Pearl Harbor marks the starting point of the war between US and Japan in World War 2. This is the place where Japan orchestrated a risky but organized attack at US and this is when US starts to commit to World War 2. Pearl Harbor is located at the island of Oahu and it is where the majority of US Pacific Fleet is at. In current days, the original Pearl Harbor that was attacked during World War 2 has became a historic sites for people to visit. Each year, it has attracted thousands of visitors.
Pearl Harbor is on the West of Honolulu and it is about 30 minutes of drive from Waikiki. We got to Pearl Harbor around 9:30AM and the main visitor parking lot is already full. We had to drive down the road a bit more and there are more parking spaces available. It is just that we had to walk back, which is not a big deal.
When entering Pearl Harbor Historic Sites, you cannot carry any bag. Not even hand bag is allowed! There are storage place for you to check in your bags and you can get them back afterwards. So make sure you wear pants with pockets to carry keys and wallets!
From the harbor, we can see Arizona Memorial from afar. There are boat tours that take people to Arizona Memorial and you have to line up to get tickets. We did not line up to get tickets however, because we were not that interested in it.
There are many memorial theaters that talk about how World War 2 started and the progress of the war between Japan and US. There are also model ships exhibited in the theater that looks exactly like the battle ship in World War 2. The theater also shows the exactly replica of the torpedoes used in World War 2.
Another things is that the theater has a map that shows the progression of the war. We were excited to see it as we are the type of people that love to see maps. It was interesting to see the territory controlled by Japan and how US pushed the war front towards Japan within few years.
Outside of the memorial theater, there is a real submarine docked at the harbor. People can get tickets to go on the submarine and even go into the submarine. The ticket is about $7 per person and free for veterans. We did not get the ticket to go into the submarine because we figure it must be very hot in there! Besides, we could see the submarine clearly from the outside.
Overall, it is a good place to go visit while you are in Oahu. It helps you to learn the history of World War 2. When we were heading back to Waikiki, we accidentally went on the ramp that goes to the actual Pearl Harbor military base. That was quite embarrassing. Luckily, we were able to talk our way out and turn back in time.
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