December 7th, 1941.  It’s one of the most infamous dates in world history. On that day, at 7:55 a.m., Japan launched a devastating surprise attack on the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, sparking America’s involvement in World War II. The assault only lasted two hours, but the Japanese managed to dismantle the American fleet, destroying nearly 20 naval vessels, including eight battleships and more than 300 airplanes. Over 2,000 Americans lost their lives and more than 1,000 others were wounded.

Located on the island of Oahu, this quiet bay where locals used to hunt oysters is now home to a unique collection of war memorials and museums, where more than 1.8 million visitors come each year to pay their respects.  

While most associate a trip to Hawaii with tropical fun in the sun, a Hawaiian vacation wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Pearl Harbor. From sunken ships and decommissioned battleships to fascinating exhibits and deeply moving memorials, Pearl Harbor is a must-see destination for anyone looking for a moving and informative experience.

Here’s our short guide for visiting Pearl Harbor:

Pearl Harbor Visitor Center

Spanning 17 acres, the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is home to personal memorabilia, dramatic photographs, and other artifacts from the attack. Visitors are free to explore the grounds, which includes a bookstore, interpretive wayside exhibits, and the Pearl Harbor Memorial Theater. The center acts as a hub for all the other Pearl Harbor destinations, so it’s the perfect place to begin any visit.

From here you can also head over to the iconic U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, which can only be reached by boat. Visitors are able to book boat tickets early online, however the National Park Service does give out over 1,300 walk-up tickets each day on a first come, first served basis. To avoid disappointment, it’s best to book days ahead of your visit or arrive early for the walk-up tickets. (The center opens at 7:00 A.M.)

U.S.S. Arizona Memorial

The U.S.S. Arizona was the most heavily damaged of all the American vessels. And due to the sheer amount of oil carried on board — 1.5 million gallons — the ship burned continuously for two and a half days after the attack. The iconic memorial structure sits above the sunken warship and is dedicated to the 1,102 men (of 1,177 on board) who were killed.

From inside the memorial, you can view the ship’s remains from an opening in the floor, or take a moment of silence in the shrine room, where the names of the fallen are engraved on a marble wall. Not only does the memorial offer a sobering experience, but it also affords sweeping views of the harbor in every direction. It’s no wonder that the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial is the most visited destination in Hawaii.

U.S.S. Bowfin Submarine Museum

Launched exactly one year after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and aptly nicknamed the “Pearl Harbor Avenger,” the U.S.S. Bowfin was a fleet attack submarine that sank 44 enemy ships in the Pacific by the end the war. Now decommissioned, it’s the main attraction at the U.S.S. Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park, which is adjacent to the visitor center’s ticket counters. You can climb aboard the Bowfin for a hands-on, close quarters feel at what life in a WWII-era submarine was really like. There are two separate tours, the U.S.S. Bowfin Submarine Tour and the Submarine Museum Tour.

While the U.S.S. Bowfin gives you a personal view, the Submarine Museum Tour takes you through an educational journey that traces the development of submarines from their origins and includes actual wartime patrol footage. Plus, there are several outdoor exhibits for you to experience as you stroll about the grounds, such as the Waterfront Memorial, dedicated to the 52 American submarines and more than 3,500 officers and crewmen lost during World War II.

Battleship Missouri Memorial

Nicknamed the “Mighty Mo,” this decommissioned battleship provides a unique historical bookend to the U.S. campaign in the Pacific. Not only was the U.S.S. Missouri built at the end of World War II (January 29, 1944), but the ship is also literally where the war ended. That’s right, you can actually set foot on the deck where General MacArthur accepted the Japanese surrender on September 2, 1945. Now docked on Ford Island, the battleship is located a short distance from the s U.S.S. Arizona Memorial.

On board, you can take either a self-guided audio tour, or join a guided tour, sometimes led by knowledgeable U.S. military veterans. Whether you’re browsing exhibitions on the ship’s history, striding across the iconic Surrender Deck, or even poking about the officer’s quarters, the Battleship Missouri Memorial has plenty to offer.

Pacific Aviation Museum

Also located on Ford Island, in hangars that survived the 1941 attack, the Pacific Aviation Museum boasts Hawaii’s largest collection of aircraft and holds over 70 years of Pacific aviation history. The unforgettable journey back in time is narrated through screenings of historical videos, (including the award-winning Pearl Harbor documentary East Wind, Rain), over fifty different aircraft, and various exhibits. To commemorate Pearl Harbor’s 75th anniversary of the attack, the museum displayed a rare Nakajima B5N Torpedo Bomber, the same type of plane that caused the most damage to American battleships during the attack.

U.S.S. Oklahoma Memorial

The U.S.S. Oklahoma was hit by nine torpedoes and sank within the first ten minutes of the attack on Pearl Harbor. For 60 years, the warship sat submerged near Ford Island with no memorial. Now, the horrendous death toll is put into perspective with 429 individual white marble columns perfectly aligned, each one representing — in a manner meant to evoke the navy’s pristine white dress uniform — one of the 429 sailors and marines that died on board the Oklahoma. Stop by this memorial on Ford Island for a truly moving experience.

Have you been to Pearl Harbor? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.

[Top Featured Image: Pearl Harbor by Danny Luong licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0]