Can you visit pearl harbor without a tour

If you choose to bring a stroller, you can bring items such as diapers, wipes, and baby food in the storage pockets. You may bring your camera with you to Pearl Harbor. The only place where photography is limited is while traveling on the Admiral Clarey Bridge to Ford Island.

In addition to taking photos, you may also use a video camera to capture videos. Please understand that if you bring a larger-than-normal camera, the security team may feel obligated to inspect it.

No commercial filming is allowed unless you obtain a permit, and security will question you about your intentions to film. Since bags are not allowed at Pearl Harbor, it may be inconvenient to bring a large camera. This will limit your ability to bring extra gear, such as lenses, to Pearl Harbor. Selfie sticks may be prohibited in the future. We offer reserved parking for visitors with disabilities at the front of the lot a short distance from the entrance.

Strategically placed benches allow frequent rests for visitors with difficult walking long distances. If you require the use of a wheelchair, please be advised that Pearl Harbor does not have wheelchair for rent or use except in the case of an emergency. There are third party companies available who can rent you a wheelchair prior to your tour.

In the theater, the movie show features captions in English and we offer an induction loop for visitors who require hearing aids. Our signage is in braille for visitors with visual impairments along with tactile models of resources within the center. Although EMS is available and Pearl Harbor is located close to a major hospital, there are no doctors or nurses on-site at any Pearl Harbor attraction.

If you have a need to bring medical equipment with you on your visit to Pearl Harbor, notify the tour staff when going through the security entrance. You will require special permission to bring in a bag of medical equipment or medicine.

If you require any additional special needs, please inform your tour guide or a park ranger. The museum, park, and on-site restrooms are all accessible for visitors who require wheelchairs.

However, the submarine itself is not handicap accessible. Designed for use by the physically fit men and women of the US Navy, the submarine can be difficult for any individual who experiences limited mobility problems. Service animals are allowed in all rooms of the museum and park. The only place in Pearl Harbor where you will be able to checkout a wheelchair if you require one is at the Battleship Missouri.

The main deck and the surrender deck are wheelchair accessible and there are two elevators to help visitors board the ship. However, some parts of the ship are only accessible via steep ladders. Remember, this Battleship was designed for a young and physically fit crew of sailors. All hangers in addition to the shop, restaurant, and restroom at the Pacific Aviation Museum are handicap accessible.

Before you pay for your tour, add a note at the checkout to inform us if you are bringing special equipment such as a wheelchair or medical supplies. Preferably, wheelchairs will be collapsible, but we appreciate knowing whether or not you are able to step into the chair yourself or whether you require extra assistance. You can also make a note to let us know if you are hearing or visually impaired. Although Pearl Harbor does not have wheelchairs available to rent, there are many options on the island of Oahu for third party chair rental.

We are able to arrange for an ADA vehicle equipped with a lift if you require it. Our security policy prohibits any bag or container that provides concealment, which includes purses. If you must bring a bag, a clear plastic bag like a sandwich bag is acceptable.

In some cases, visitors need to be able to bring medical equipment into Pearl Harbor such as medicine or an inhaler. Please notify the security staff if you need a medical exemption to the no-bag rule. The facility is open from am to pm and it is the only storage facility available for Pearl Harbor museums and parks. While there is no official dress code for the museums and parks of Pearl Harbor, we do require that guests are appropriately dressed while visiting.

Visitors must be wearing shirts that do not show excessive skin. Bathing suits are not acceptable, nor are inappropriate t-shirts. Flip flops and sandals are permitted. We understand that you are visiting Pearl Harbor on your vacation. However, guests are asked to remember that it is a solemn site where many men and women died serving our country.

Please dress respectfully. We suggest that you choose clothing with pockets, such as cargo shorts, because you will not be permitted to carry your personal items in a bag of any kind. A light jacket is also recommended because it can get cold and rainy in Hawaii. Guests sometimes remark that the theater is chilly as well. Navy personnel will enforce the military regulations around military dress.

You are not permitted to wear battle dress uniforms on the USS Arizona. You are also free to dress as a civilian on your Pearl Harbor visit. If you are looking for tickets to Pearl Harbor, it might be that you are actually looking for tickets to the National Park program that consists of a short documentary and a shuttle boat trip to visit the memorial of the USS Arizona. Tickets are also required to enter these destinations.

In order to get tickets to the parks and museums located at Pearl Harbor, you should book a tour. Different tours offer different combinations of exhibits. This package enables you to experience all of the pre-recorded audio tours at all the attractions of Pearl Harbor. However, it will not give you access to the round-trip shuttle to visit the USS Arizona. For more information on arranging tickets in advance, please visit recreation. Authorized tour companies handle ticket sales separately from people who choose to wait in line for first-come, first-served tickets.

When you reserve space on a tour, you will be able to plan other events into your day because you will have a reasonable idea of what time you will be able to visit the USS Arizona. You are able to reserve tickets in advance at recreation. Walk-up tickets are limited daily, and lines can get quite long. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that all tours are reserved in advance.

This happens commonly because visitors are not aware that space is limited to the USS Arizona Memorial. The program sponsored by the National Park service features a short documentary and a round-trip shuttle ride to the USS Arizona. Both the theater and boat have limited seats, which are what dictates how many tickets are available daily.

Booking a tour in advance is the only way to guarantee that you will be able to visit the USS Arizona Memorial. Sometimes, tickets can be reserved with as little advance notice as the day before.

Your vacation time in Oahu is precious. That being said, there are sometimes options for people who did not book tickets in advance. If programs have no-shows, you may be able to talk to a park ranger about taking their place. Simply walk around and ask tour guides if you are able to join their group.

If they do not have space, they may know of a tour guide who does. If you are unable to find a tour to join, you are still able to access the museums and parks.

Although the experience is greatly enriched with a guided tour, the exhibits available are still fascinating for people who enjoy history or the military. It cannot be stressed enough that booking tickets to the USS Arizona Memorial in advance is the recommended course of action to ensure that you have a stress-free and enjoyable holiday. Pearl Harbor has been increasing in popularity for several years now.

Visitors have steadily increased as more and more attractions opened. In , the Battleship Missouri was moved to Pearl Harbor and became a memorial the year after.

It was a nice way to symbolize both the beginning and the end of the war. This is part of the reason that Pearl Harbor has increased as a tourist destination. The opening of the Pacific Aviation Museum also started to draw in more visitors. Hawaii is already a prime location for a tropical vacation and the history at Pearl Harbor draws in tourists with many different types of interests.

Entry to the USS Arizona Memorial is actually free, because it is technically a cemetery where over 1, lives are recorded as being buried at sea. Recently, the Oklahoma memorial opened. All year long, these historic sites and museums feature new exhibits to help keep our visitors enthralled while they are here. One tour to consider is the Pearl Harbor Memorials Tour, which will take you through guided tours of all historical sites at Pearl Harbor.

Admission for all parks and museums is included with the price, as well as transportation to the USS Arizona. You can provide your own transportation to Pearl Harbor. However, the experience differs in several key ways from the experience you have when you book a tour with us. If you plan on touring with our company, you must meet with the tour group at the designated location.

We are not permitted to meet tourists in the parking lot of Pearl Harbor. When you drive yourself to Pearl Harbor, that does not give you a place in the guided tour. Our tour guides provide professional narration and can answer questions you have while you are visiting.

Although the USS Arizona Memorial is free, if you do not reserve space in a tour you will have to wait in line for one of the limited passes reserved for those without a ticket. Wait lines are routinely three hours or longer, and during the busy season tickets can sell out. Parking is also limited and it can be difficult to find a space. Without military authorization, you will have to book a tour to see these sites.

This memorial battleship is open daily for tours and exploration. No reservations are required, however there is an admission fee. See USSMissouri. Parking is currently free. The shuttle bus will take you directly to the Battleship Missouri Memorial. The Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum houses dozens upon dozens of aircraft used in military service over the decades. This museum located on Ford Island and requires the same shuttle service that we describe above in the Battleship Missouri Memorial section.

Read our insights and see our short video tour of Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. So, hopefully now you have a better understanding of Pearl Harbor and its historical memorials and attractions. We hope you have a better appreciation of how rich this site is in history. Sheila Beal is the founder and editor of Go Visit Hawaii. Currently, you do not need a ticket to watch the film on the lanai.

Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Business hours, practices and pricing may have changed. We are unable to continually update our thousands of articles with these ongoing changes. Please verify directly with the business for their current policies. This was the biggest myth I heard about visiting Pearl Harbor.

That you either had to rock up really early to get a free ticket, or take an organised tour to be guaranteed entry. Not the case. The boats have a schedule of trips from the Visitor Center and there is a maximum amount of passengers in a boatload. These are for specified timeslots and available from 7am when the Visitor Center opens. These are the free tickets you hear referred to. Just as there are timeslots reserved for walk-up visitors, there are timeslots and tickets reserved for online bookings.

These become available at 7am the day before. You will need to arrive at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center to collect your tickets at least one hour prior to your scheduled timeslot. The other sites will cost varying amounts. This includes the narrated audio tour of the Arizona and exhibitions, entry to the other locations and the shuttle between them. This includes entry to the submarine museum and the audio tour.

Pearl Harbor continues to be an active naval base, and you are not permitted to bring in bags which can be used for concealment. I put everything I needed in my pockets, but a zip-lock bag will be permitted, and I did see someone using a clear plastic toiletries bag as a carry bag too.

It covers multiple tourist attractions and can be purchased as a multi-day pass. This is entirely down to the individual, I easily could have spent longer than the over 7 hours I spent there in order to do everything, but I was on my own and had no one else to consider.

I stayed in Waikiki but if you want to stay closer to Pearl Harbor you can find some options below;. You can also check out my 7 day Oahu Itinerary for more Oahu ideas for your trip! We did the walkup tickets. It was super easy and you can easily spend all day there. Wow, I actually had no idea there were so many different things to see at Pearl Harbor.

Thanks for all the info! Permits and Reservations Beginning on Monday, May 3, recreation. This means that on May 3 at 3pm HST, tickets will release for up to 8-weeks 56 days in the future through June Going forward, new tickets will release on this long-range rolling schedule, one day at a time.

The secondary booking window,1-day in advance will remain the same. You are not paying for your free USS Arizona Memorial program ticket; you are paying a convenience fee to make your reservation, those fees stay with recreation.

There is a reservation limit of 5 tickets per person per day. Need assistance? Pearl Harbor National Memorial Park Rangers do not have access to program inventory, nor can they create, modify, or cancel reservations made via recreation.

You can contact recreation. Step-by-step guidance on booking through recreation. Weather Find out more about weather in Hawaii and how to plan for your trip.