After a long 15 months of closure, the National Park Service has announced that the USS Arizona Memorial will reopen on Labor Day, September 1, 2019. The reopening of the memorial returns operations at Pearl Harbor to normal, and gives visitors the chance to pay respects to the fallen heroes who were victims of the tragic attacks nearly 80 years ago.
In mid-2018, a large crack was found in the iconic white structure, forcing the closure of the memorial for safety reasons. At the time, it was unknown just how long the USS Arizona Memorial would be closed for, with repairs and ongoing work continuing throughout its closure. In the interim, the NAVY continued to ferry guests to the vicinity of the memorial, taking visitors on a boat ride around the wreckage of the ship for photo opportunities and to allow visitors to pay respects, even though boarding the memorial was not possible.
With the reopening of the USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor regains its most popular attraction, to go along with the museums that have remained opened. The memorial is the central focus of a visit to Pearl Harbor, with the USS Missouri, USS Bowfin, and Pacific Aviation Museum completing the story of World War II, the Untied States involvement, and the events that brought the world to a standstill, ultimately bringing the country into the war. The tragic attacks on Pearl Harbor forever changed the landscape of the world, and rocked the quiet island of Oahu on December 7, 1941.
A visit to Pearl Harbor is the most popular thing to do on Oahu, and with the reopening of the USS Arizona Memorial, it is expected that there will be an increase in visitors over the next few weeks. If you will be coming to Hawaii in the coming weeks, it is highly advised to join a Pearl Harbor Tour. Not only are all admissions included with your tour, boarding tickets to the USS Arizona Memorial are secured for you, meaning you will not be left out on the first come, first served tickets. The chance to pay respects to the heroes of the Pearl Harbor attacks should not be missed, and is an important part of a trip to Hawaii.
Due to the high volume of visitors traveling to Hawaii year round, our Oahu tours and Oahu activities sell out quickly. In many cases, tours sell out weeks or months in advance, especially our top seller Aloha Kai Luau at Sea Life Park. To ensure your spots on tour, we recommend reserving your tours today. Call our office or book online to take advantage of our low price guarantee today.
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