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Hawaii…the land of sun, sand, surf, and shave ice! And history. Srsly? Yep, history. Even before it became the 50th U.S. state in 1959, the Hawaiian islands (and especially Oahu & Pearl Harbor) became a major part of American history during World War II. But, should you visit Pearl Harbor with kids on your family vacation? Is it possible? Is it advisable? My answer is a resounding “YES!” to all those questions.
Pearl Harbor Attack
On the morning of December 7th, 1941, Japanese fighter planes launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. This unexpected assault by Japanese forces resulted in over 2,400 American lives lost and over 20 ships damaged or lost.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared it “a date which will live in infamy,” in his famous speech. It will forever be a part of U.S. and WWII history, and one way to remember is to teach our children about it by visiting Pearl Harbor.
Pearl Harbor Visitor Center
The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is where all of your exploration begins. It is the main hub for the Pearl Harbor Historical Sites. Parking is free, but arrive as early as possible, because it fills up fast. And before we get going any further, it’s time for a Pro Tip!
Pro Tip
For your day at Pearl Harbor with kids, bring all your stuff in a gallon-size clear plastic zip-top bag. Yes, seriously. Bags (including, but not limited to, purses, backpacks, camera bags, and diaper bags) are not allowed at the Pearl Harbor Historical Sites. There is a bag storage facility onsite, located at the USS Bowfin Submarine Park shuttle bus stop, where you can store your bags for a fee of $5/each, no matter the size of the item. And the line at bag check is always a mile long.
I did some research ahead of time and found that it was possible that clear plastic bags might be allowable. So, rather than stuff our pockets with as many necessities as possible (like we did last year at a U2 concert!), we decided to carry our things in a gallon-size clear plastic zip-top bag. Hopefully, this will work for you. It totally worked for us! We walked right past the endless bag check line to the security area. One of the employees, upon seeing our clear plastic bag, said, “You did your homework!”
I had all the stuff in this bag…wallet, phone, phone charger, wipes, sunscreen, glasses case, etc. You might want to throw an AirTag in there too!
Upon entering the site, I went to the souvenir shop and bought this reusable bag, which we were allowed to carry around with no problems for the rest of the day. Cost = approximately $5.00 (which is what the bag check cost is, without having to stuff everything in our pockets). It’s a win-win!
It just takes a little bit of time to plan a little differently for your day at Pearl Harbor. But, it’s worth the effort, as it saves both time and money at bag check.
Pearl Harbor Tickets
Once you’ve passed security, there are museum areas, a gift shop, snacks for purchase, ticket counters, and access or transportation to all of the historic sites. We found discount coupons in a local Entertainment book and were able to purchase tickets for the Battleship Missouri Memorial and the USS Bowfin Submarine/Museum at the visitor center. However, we had to purchase tickets for the Pacific Aviation Museum at the site itself.
Skip the Pearl Harbor tours that are offered by various companies, and explore the history of Pearl Harbor on your own.
USS Arizona Memorial
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Pearl Harbor is the USS Arizona Memorial. It’s one of the most famous Pearl Harbor sites. This time, partly by choice and partly by necessity, we did not take the boat out to the memorial. Last time we visited, that was the only site we did visit. This time, it was the only one we didn’t visit.
Tickets for the USS Arizona Memorial (which includes a 23-minute documentary film & a U.S. Navy-operated round trip boat ride to the memorial) are technically free (yay, free tickets!) and can be obtained at the Visitor Center. However, if you want to have a guaranteed date and time for your visit, you can obtain your tickets online for a very small service fee. I would recommend this method. If you are spending a full day at Pearl Harbor and hoping to see all the historic sites, choose the very first tour of the day for the USS Arizona Memorial. The tour takes approximately 75 minutes.
Shuttle Service to Ford Island
After purchasing our reusable souvenir bag and the tickets mentioned above, we walked right past the bag check line for a second time and hopped on the shuttle to Ford Island. As Pearl Harbor is still an active military base, access to Ford Island is restricted. We weren’t getting over there, unless we were on this shuttle bus. The shuttle ride isn’t very long, but it’s serious business. The bus has to pass through a check point, and passengers are instructed not to take any photos along the way. Before you know it, you’ve arrived at the Battleship Missouri Memorial.
Battleship Missouri Memorial
The USS Missouri is larger than life, and it is suggested that visitors budget at least 2 hours to explore the ship. Even though some areas are off limits, there is so much to see and do on board the battleship. Visiting Pearl Harbor with kids absolutely must include the Battleship Missouri Memorial.
One of the most famous war ships in the U.S. Pacific fleet, the Battleship Missouri was in service variably from 1944 to 1992, and a lot of the equipment and finishes reflect that time period. Our kids loved every part of exploring this ship.
In this grainy photo, I spy an Apple Macintosh computer in the officer quarters that looks like the first one we had at home when I was in junior high.
As we worked our way to the top of the ship, we were met with this view…the USS Arizona Memorial, the bridge to Ford Island, and Honolulu in the background. Spectacular and powerful at the same time.
Our final stop was the main deck, where the official Japanese surrender of World War II took place. What started with a surprise attack, and subsequent declaration of war in the south Pacific, came to an end. An absolute piece of living history.
After pondering that for a moment and having a short conversation with our kids about the significance of the spot they were standing on, we disembarked and headed back to the shuttle stop to catch a ride to the…
Pacific Aviation Museum
After a short bus ride from the Battleship Missouri Memorial to the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum (actually named the Pacific Aviation Museum, which is also on Ford Island), our day at Pearl Harbor with kids continued with a lunch break. Whereas most of the other historic sites have snack items for sale, the Pacific Aviation Museum has a quick-service cafe. (It is also advisable to budget 2 hours for your visit to the Pacific Aviation Museum, plus lunch.)
We shared plates of teriyaki beef and lilikoi chicken, along with rice and potato mac salad. And you know what? The food was really good! The prices were decent too, all things considered.
Hangar 37
After we were re-fueled, we started our tour in Hangar 37, where I took special interest in the F4F Wildcat exhibit. The F4F Wildcat was used heavily in the Battle of Guadalcanal (an island northeast of Australia, in the Pacific), during World War II. The Battle of Guadalcanal was the first major offensive by Allied forces against the Empire of Japan in World War II.
Joe Foss
Major Joe Foss (USMC) was the top scoring Marine fighter ace in World War II, with 26 air victories, flying the F4F Wildcat much of the time. He received the Medal of Honor from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and later reached the rank of Brigadier General in the Air National Guard, which is why some called him “General Joe.”
My connection to “General Joe” is that he spent his later years in Scottsdale, AZ, where I grew up. We regularly attended the same church, and as such, I was able to participate in his memorial service as part of the choir. Apart from his faithful service in World War II, he did many other things in life, including becoming the Governor of South Dakota! He was truly part of America’s Greatest Generation!
Hangar 79
After watching the 12-minute film in Hangar 37’s theater, we walked to Hangar 79, which is a huge hangar turned museum of military aircraft used throughout the years. On the short walk, we marveled yet again at Hawaii’s beauty…
…as well as outdoor displays of some aircraft.
At this point in our visit to Pearl Harbor with kids, I kept humming the “Top Gun Anthem.” You know, the guitar-driven instrumental track…like I couldn’t get it out of my head…and now it’s there again!
These glass windows are on the main doors of Hangar 79.
Upon closer inspection, you can see that they are pocked with bullet holes from the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941. Besides destroying American warships, the Japanese pilots also tried to take out as many aircraft as possible. The bullet holes remain as a reminder of that fateful night.
USS Bowfin Submarine/Museum
Back at the entrance of the Pacific Aviation Museum, we boarded the shuttle bus back to the visitor center. The last site on our Pearl Harbor with kids historical field trip was the USS Bowfin Submarine/Museum. Touring the submarine and the accompanying museum will take approximately 1 hour.
Being able to live and work on a submarine must be a special gift. The spaces are tight! And there’s not a whole lot of places to “get away from it all.”
A hearty thanks to our military personnel who endure this and so much more on a daily basis!
Standing on the back of the Bowfin, with the Missouri and Arizona Memorials in the distance on the left and the bridge to Ford Island on the right. The weather and our mood were in sync today…reflective remembrance. History come to life.
Pearl Harbor with Kids
Visiting Pearl Harbor with kids is a must for any trip to Oahu, Hawaii. Besides bringing history to life, there is so much for kids (& adults) to explore. It’s worth taking one day out of the sand and surf schedule to see the history that Pearl Harbor has to offer. Our visit primed us for learning more about this period of time in our history studies this coming homeschool year.
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I had no idea there was so much to do here! Thank you for sharing! Also, thanks for the gallon size baggie idea!
You’re welcome, Linda!