Getting to Know Hawaii: USS Bowfin Submarine

The Need to Knows:

• The USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park can be found within the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center complex, the same place in which the USS Arizona Memorial is located.  Here is the Bowfin's exact location:

• The Bowfin is open daily from 7AM to 5PM with the last admission to the submarine being at 4:30PM.  It's closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
• The cost of admission for the USS Bowfin and the USS Bowfin Museum is $12 for adults, $5 for children 4-12, and $8 for military, seniors, and kama'aina.  Museum only access is $5 for adults and $4 for children.
• Children under 4 are not permitted onto the submarine itself, although they may visit the museum at no charge.
• Because the Bowfin is within the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, no bags are allowed on the premises.  Lockers are available for use for $3 each.
• Audio tours are included in the price of admission for the submarine and the museum.
• Be sure to wear closed toe shoes (especially if you are also going to see the USS Missouri) just so it's easier to maneuver inside the submarine and successfully avoid the "kneeknockers"!
• If you'd like to know more about the Bowfin or even make a donation, check out their official website at Bowfin.org.

Getting to Know Hawaii: USS Oklahoma Memorial

The Need to Knows:

• The USS Oklahoma Memorial is located at the corner of Langley Avenue and Cowpens Street on Ford Island in front of the entrance to the Battleship Missouri Memorial.  It's exact location is here:

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• This memorial is located on an active military base, so if you don't have proper identification, you'll need to take the shuttle bus provided at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center for $3 per person.  It runs about every 10-15 minutes.  If you drive here yourself, parking is available across the street in the same area where you would park for the Mighty Mo.
• There is no admission fee for the USS Oklahoma Memorial.
• Since this is also a small memorial like the USS Utah Memorial, you'll most likely only need a few minutes to view it.  The best idea would be to spend a little time here before you go and visit the Battleship Missouri Memorial.
• If you'd like any more information on the memorial, be sure to check out their website.

Getting to Know Hawaii: USS Utah Memorial

The Need to Knows:

• The USS Utah is located on Ford Island, near the intersection of Saratoga Blvd and Yorktown Blvd (past the Navy Lodge).  A small lot is available for parking.  It's exact location can be found here:

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• Since this memorial is located on an active military base, if you don't have the proper identification, you can only visit it if you are sponsored by someone with the appropriate credentials.  The shuttle from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center unfortunately does not stop here.
• There is no cost associated with visiting the memorial.
• Because the memorial is small, you don't need much time here (unless you feel compelled to, then by all means, do!)  When we visit with friends and family, we combine it on the same day with the USS Arizona, the USS Bowfin, the Battleship Missouri Memorial, the USS Oklahoma Memorial, and the Pacific Aviation Museum, so we probably spend about 15-20 minutes lingering here.

Getting to Know Hawaii: Pacific Aviation Museum

The Need to Knows:

• The Pacific Aviation Museum is located at 319 Lexington Boulevard, Honolulu, HI 96818.  Here is its location on Google Maps:

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• Because the museum is on Ford Island, an active military base, if you don't have appropriate base credentials, you will need to park at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center and take the shuttle bus from there, which runs every 15 minutes from 9 AM to 4 PM.  Please keep in mind that no bags are allowed on this shuttle, and there are lockers to store your items near the Bowfin for $3.
• Tickets to the Pacific Aviation Museum can be purchased online here, at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, or at the front desk upon arrival to the museum.
• There are different kinds of tickets you can purchase for the Pacific Aviation Museum.  One is a ticket for a self-guided tour in only Hangar 37 (adults - $15, children - $8), another is a ticket for a self-guided tour of Hangars 37 and 79 (adults - $20, children - $10), and the last is a guided tour of Hangars 37 and 79 and a visit to the Restoration Shop (adults - $30, children - $20).  There are also military and kama'aina rates (adults - $12, children - $7).
• The museum's hours are 9 AM to 5 PM every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
• I would allow for at least 1-2 hours to cover everything that the museum has to offer.
• There is a place for some food and drinks here, the Laniakea Cafe, and also a pretty nice gift shop.
• Don't forget to keep an eye out for Groupon deals, like this one running now!

Remembering the USS Arizona Memorial

In honor of Pearl Harbor Day, and because Mr. L and I will be going to the memorial this weekend, I'm republishing this post describing a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial I took with some friends back during the summer.  I feel blessed and humbled to live in not only such a beautiful place, but also a historically rich and significant one, and I know as long as we live here the images and memories of that day will always be a presence on our hearts.  

“Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan… No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people will through their righteous might win through to absolute victory… With confidence in our armed forces-with the unbounded determination of our people-we will gain the inevitable triumph-so help us God. I, therefore, ask that the Congress declare that since the dastardly and unprovoked attack by Japan on Sunday, December seventh, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.”

- President Franklin D. Roosevelt 

Let us never forget the actions and the people involved in this event that occurred 71 years ago today.

~~~

The USS Arizona Memorial

The Need to Knows:

• The USS Arizona Memorial is located at 1 Arizona Memorial Road, Honolulu, HI 96818.  The Google Maps link is here:

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• It is open from 7AM to 5PM daily and closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
• Bags are not allowed within Pearl Harbor Visitor Center.  However, storage lockers are available for use for a fee -- I think it's around $3.00 a locker, but I didn't use them, so I'm not 100% sure on that. The storage facility is open from 6:30AM to 5:30PM daily.
• The tour itself lasts approximately an hour and fifteen minutes.  It includes a brief introduction, a 23-minute documentary on the events leading up to and on the day of December 7, 1941, a shuttle boat ride to the Memorial, and time to experience the Memorial itself.  I would allow for more time to explore the grounds and the various museums as well.
• I strongly recommend reserving tickets in advance for the Memorial.  When I went, I'd reserved tickets for the 9AM tour on a Friday, and I was able to pick them up at 7:30AM (you must pick up your tickets one hour in advance at the latest or they will be redistributed back into circulation for the general walk-in public) and have time to explore the museums and walk the grounds before the 22-minute movie and boat ride began.  A friend of mine mentioned that when she went, she and her husband waited in line for about an hour and a half for tickets -- yikes!   The only way to reserve tickets is to visit Recreation.gov; the link to the USS Arizona Memorial tour page is here.  There is a reservation fee at $1.50 per ticket.  If you plan on seeing the USS Missouri, the USS Bowfin, and the Pacific Aviation Museum, the tour page also offers a "Passport to Pearl Harbor" tour in which you can purchase your entrance fees to those sites in advance.
• Each program has a capacity of 150 people, and programs run every 15 minutes -- the first begins at 8AM, and the last begins at 3PM.  If you don't reserve tickets, be prepared to get there early and wait in line! 
• Please, please be quiet, respectful, and courteous while at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center as well as when you are on the USS Arizona Memorial itself.  The Memorial is considered a burial ground, just like the National Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) or Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, so behave accordingly.
• For more information, please visit the USS Arizona Memorial website via the National Park Service.

Getting to Know Hawaii: Battleship Missouri Memorial

The Need to Knows:

• The Battleship Missouri Memorial is located on Ford Island on Oahu; if you are military/DoD and have the appropriate identification, you may drive on to Ford Island and park in the designated areas at the memorial itself.  Otherwise, there is a shuttle that periodically leaves from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center to Ford Island to allow access to the Missouri and the Pacific Aviation Museum for $3 (unfortunately visitation to the USS Utah is restricted to those with military identification).  Here is the location of the ship itself on Google Maps:

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• The Mighty Mo is open from 8AM to 5PM June through August and 8PM to 4PM September through May, and is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
•  Adult admission (with choice of optional tour) is $22/person; Child admission (also with choice of optional tour) is $11.  Military/kama'aina rates are available.
• If you are planning on seeing the USS Bowfin, the USS Arizona Memorial, and the Pacific Aviation Museum as well as the Mighty Mo, it may best suit you to purchase either the One Day Passport to Pearl Harbor tour or the Two Day Passport to Pearl Harbor tour (more information can be found here).
• There are four different tours for the Mighty Mo; more information on each tour can be found here.  (We picked the iPod Touch tour, but weren't thrilled with it -- I'll explain below.)
• I don't think it's a requirement, but I would opt for closed toe shoes to explore the battleship.  There are lots of places that could leave you with stubbed toes, so be careful and watch your step!

Getting to Know Hawaii: The USS Arizona Memorial

The Need to Knows:

• The USS Arizona Memorial is located at 1 Arizona Memorial Road, Honolulu, HI 96818.  The Google Maps link is here:

View Larger Map

• It is open from 7AM to 5PM daily and closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
• Bags are not allowed within Pearl Harbor Visitor Center.  However, storage lockers are available for use for a fee -- I think it's around $3.00 a locker, but I didn't use them, so I'm not 100% sure on that. The storage facility is open from 6:30AM to 5:30PM daily.
• The tour itself lasts approximately an hour and fifteen minutes.  It includes a brief introduction, a 23-minute documentary on the events leading up to and on the day of December 7, 1941, a shuttle boat ride to the Memorial, and time to experience the Memorial itself.  I would allow for more time to explore the grounds and the various museums as well.
• I strongly recommend reserving tickets in advance for the Memorial.  When I went, I'd reserved tickets for the 9AM tour on a Friday, and I was able to pick them up at 7:30AM (you must pick up your tickets one hour in advance at the latest or they will be redistributed back into circulation for the general walk-in public) and have time to explore the museums and walk the grounds before the 22-minute movie and boat ride began.  A friend of mine mentioned that when she went, she and her husband waited in line for about an hour and a half for tickets -- yikes!   The only way to reserve tickets is to visit Recreation.gov; the link to the USS Arizona Memorial tour page is here.  There is a reservation fee at $1.50 per ticket.  If you plan on seeing the USS Missouri, the USS Bowfin, and the Pacific Aviation Museum, the tour page also offers a "Passport to Pearl Harbor" tour in which you can purchase your entrance fees to those sites in advance.
• Each program has a capacity of 150 people, and programs run every 15 minutes -- the first begins at 8AM, and the last begins at 3PM.  If you don't reserve tickets, be prepared to get there early and wait in line! 
• Please, please be quiet, respectful, and courteous while at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center as well as when you are on the USS Arizona Memorial itself.  The Memorial is considered a burial ground, just like the National Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl) or Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, so behave accordingly.
• For more information, please visit the USS Arizona Memorial website via the National Park Service.