In another twist for Pearl Harbor visitors, the ticket system has quietly changed again—without any clear announcement. The official website still carries language from earlier preservation closures, yet the live calendar now shows something entirely different. When we checked, advance tickets were open from November 3 through December 24, with times running from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It looks like the long-paused eight-week booking window has quietly returned, though nothing on the site explains it.
Tickets also now appear to drop daily around 3 p.m. Hawaii time, another detail buried deep in the system and not clearly posted anywhere. That means visitors who rely on the written instructions may think reservations are unavailable when they’re actually being released. The result is the same confusion Rob found tonight: a site that says one thing and a calendar that behaves entirely differently.
So what’s real? As of October 29, you can once again book Pearl Harbor up to eight weeks in advance, but only if you ignore the website’s text and go straight to the live calendar. Here’s what we found, how the system actually works now, and how to secure your spot.
What is open right now.
The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is open daily with its museum galleries and grounds on a regular schedule. The USS Arizona Memorial program continues on a reduced, day-to-day schedule while preservation work is completed, with operations adjusted for safety and staffing.
On-site partner attractions remain fully open as those are operated by nonprofit and Navy partners. Those include Battleship Missouri Memorial on Ford Island, Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, and the Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum at Bowfin. Visitors report being able to spend a full day here even when boat departures are limited or temporarily paused.
For a primer before you go, our guide to Pearl Harbor helps you decide what to see and how to sequence your visit. To grasp both the beginning and the end of America’s World War II story, pair the USS Arizona and the USS Missouri on the same day — one marks the attack, the other the surrender.
What may be limited or paused.
During preservation work, some days have fewer boat departures, and occasionally none at all. The Navy runs the boats, and schedules can change quickly due to harbor traffic, wind, or safety checks. Visitors describe a virtual queue system where you check in at the kiosk, get a text alert, and return when it’s your turn. Waits have ranged from under an hour to several hours, depending on the day. If boats are paused, the Visitor Center and partner attractions stay open, so you can easily shift plans and still make the day worthwhile.
Advance booking windows have also changed at times in the past two years, even apart from a shutdown, to spread access more fairly. We covered this when advance bookings were cut and visitors had to act fast. The takeaway remains the same. Plan ahead, then check again the day before, and again the morning of your visit.
Tickets and reservations without headaches.
The new booking window is both good news and a bit of a puzzle. Advance reservations are once again showing up to eight weeks ahead, with times from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. We confirmed availability from November 3 through December 24 when we checked on October 29. Rob also discovered that new tickets drop daily at 3 p.m. Hawaii time, which is a critical detail the site never mentions.
Because the website’s language hasn’t caught up, travelers may see contradictory messages depending on where they click. The best advice is to ignore the old text and watch the live calendar itself. If you see open times, grab them immediately as availability can change minute to minute. Commercial tours may include Arizona access, but they cannot guarantee it while preservation work continues. Arriving early and being flexible still make the difference between getting on the boat or not.
Parking, bag policy, and timing.
Arrive early. Morning is cooler, the tradewinds are lighter, and the first programs of the day usually see the fewest delays. Only very small or clear bags are allowed, and most must be stored in the on-site facility for a small fee. Strollers are allowed in the Visitor Center but not on the Arizona boats themselves. Parking uses paid kiosks or mobile pay, so allow extra minutes for setup and the short walk from your space to the memorial. If using rideshare, set your drop at the Visitor Center gate to avoid confusion between the different entrances.
Families with strollers should plan for the bag policy and the rule that strollers are not permitted on the boats to the Arizona. Visitors using wheelchairs will find accessible routes throughout the Visitor Center and on partner attractions. If you need more time at security or at the boat landing, tell staff when you arrive. They are used to helping and will do what they can.
We wrote about practicalities and recent policy changes in new visitor fee starts at Pearl Harbor. Bring a credit card and expect to use kiosks or a mobile app for parking. If you are combining multiple attractions, check whether a bundled ticket saves money and time in line.
If boats cannot operate, you still have strong options.
If boats pause for safety, you can still build a strong visit day around Bowfin, Missouri, and the Aviation Museum. Each site operates independently and remains open regardless of boat status. Bowfin and its exhibits keep you in the World War II story while you monitor for updates. The USS Missouri, a short shuttle ride away, offers one of the most complete and memorable ship tours anywhere and connects the story’s beginning and end. Even if you never reach the Arizona that day, you still walk away with the meaning very much intact.
How to plan a meaningful visit on a budget.
Pearl Harbor can be affordable with a plan. The Visitor Center galleries and grounds provide hours of value on their own. If you choose one paid partner attraction, decide based on your interests. Missouri is an immersive walkthrough of a battleship and the site of the surrender signing. Bowfin gives the submarine story with exhibits indoors and out. The Aviation Museum covers the air war with rare aircraft and hangars that witnessed the attack. Combine one of those with the free Visitor Center experience and you still have a rich day without stacking every ticket.
If you are staying in Waikiki without a car, TheBus provides direct service. Travel time can be longer than rideshare, but the budget savings are real. Bring water, a hat, and patience. This is not an ordinary attraction. It asks you to slow down.
Communication during a shutdown.
Because official pages can lag during a shutdown as we found today, the nonprofit partner supporting the memorial has been posting updates on schedules and events. Travelers have also been sharing current conditions through social media, which helps fill in gaps on day-to-day boat operations. It’s worth checking both sources the day before and again the morning of your visit to confirm what’s running.
We also keep our Pearl Harbor hub current for readers. Use the overview in Pearl Harbor for the core plan, and pair it with our pieces on remembrance at Arizona and Missouri and how to handle ticket changes. Those three links answer the questions we hear most.
Why this place still matters.
Readers often tell us that a Pearl Harbor visit becomes the quiet center of their Hawaii trip. Some have family ties to service here. Some are first time visitors who did not expect to be moved. Even on days when a boat schedule shifts or a program is not offered, the experience remains. The story is told in the galleries and on the water, and it stays with you long after you leave.
Have you visited Pearl Harbor during a service change or shutdown, and what did you do that made your day work?
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My Dad & Uncle were Pearl Harbor Survivors. Although they are both gone now, we attend memorial services every December 5 -7…at the USS UTAH, USS OKLAHOMA & USS ARIZONA, to honor their memories & their 20+ years of Naval service. I find it sad that the boat crews no longer give a narrative on the way out to the Memorial.
First visited Hawaii and Pearl Harbor in June 1994. Concierge at the Outrigger Reef to go first thing in the morning. The taxi picked us at 7:00 and we were before 7:30. There were a few people ahead of us on line. We were on the first launch of the day to the memorial. So quiet, reserved, and respectful. Will never forget that day and the experience.
The federal shutdown was seems like just a distraction. The real issue is that their tech is ancient. Same story as the parks, same story as airlines, same story as government everything.
This has been ongoing for months and I don’t get how something so sacred can be run with so little communication. You’d think Pearl Harbor of all historic places would have a crystal-clear system. Still, I’m thankful it’s open again and we can pay our respects.
Great. We finally got tickets today after three failed tries this week. The website still says something different every time you click so I keep refreshing. We leave for Oahu next Friday and this was the one experience I couldn’t imagine skipping.
We tried to book last week and almost gave up. Glad to know it wasn’t just us. This clears up what was happening behind the scenes. Thanks!