Oahu Circle Island Tour With Pearl Harbor: Can You Do Both in One Day?
Not with our tour, and we don't recommend squeezing both into one day. Our full-day circle island tour picks up in Waikiki between 6:50 and 7:15 a.m. and runs about 9.5 hours. USS Arizona Memorial programs run from 8 a.m. until the last boat at 3:30 p.m., so the memorial doesn't fit before or after our loop. Some tours do combine the two, but one day means a short visit to the memorial and a rushed trip around the island. The better plan is Pearl Harbor on its own morning, and the whole island on another day.
This guide covers what a Pearl Harbor visit involves, how long it takes, and how to plan it alongside a circle island day.
What's at Pearl Harbor?
Pearl Harbor National Memorial is run by the National Park Service. It includes the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, two museum galleries, the grounds and the USS Arizona Memorial program. Three more sites nearby are run separately, each with its own tickets:
| Site | What it is | Tickets |
|---|---|---|
| Pearl Harbor Visitor Center | The arrival point for the National Memorial, with two museum galleries on the road to war and the attack | No entrance fee |
| USS Arizona Memorial | The memorial over the sunken battleship, reached by a Navy-operated shuttle boat on a timed program | Reservation recommended, on Recreation.gov |
| Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum | Home of the submarine USS Bowfin | Separate admission |
| Battleship Missouri Memorial | The battleship on which Japan's surrender was signed, now moored at Ford Island | Separate admission |
| Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum | Aviation history, on Ford Island | Separate admission |
Plan your visit around what matters most to you. A visit to the USS Arizona Memorial alone is very different from a day that also takes in the ships and museums on Ford Island.
The USS Arizona Memorial program
The program lasts about 45 minutes. It begins with a brief introduction at the Pearl Harbor Memorial Theater. A Navy-operated shuttle boat then takes you out to the memorial, gives you time there, and brings you back.
What to know before you go:
- Reserve ahead. Reservations are on Recreation.gov, with a $1 non-refundable fee per ticket. Standby tickets are available, but they're limited.
- Arrive early. Recreation.gov asks visitors to reach the visitor center at least one hour before their ticket time, and the Memorial Theater 10 to 15 minutes before it.
- Have your ticket ready, printed or on your phone, so it can be scanned at check-in.
- Plan around the program. It runs to a fixed schedule, so it can't be fitted in whenever the rest of your day allows.
How long do you need at Pearl Harbor?
It depends on what you want to see:
- The USS Arizona Memorial and the visitor center galleries: allow for the one-hour arrival buffer, the 45-minute program and time in the galleries. That's most of a morning.
- Adding the submarine museum or the Ford Island sites: that's most of a day.
Either way, it's a place to take slowly. Pearl Harbor is a memorial, and the USS Arizona is the resting place of hundreds of sailors who died aboard her.
Why Pearl Harbor and our loop don't fit in one day
| Time | |
|---|---|
| Our pickup in Waikiki | 6:50 to 7:15 a.m. |
| Our tour length | About 9.5 hours |
| First USS Arizona program | 8 a.m. |
| Last USS Arizona boat | 3:30 p.m. |
| Visitor center closes | 5 p.m. |
The first program starts after we've left Waikiki, and the last boat leaves before we're back. Stopping at the visitor center after the tour wouldn't leave you time for the galleries, and you'd be doing it at the end of a long day.
What a one-day combination gives up
Some tours combine Pearl Harbor with a drive around the island. If you truly have only one free day, one can be a reasonable choice, but know what you're trading: the island loop is shorter, the memorial visit is shorter, or both.
If you're considering one, ask:
- Does the tour enter Pearl Harbor National Memorial, or only drive past?
- Is the USS Arizona Memorial program included, and who makes the reservation?
- How long is the stop at Pearl Harbor?
- Are the submarine museum, the Battleship Missouri or the Aviation Museum included?
- What are the pickup and return times?
- What happens if weather affects the boats or traffic runs late?
The plan that works: two days
Day 1: Pearl Harbor. Reserve the USS Arizona Memorial on Recreation.gov, arrive an hour before your program, and give yourself time in the galleries. Spend the afternoon in Honolulu or at the beach.
Day 2: the whole island, in about 9.5 hours:
- Diamond Head Lookout
- Halona Blowhole
- Leonard's Bakery
- a macadamia nut farm
- Mokoliʻi Island
- lunch at Tanaka's Kahuku Shrimp
- 75 minutes at Turtle Beach
- the North Shore fruit stands
- the Dole Plantation
Either order works. The two days feel completely different, which is exactly why they're better apart: one is for reflection, and the other is for seeing as much of the island as you can.
Can you visit Pearl Harbor without a tour?
Yes, and many visitors do. Make your USS Arizona Memorial reservation yourself on Recreation.gov. Then get there by rideshare, taxi or TheBus; check current routes on thebus.org. Pack light, because of the bag rules, and leave extra time for traffic.
How far is Pearl Harbor from Waikiki and the Dole Plantation?
The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is about 12 miles from Waikiki, past the airport and west of downtown Honolulu. The drive can take much longer at rush hour, so leave early. The Dole Plantation, the last stop on our tour, is about 15 miles north of Pearl Harbor, in central Oahu.
What to bring to Pearl Harbor
- Your reservation ticket, printed or on your phone
- A clear bag, or just a small wallet
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Sun protection and water
- Any medication you need
Leave backpacks, purses and camera bags at your hotel, or use the paid bag storage near the entrance.
FAQ
Can you do Pearl Harbor and a circle island tour in one day?
Some tours combine them, but one day means a short memorial visit and a rushed loop. It doesn't work with our tour. Pickup is between 6:50 and 7:15 a.m., the first USS Arizona program is at 8 a.m., and the last boat leaves at 3:30 p.m., before our 9.5-hour day ends.
Does your circle island tour include Pearl Harbor?
No. Our tour's nine stops run from Diamond Head around the island to the Dole Plantation. We recommend visiting Pearl Harbor on a separate morning.
How long is the USS Arizona Memorial program?
About 45 minutes, including an introduction at the Memorial Theater, the Navy-operated boat ride and time at the memorial. Arrive at the visitor center at least one hour before your ticket time.
Do you need a reservation for the USS Arizona Memorial?
Reservations are strongly recommended. Make them on Recreation.gov, which charges a $1 non-refundable fee per ticket. Standby tickets are available but limited.
Is Pearl Harbor free?
There's no entrance fee for Pearl Harbor National Memorial or the visitor center, and USS Arizona Memorial tickets carry only the $1 reservation fee. The Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, the Battleship Missouri Memorial and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum charge separate admission.
Are bags allowed at Pearl Harbor?
Only small ones. Bags that offer concealment, such as purses, backpacks and camera bags, aren't allowed if they're larger than 1.25 by 2.25 by 5.5 inches. Clear bags and small wallets are fine, and paid bag storage is available near the entrance.
Two days, each done properly
Pearl Harbor deserves your full attention, and so does the drive around the island. Give each one its own day, and you'll come home having done both properly.
More planning guides: Oahu Circle Island Tour With Byodo-In Temple and Oahu Circle Island Tour With Waimea Falls
About the author. Jordan Hale writes the trip-planning guides for Oahu Circle Island.