USS ARIZONA in the afternoon

[Coolcruise02]

I did a search and found lots of info on the USS Arizona and everyone says to go early in the morning. But, if everyone goes early in the morning what would it be like around 1 or 2pm? I know they close at 5:00 and hand out the last tickets at 3:00. Has anyone been there after lunch?

 

We want to climb Diamond Head and everyone says to do it first thing in the morning also. We are only in Oahu for one day from 8am - 11pm.

 

Thanks :)

[spleen93]

If you HAVE to do both in one day, then I'd recommend doing the Arizona in the AM and doing Diamond Head in the afternoon. While DH is hot in the afternoon, it's still doable. If you try going to the Arizona in the afternoon, you run the risk of them having given out all the tender tickets for the day already and not being able to go across to the Memorial.

 

Spleen

[Suebee]

If you HAVE to do both in one day, then I'd recommend doing the Arizona in the AM and doing Diamond Head in the afternoon. While DH is hot in the afternoon, it's still doable. If you try going to the Arizona in the afternoon, you run the risk of them having given out all the tender tickets for the day already and not being able to go across to the Memorial.

 

Spleen

 

 

Just to elaborate, the Arizona gives out tickets with a time on them (its not like once you hit the ticket booth, youre in).....so when you arrive, you will wait in a long line and when you get up to the front, your ticket will have the time of your tour. We arrived at 7am and got our tickets about 8am for a 9:45 tour...just as an example. They hand out tickets until they are gone. So theoretically, you can get a ticket for hours later than your arrival....but you cannot pick your time.

 

As Spleen said, arriving later in the day, say after Noon, you do not know how many people were already through that morning...some may have gone to the swap meet, Missouri or Bowfin memorial and will come back at their ticket time. It is possible to get tickets that late in the day, but you can never count on it.

[born2cruize]

As as been posted elsewhere, tickets are passes out on a first come first serve basis. It's a crapshoot if you show-up at 1 or 2 PM to get tickets. Depending on what day of the week. On some days you need to be in line early just to get an afternoon time slot.

 

borntocruise

[Coolcruise02]

Thanks for the help! I guess it is more important to us to go to Pearl Harbor, so we will do that first and if its too hot to climb Diamond Head we will pass for this trip. :)

[RvrCrzr]

We got to USS AZ on a ship excursion bus. The line seemed long...but went fast. The long wait occurred after we received the ticket. (2 hours)

 

It was all well worth the wait.

[Middleager]

We went to line up for the Arizona shortly after 7am on a Sunday morning. The line-up wasn't that long (100 people) Just after we lined up, two big tour buses pulled up, each with 50 people to line up after us.

 

We got tenders #2, so we didn't have to wait long for our turn.

 

Before going I watched the movies "Pearl Harbour", and "Tora Tora Tora". After the trip I bought the movie "Pearl Harbour", and also rented to watch battle of The Midway. Also bought a big book about the movie "Pearl Harbour". It made the vist a lot more meaningful.

 

One other thing to consider. Diamond Head will always be there (well, ok, for the next 10,000 years at least). Since 9/11, security around USS Arizona, and Pearl Harbour are has tightened up a lot. It may tighten up more and people may be allowed to see less in the future. It is after all, still a military base.

[Suebee]

And the visitor center is sinking and the arizona itself is disintigrating. They are trying to raise funds now to restore the visitor center or move it to Ford Island but the breaking up of the Arizona is inevitable with the natural effects of sun, waves, sea creatures and man.

 

But good news is that ground has been broken on the pearl harbor air museum on Ford Island and will be open on December 7th of this year. Another meaningful historical site to take in.