USS Arizona Memorial (Pearl Harbor National Memorial)

The USS Arizona Memorial, part of Pearl Harbor National Memorial at 1 Arizona Memorial Place in Honolulu, Hawaii, marks the resting place of the battleship sunk during the Japanese attack of December 7, 1941. More than 1,100 crew members remain entombed in the wreck. The white, 184-foot memorial structure spans the sunken hull without touching it, and visitors can see the rusted outline of the ship just below the water's surface, along with small drops of oil still rising from the engine spaces. The visit begins at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, where two museums, a bookstore and a waterfront promenade sit alongside the departure dock. The park-run program lasts roughly 75 minutes and includes a short documentary film about the attack, followed by a Navy-operated boat ride to the memorial. Inside, the Shrine Room displays a marble wall engraved with the names of those killed aboard, and an opening in the floor looks down onto the wreck. Visitors should plan on a half day in total, since time at the visitor center museums and the grounds is separate from the program itself. The memorial is operated by the National Park Service together with the US Navy, and it is a place of remembrance, so quiet and respectful dress are expected. Programs run from early morning to mid-afternoon, with boats leaving about every 15 minutes. The best photo opportunities are from the boat approach and from the shoreline promenade looking across to Ford Island and the battleship Missouri. Crowds peak between late morning and early afternoon, while the first slots of the day are calmer and cooler. Bags, including purses and backpacks, are not allowed in the facility, and a bag storage service operates nearby for a fee. Admission to the memorial is free, though a small reservation fee applies through Recreation.gov, and tickets are released 8 weeks ahead plus a smaller batch 24 hours ahead. Weather can cancel boat service when sea conditions are rough.