5:00 PM, leaving little time for the Ford Island museums.

Is the Passport to Pearl Harbor worth it?

If you want more than the Arizona Memorial, usually yes. At $99.99 per adult it covers the Battleship Missouri, the aviation and submarine museums, the Arizona multimedia tour and one VR experience, which would cost about $122 bought separately. It does not include an Arizona Memorial boat reservation, which you still book on Recreation.gov.