Pearl Harbor Memorial

If you have time for only one side trip while on Oahu, this should be it. The site of Japan’s attack on the American naval fleet in Pearl Harbor in December 1941, propelling the U.S. into World War II, is memorialized with the U.S.S. Arizona monument, where the sunken ship—the tomb of 1,177 crewmen—is visible beneath forty feet of water. More than 1.6 million people each year (many of them Japanese) come to pay their respects. Also moving is the U.S.S. Missouri, the battleship where Japan surrendered in 1945. The Pearl Harbor Memorial contains two museums that recount the attack and US involvement in World War II. TIP: The lines to get into the memorial can be very long, particularly in summer. To escape the crowds and be assured of getting in, reserve tickets online at www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Visitors cannot bring in any bags whatsoever and you must check everything in rented lockers by the parking lot.