The USS Arizona Memorial is the single most requested stop at Pearl Harbor, and its boat program tickets are completely free. They are also some of the hardest reservations in Hawaii to secure, because every boat seat is released through one official channel and peak-season slots vanish in minutes.
Getting it right means knowing exactly when tickets drop, what the $1 fee covers, and what to do if your dates are already sold out. Below is the practical playbook: the Recreation.gov booking flow, both release windows, the standby backup plan, bag and security rules, and the separate tickets for the other Pearl Harbor sites.
This guide is published by Best Pearl Harbor Tours.
Key facts
- Cost: free. Recreation.gov charges a $1 non-refundable reservation fee per ticket.
- Booking: online only at Recreation.gov. There is no other official channel.
- Release times: daily at 3:00 PM Hawaii time — a main batch 56 days ahead, and a smaller batch one day ahead.
- Limit: up to 10 tickets per day, including infants and small children.
- Walk-ups: same-day, in-person ticket distribution has been discontinued. A free Standby Callback text system is the only fallback.
- Bags: nothing larger than a small wallet is allowed; paid bag storage is available at the Visitor Center entrance.
- Parking: $7, and the lot fills fast on busy mornings.
How to book USS Arizona Memorial tickets on Recreation.gov
Recreation.gov is the National Park Service’s official ticketing partner for the memorial program, and it is the only place the public can reserve seats. Third-party sellers cannot book regular public tickets, so any site claiming to sell “Arizona tickets” is really selling you a tour or nothing at all.
Step-by-step booking flow
Start by creating a free Recreation.gov account and staying logged in, especially near release time. Find the Pearl Harbor National Memorial — USS Arizona Memorial program page, pick your date and a boat time, and enter your party size. Complete checkout to pay the $1-per-ticket reservation fee. Your QR codes arrive by email as a PDF attachment.
Bring that QR code to the Ticket Validation Desk at the Pearl Harbor Theater. Check in at least 10 minutes before your program time, and plan to be at the park a full hour early — late arrivals can forfeit their seats to the standby line, and park rangers cannot modify or rebook reservations.
The two release windows
New tickets drop daily at exactly 3:00 PM Hawaii Standard Time. The primary batch covers dates 56 days (8 weeks) out, and this is where most visitors book. A smaller secondary batch opens one day before the visit date, also at 3:00 PM HST, for the following day’s programs.
Book from the 56-day window if your travel dates are set. Morning boat times disappear first, and holiday and summer dates can sell out within minutes. If you see a “tickets not yet available” message on a sold-out date, it usually means the 8-week allotment is gone and only the day-before window remains.
What the $1 fee covers
The memorial program itself is free — the $1 per-ticket charge is Recreation.gov’s non-refundable reservation fee, and it is not collected by the National Park Service. There are no refunds on the fee under any circumstances, and reservations are final.
Best Pearl Harbor Tours tip: set a calendar alert for 3:00 PM Hawaii time on the day your 56-day window opens, and have your account, party size, and payment ready before the clock hits. Treat it like a concert presale — seconds matter on peak dates.
What if tickets are sold out: the standby callback system
If you could not secure a reservation, you still have one official option: the Standby Callback system at the Visitor Center. This replaced the old first-come, first-served ticket line, so showing up at dawn no longer guarantees anything.
Locate the standby signup tablets in front of the Audio Tour booth. Enter your name, phone number, and party size. You will receive a text with an “SB Number” showing your place in line — take a photo of it as backup.
When your number is called back, a second text tells you to head to the standby line at the theater. Waits can stretch to several hours on busy days, and during peak visitation the standby program may not run at all. While you wait, explore the museum galleries, watch the 23-minute park film, or visit the partner sites.
Tickets for the other Pearl Harbor historic sites
The USS Arizona Memorial program covers only the memorial boat ride. The Battleship Missouri Memorial, the USS Bowfin and Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum are separate attractions with their own admission.
Recent listings show the Missouri at $39.99 for adults, the Bowfin at $25.99, and the Aviation Museum at $29.99 — prices can change, so confirm before you go. If you plan to see all three, the Passport to Pearl Harbor bundle ($99.99 adult, $49.99 child ages 4–12) covers all three sites plus the Virtual Reality Center and an audio tour, and it is usually cheaper than buying individually.
Note the important exception: the Passport does not include the USS Arizona Memorial ferry program. You still need a separate Recreation.gov reservation for the memorial itself.
Practical information for your visit
Open time
The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is open daily from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Memorial boat programs run every 15 minutes from 8:00 AM to noon and from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM, weather permitting.
Getting there
The Visitor Center is at 1 Arizona Memorial Place in Honolulu, roughly 20–25 minutes from Waikiki by car. TheBus routes 20 and 42 run from Waikiki to the center, and many guided tours include round-trip transportation. Parking costs $7 and fills quickly, so aim to arrive early in the morning.
What to bring (and what to leave)
Bags larger than a small wallet are not allowed at the memorial — no backpacks, purses, camera bags, or fanny packs. A clear bag is the safest option, and paid bag storage is available at the Visitor Center entrance.
Use the restrooms before your program; there are none on the boats or the memorial itself. The boat ride takes about 15 minutes each way, plus time on the memorial for reflection.
Accessibility
The memorial program is operated by the Navy, and visitors who need wheelchair-accessible arrangements should contact the memorial in advance at (808) 422-3399. The Visitor Center museums and grounds are generally accessible to wheelchairs.
Location Map
All memorial boat programs depart from the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, shown below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are USS Arizona Memorial tickets really free?
Yes. The memorial program itself is free. Recreation.gov charges a $1 non-refundable reservation fee per ticket.
How far in advance can I book USS Arizona Memorial tickets?
The main batch opens 56 days (8 weeks) ahead at 3:00 PM Hawaii time. A smaller batch opens one day ahead, also at 3:00 PM HST. Both sell out fast in peak season.
Can I just walk up and get tickets at Pearl Harbor?
No. Same-day, in-person ticket distribution has been discontinued. Without a reservation you can try the free Standby Callback text system, but entry is not guaranteed.
How many tickets can I reserve at once?
Up to 10 per day, including infants and small children. Reservations are final, non-transferable, and cannot be resold.
What should I bring to Pearl Harbor?
Bring only what fits in a small wallet — larger bags are not allowed. Paid bag storage is available at the Visitor Center entrance. Use the restrooms before your boat.
Do the other Pearl Harbor sites need separate tickets?
Yes. The Battleship Missouri, USS Bowfin and Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, and Aviation Museum each charge separate admission. The Passport to Pearl Harbor bundle covers all three.
What happens if I miss my boat time?
You may join the standby line, but your slot is not guaranteed and can be given to standby visitors. Arrive at least an hour before your program time.
Conclusion
The USS Arizona Memorial program is free, but it rewards planners: book at the 56-day, 3 PM Hawaii-time window, guard your QR code, and have the Standby Callback system as your backup plan. For what to expect once you’re there, see our USS Arizona Memorial visitor guide. If you would rather skip the logistics entirely, compare Pearl Harbor tours from Honolulu that bundle memorial access with transportation, plan the rest of your day around the best things to do in Honolulu, or wind down afterward on a Honolulu harbor cruise before looping the island on an Oahu circle island experience.
This ticketing guide was researched and written by Best Pearl Harbor Tours.