HONOLULU BOAT TOUR FIELD GUIDE
A day that bends time: From the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center to Honolulu’s royal landmarks
A full-day, roundtrip package from the Big Island that covers Pearl Harbor’s memorials, museums and a historic downtown drive so you can move through the sites with tickets and transport handled for you.
A day that bends time: From the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center to Honolulu’s royal landmarks.
This is a tightly staged day of remembrance and civic architecture: a morning flight from Kona delivers you into the hushed forecourt of the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, where documentary exhibits and a solemn boat ride to the USS Arizona Memorial set the tone; later you’ll tread the decks of the Battleship Missouri, step aboard the Bowfin submarine and pass Honolulu’s royal and civic landmarks during a guided drive-through of historic downtown.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Pearl Harbor’s core museums and memorials
The visitor center’s exhibits and documentary prepare you for the boat approach to the USS Arizona Memorial, after which the tour continues through the Bowfin Submarine Museum, the Pacific Fleet Aviation Museum and the deck of the Battleship Missouri — a compact sequence that ties artifacts, vessels and stories into a single arc of World War II history.
Sites of remembrance: Arizona, Oklahoma, Missouri
Expect quiet reflection at the open-air USS Arizona Memorial above the sunken battleship and solemn commemoration at the USS Oklahoma Memorial; the Battleship Missouri offers a contrasting, tactile tour of the vessel where Japan’s formal surrender was signed.
Historic Honolulu by drive-by
After the Pearl Harbor sites, a narrated drive-through highlights Punchbowl National Cemetery, Iolani Palace, Kawaiaha’o Church, the King Kamehameha statue and Ali’iolani Hale, giving cultural and civic context to the military history you’ve just witnessed.
What the day feels like
What this day feels like
From pre-dawn departures on the Big Island to a late-afternoon return, the tour compresses travel logistics so you can move deliberately from exhibit halls and film screenings to a calm boat crossing and onto ship decks and hangars; the pace alternates between reverent silence at memorials and a guided, narrated drive through Honolulu’s civic heart.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who gets the most from this day trip — and who should think twice.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Bring government-issued photo ID (passport if arriving from outside the U.S.), sunscreen, sunglasses, hat and a camera. Cash is recommended for gratuities and bag storage fees; comfortable clothes and covered shoes are required (no swimwear allowed).
Pearl Harbor is a place of remembrance—appropriate dress and respectful conduct are expected; no smoking is allowed on the visitor center grounds or at the memorial.
Purses and bags are not allowed inside Pearl Harbor; clear plastic bags are acceptable. Larger bags may be stored on site for a fee (typically $7.00 each).
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
Are attraction tickets and transport included?
Yes. Roundtrip airfare from Kona to Honolulu, airport ground transfers on Oahu and entry tickets to the attractions on the tour are included; your guide will distribute tickets the morning of the tour.
What if the operator doesn’t receive Arizona Memorial boat passes?
The National Park Service does not guarantee pre-arranged Arizona Memorial boat passes; if pre-arranged passes are not provided you will be directed to the Arizona Memorial walk-up line (typical wait about an hour).
Where do I meet the guide after my flight arrives in Oahu?
Pick-up locations vary by carrier—Southwest passengers meet outside Terminal 2 baggage claim 31 at pre-arranged pick-up location #5; Hawaiian Airlines passengers meet outside their terminal at pick-up location #1. Look for the van with the Aloha Sunshine Tours logo.
What are the departure and return times for the day?
Pick-up times are between 7:00 AM and 8:00 AM with a daily start time listed as 7:00 AM; the full-day tour lasts approximately 10–11 hours. Flights from the departing airport typically depart between 6:00–6:15 AM and arrive between 6:45–7:00 AM—check-in at least one hour prior to departure.
Are meals or gratuities included?
Meals are at your own expense and gratuities are not included in the tour price.
Are there dress or bag restrictions at Pearl Harbor?
Yes. Swimwear is not permitted, comfortable covered shoes are recommended, and bags are restricted—clear plastic bags are allowed while other bags must be stored for a fee.