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Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Pearl Harbor: Travel Tuesday {A Link Up}

It's time for another week of Travel Tuesday!




The last few weeks I have been talking about Hawaii, and I wanted to continue this trend by sharing a place you can't miss if you ever visit the islands: 

Pearl Harbor 
Time: Subject to what you want to do minimum 90 minutes max 8 hours 
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii near the Aloha Stadium 
Cost: Arizona Memorial is Free, everything else is about $15.00 ~They have military and local discounts 


Every time someone came for a visit, we would take a trip to Pearl Harbor. If you travel to Oahu and don't see the USS Arizona at the very least- there is something wrong with you. {I kid I kid, but seriously you should go.} 

{via}

The first thing you should do is go get your ticket for the USS Arizona tour. This will be about 90 minutes, and it is the most breathtaking and peaceful place there is. Tickets are free and they are on a first come first serve bases, so you should get there early. 

*Special Note: You can pre-order tickets on-line, but you will have to purchase the audio tour for about $7.50. I would encourage this because you can get the tour time you want and not have to get there at the crack of dawn. Plus, the audio tour is awesome! 

The first thing you do is watch a 30 minute video about the attack on Pearl Harbor. I don't want to sound sappy, but it is one of the greatest 30 minute films ever. It is a nice way to get an overview of the attack and why it happened- just in case you have no idea. Then you get on a boat and ride out to the memorial. 





{You can see the rainbow from the oil leaking from the boat.} 

 {Bridge to Ford Island - the island where the ships were stationed. You take this to go to the Missouri and the Aviation Museum.} 


{These are all the men that were on the Arizona and survived. When they died later in life, they were interred with their shipmates. Matt and I saw one of these ceremonies and it was beautiful.} 


If this is all you have time for then that's perfect. 

But you can also see the submarine the USS Bowfin, the USS Missouri (where the treaty was signed to end WWII), the Aviation Museum, the Valor of the Pacific Museum, and a couple other museums. I have been to everything except the Bowfin {I have a fear that the submarine will all of a sudden just take off when I am inside). The Missouri is awesome. My school's honors group used to do a lot of service projects on the Missouri, so I have seen that ship inside and out. In fact, I helped set up a lot of the new exhibits. If you haven't been in a long time, I would suggest going because that ship has added a lot! The Aviation Museum is also great. There are two bunkers that are part of this. 


{The anchor from the Arizona} 


{USS Missouri} 

{Jessie and Jake in front of the Bowfin} 

{The Oklahoma Memorial- this is right next to the Missouri. Please don't forget to go here. I feel like it doesn't get enough recognition. It's a simple, but beautiful memorial. Each pole represents a person that died on the ship during the attack.} 

Can you tell I love Pearl Harbor? {It's the history major/ teacher in me.} If you haven't gone, you need to! Just make sure to put USS Arizona Memorial in your GPS, not Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor is still an active military base and the GPS will take you to the gate! 

Have you ever been to Pearl Harbor? Would you go? 

Thanks Belinda and Bonnie for the link up!

8 comments:

  1. Brilliant pics. I would love to visit Hawaii one day and I would definitely visit there, especially after seeing your photos. I love history too.

    Louisa @ My Family & Abruzzo

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    1. Thanks! Pearl Harbor is one of my favorite places on the islands to visit. I hope you get a chance to visit the islands one day.

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  2. I went to the area when I was about 12. I don't know if our time was short or what but we did not take the boat ride out to the USS Arizona! Maybe we were short on time or my parents didn't want to pay. I wish we had as I really wanted to go see it! Just one more thing I'd like to go back and do!!

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    1. Tina- They just started offering tickets online. Before it was first come first serve, so maybe your parents got there too late and all the tours to the Arizona were full. When I visited the island the very first time in high school this happened. But it's something everyone should do at least once. I think your kids would love it. Everyone I have ever taken always loves it- even if they don't really get the history.

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  3. They did my dad's retirement ceremony on the USS Missouri. It's been a while since I've been there. I remember watching the 30 minute film the first time, and just crying the whole time. Anyway, I totally agree with you. If you're in Hawaii, go to Pearl Harbor!

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    1. The USS Missouri is pretty cool. They have added so much stuff to it- it really makes paying the $15 for the tour worth it.

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  4. Gosh, it's so pretty! I don't know what I was expecting but this wasn't it! Haha.

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    1. Kate- It is really pretty. The park service keeps everything very nice, and the memorials are stunning.

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Thanks for taking the time to comment- I appreciate and read each and every one of them. All replies will be in the comment section, please check back to read them!

- Alex