Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is the national observance held every December 7 at Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Honolulu, honoring the 2,403 service members and civilians killed in the December 7, 1941 attack.
Monday, December 7, 2026, is the 85th anniversary of the attack, and the morning ceremony at Pearl Harbor National Memorial is the focal point of the national observance.
This guide covers the official 2026 schedule, the ceremony itself, the afternoon USS Arizona Memorial boats, and the practical details that decide whether your day works.
By Best Pearl Harbor Tours — your Honolulu guide to visiting Pearl Harbor without the guesswork.
Key Points
- Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is observed every December 7, and the 2026 ceremony marks the 85th anniversary of the December 7, 1941 attack.
- The National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Ceremony begins at 7:30 AM on December 7, 2026, at Pearl Harbor National Memorial, with gates opening at 6:15 AM.
- The Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony is free and open to the public, with no ticket required and visitor seating on a first-come, first-served basis.
- USS Arizona Memorial boats run from 12:00 PM to 3:30 PM on December 7, first come, first served, with no advance reservations released for that date.
- Parking at Pearl Harbor National Memorial is normally $7 per day, but the fee is waived on December 7, and bag storage is free until 10:00 AM.
- December 7 is not a normal touring day at Pearl Harbor, so visitors who want the standard four-site visit should choose December 6 or December 8 instead.
What Is Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day?
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is the annual observance of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, when 2,403 service members and civilians were killed.
Congress designated December 7 as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day in 1994, and the U.S. flag flies at half-staff across the country on that day.
Every year, remembrance events are held at Pearl Harbor National Memorial, and the commemoration ceremony on the morning of December 7 is the centerpiece.
Why the 85th Anniversary Matters
The 2026 commemoration carries the theme “Courage of Commitment,” and it is a milestone anniversary, which draws larger crowds, more veterans groups, and national media.
Milestone years also bring families of survivors and descendants to Pearl Harbor, so the morning feels more like a gathering of remembrance than a sightseeing stop.
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has also scheduled the first disinterments of unidentified USS Arizona crew members to begin on December 7, 2026, at Punchbowl, the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Those disinterments are a separate military operation, restricted to eligible registered relatives, and they are not a public event for Pearl Harbor visitors.
The December 7, 2026 Schedule at a Glance
The official 85th Commemoration schedule is posted, and these are the times that matter for a visitor planning the day.
| Time | Event | Where | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:15 AM | Visitor center gates open | Pearl Harbor National Memorial | Open to all |
| 7:30 AM | National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Ceremony | Pearl Harbor National Memorial | Free, no ticket |
| 7:55 AM | Moment of silence | Ceremony grounds | Part of the ceremony |
| 9:00 AM | Ceremony ends | Pearl Harbor National Memorial | Public operations resume in stages |
| 12:00–3:30 PM | USS Arizona Memorial boats | Visitor center dock | First come, first served |
| 1:00 PM | USS Oklahoma Ceremony | USS Oklahoma Memorial, Ford Island | Military or government ID only |
| Late afternoon | Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade | Kalakaua Avenue, Waikiki | Free, open to all |
Anniversary Week Events Around December 7
The commemoration spans more than one day, and two of the surrounding events are closed to the general public.
The USS Utah Ceremony is held at 4:30 PM on Sunday, December 6, at the USS Utah Memorial on Ford Island, and it requires military or government ID to attend.
The USS Oklahoma Ceremony follows at 1:00 PM on December 7, also on Ford Island, with the same military or government ID requirement.
The Blackened Canteen Ceremony at 5:00 PM on Tuesday, December 8, is invitation-only, so general visitors should plan around the public morning ceremony instead.
Your Hour-by-Hour Plan for December 7
December 7 at Pearl Harbor is a long morning with a long midday gap, so plan it as two separate visits with a break in between.
Before Dawn: Leave Waikiki Early
Leave Waikiki by 5:15 AM if you are driving or taking a rideshare, since the drive takes 25 to 40 minutes and the gates open at 6:15 AM.
Take H-1 West to Exit 15A toward the Arizona Memorial, then follow the signs to the visitor center lot, and do not turn into the Hickam base entrance by mistake.
TheBus routes 20 and 42 run from Waikiki to Pearl Harbor, but the ride takes 60 to 90 minutes, so leave by 4:45 AM and check thebus.org the night before for early service.
Best Pearl Harbor Tours recommends driving or rideshare for a 6:15 AM arrival, because the bus leaves no margin if the first bus of the day runs late.
6:15 AM: Gates Open
Arrive at the 6:15 AM gate opening, not at 7:30 AM, because visitor seating is first come, first served behind the reserved sections.
The front and middle seating areas are reserved for invited guests, and the remaining seats fill well before the ceremony begins.
Use the early arrival to pass through security calmly, since the bag rules apply on December 7 just as on any other day.
7:30 AM: The Ceremony
The National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Ceremony begins at 7:30 AM outdoors on the memorial grounds, with much of the seating under a large tent.
The program runs about 90 minutes, and it includes a moment of silence at 7:55 AM, the minute the attack began on December 7, 1941.
Keep phones pocketed during the formal program, and let the ceremony breathe, since this is not a normal sightseeing stop.
Dress neatly and respectfully for the morning, since Pearl Harbor on December 7 is a solemn burial site and an active Navy base, not a beach day.
9:00 AM to Noon: The Midday Gap
Once the ceremony ends, the visitor center moves toward public operations in stages, so do not expect a normal four-site touring day to start at 9:00 AM.
Walk the two free museum galleries at the visitor center, which trace the road to war and the morning of the attack, and allow about 45 minutes for both.
Visit the Remembrance Circle on the shoreline, which honors the military and civilian lives lost in the attack, and watch the 23-minute park film if you have not seen it.
Take a quiet breakfast break off site between the ceremony and the afternoon boats, rather than waiting in place for normal operations to resume.
12:00 PM to 3:30 PM: The USS Arizona Memorial Boats
Navy boats to the USS Arizona Memorial run from 12:00 PM to 3:30 PM on December 7, on a first-come, first-served basis, as conditions allow.
No advance reservations are released for December 7, so do not look for a Recreation.gov slot for that date, and do not pay a reseller who claims to have one.
High winds, mechanical issues, or Navy operations can change or cancel boats, so treat the afternoon memorial visit as a hope, not a guarantee.
If standing on the USS Arizona Memorial is the priority of your trip, book it for a different day, since the December 7 boat window is short and the demand is high.
Evening: The Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade in Waikiki
The Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade marches down Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki on the evening of December 7, from Fort DeRussy to Kapiolani Park.
The parade traditionally steps off in the late afternoon, around 4:15 PM, with mainland school bands, veterans groups, and military units, so confirm the exact time on the parade site the week of your visit.
It is free to watch from the sidewalk, and it is the easiest way to close a Remembrance Day visit without returning to Pearl Harbor itself.
Best Pearl Harbor Tours tip: Best Pearl Harbor Tours recommends treating December 7 as a self-guided day: arrive for the 6:15 AM gate opening, stay for the ceremony, take the afternoon Arizona boats first come, first served, and finish with the Waikiki parade in the evening.
Practical Information: Tickets, Getting There, and What to Bring
Tickets and Reservations
No ticket is needed for the National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Ceremony, and no ticket is needed for any of the commemorative events on December 7.
The USS Arizona Memorial program is free on a normal day, with a $1 booking fee per ticket on Recreation.gov, released eight weeks ahead at 3:00 PM Hawaii time.
December 7 is the exception: no Arizona reservations are released for that date, and the boats run first come, first served from noon to 3:30 PM.
For the days around the anniversary, Arizona reservations open on Recreation.gov about eight weeks ahead, so December 6 slots open around October 11 and December 8 slots around October 13.
The three paid Pearl Harbor sites, the Battleship Missouri, the USS Bowfin, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, sell their own tickets, so buy them directly from each operator.
Our USS Arizona Memorial tickets guide walks through the whole Recreation.gov booking process step by step.
Getting There and Parking
Pearl Harbor National Memorial sits at 1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, HI 96818, about 11 miles west of Waikiki on Kamehameha Highway.
Parking at the visitor center normally costs $7 per vehicle per day, but the official commemoration FAQ confirms the fee is waived on December 7.
The lot still fills early on the anniversary, so arriving for the 6:15 AM gate opening is the only reliable way to park on site.
A rideshare from Waikiki to Pearl Harbor typically costs $25 to $35 each way and takes 25 to 40 minutes outside rush hour, but expect surge pricing before dawn on December 7.
Most Waikiki tour operators pause their Pearl Harbor runs on December 7, so plan a self-guided visit rather than counting on a hotel pickup that morning.
What to Wear and What to Bring
Bags that conceal their contents are banned past security at Pearl Harbor, so arrive with only a small wallet, phone, camera, and a clear water bottle.
Bag storage near the entrance normally costs $7 for a small bag and $10 for a large bag, but the commemoration FAQ says storage is free until 10:00 AM on December 7.
Wear neat, comfortable clothing and closed-toe walking shoes, since the ceremony is outdoors and the memorial grounds offer almost no shade.
Bring sunscreen, a hat, and a light rain shell, since December mornings in Honolulu are warm and a brief shower can roll through at any time.
Leave swimwear, revealing clothing, and anything with offensive language at the hotel, out of respect for the families and veterans at the ceremony.
Accessibility
The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, its theaters and exhibit galleries, the Navy shuttle boats, and the USS Arizona Memorial are accessible for visitors using wheelchairs or scooters.
The visitor center does not provide wheelchairs, so bring your own or arrange one in advance if you need it for the ceremony morning.
For the Battleship Missouri and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum on Ford Island, confirm accessibility directly with each venue before booking.
Call the park information line at (808) 422-3399 with specific access questions before your visit.
Visiting Pearl Harbor That Week Without Attending the Ceremony
December 7, 2026, falls on a Monday, so plenty of Oahu visitors will be on the island that week with no intention of attending the commemoration.
If a normal Pearl Harbor visit is on your list, choose another date, since December 7 has no normal advance Arizona reservation schedule and the first-come boat window starts at noon.
Book the USS Arizona Memorial program for December 6 or December 8 instead, and treat December 7 as a day for Waikiki, the beach, or the evening parade.
Book lodging early either way, since anniversary week fills Honolulu hotels, and rental cars at the airport sell out for the first week of December.
Our best time to visit Pearl Harbor guide covers the quieter months and weekdays for a standard visit.
If You Cannot Be There in Person
The National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Ceremony is usually livestreamed, and a recording is typically posted afterward, so check pearlharborevents.com the week of the anniversary for the link.
The moment of silence falls at 7:55 AM Hawaii time, which is 12:55 PM Eastern, so you can mark it wherever you are.
Flags fly at half-staff across the United States on December 7, and many towns hold their own small observances for Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
Location Map
Pearl Harbor National Memorial sits at 1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, HI 96818, about 11 miles west of Waikiki.
Open Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Google Maps
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a ticket for the Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony?
No, the Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony needs no ticket, and it is free and open to the public at Pearl Harbor National Memorial.
Visitor seating at the Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony is first come, first served, so arrive for the 6:15 AM gate opening if sitting matters to you.
What time should I arrive at Pearl Harbor on December 7?
Arrive at Pearl Harbor National Memorial for the 6:15 AM gate opening on December 7, since the ceremony begins at 7:30 AM and visitor seating fills early.
Leave Waikiki by 5:15 AM by car or rideshare to reach Pearl Harbor National Memorial in time for the gates, and earlier if you take TheBus.
Can I visit the USS Arizona Memorial on December 7?
Yes, USS Arizona Memorial boats run from 12:00 PM to 3:30 PM on December 7, on a first-come, first-served basis, as conditions allow.
No advance USS Arizona Memorial reservations are released for December 7, so do not book on Recreation.gov for that date.
Is parking free at Pearl Harbor on December 7?
Yes, parking at Pearl Harbor National Memorial is free on December 7, since the normal $7 daily fee is waived for the anniversary.
Parking at Pearl Harbor National Memorial still fills early on December 7, so arrive for the 6:15 AM gate opening to park on site.
What is the theme of the 2026 Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony?
The theme of the 2026 Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony is “Courage of Commitment,” marking the 85th anniversary of the December 7, 1941 attack.
The Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day ceremony begins at 7:30 AM on Monday, December 7, 2026, at Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Honolulu.
Can I attend the USS Utah or USS Oklahoma ceremonies?
No, the USS Utah and USS Oklahoma ceremonies are not open to the general public, since both memorials sit on Ford Island, an active military base.
Access to the USS Utah and USS Oklahoma ceremonies requires a military or government employee ID card, and a driver’s license does not qualify.
Conclusion
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is the one morning of the year when Pearl Harbor stops being a tourist destination and returns to being a place of remembrance, and the 85th anniversary on December 7, 2026, is the biggest such morning in years.
Arrive for the 6:15 AM gates, stay for the 7:30 AM ceremony and the 7:55 AM moment of silence, take the afternoon Arizona boats if you can, and close the day with the Waikiki parade.
For the rest of your Pearl Harbor planning, read our USS Arizona Memorial guide, USS Arizona Memorial tickets guide, Pearl Harbor Visitor Center first-visit guide, how long to spend at Pearl Harbor guide, best time to visit Pearl Harbor guide, and Pearl Harbor tours from Honolulu guide.
By Best Pearl Harbor Tours — arrive early, stay for the silence, and give the morning the attention it deserves.