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You can see Pearl Harbor two ways: drive or ride there yourself and walk the site with the official audio tour, or book a guided tour that handles transport and timing. The audio tour costs $14. Guided tours start at $59. What the extra money buys is mostly logistics, and whether you need it depends on how you are getting there.
Quick Answer: If you have a car and a free morning, the official Captain’s audio tour ($14 adult, $9 child) is the deepest way to see the site, narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis with survivors and NPS historians. Book USS Arizona Memorial tickets separately at recreation.gov for $1. Without a car, a guided tour from $59 with hotel pickup is simpler.
TL;DR
- Self-guided: $14 audio tour, 29 stops, your own pace
- Memorial boat: Separate $1 ticket at recreation.gov
- Guided: From $59 with Waikiki pickup, about 5 hours
- Full day: Battleships tour with the Missouri, $116.99
What the self-guided audio tour includes
The Captain’s Self-Guided Audio Tour is the National Park Service’s own multimedia tour: 29 stops through the Visitor Center, its two museums and the shoreline, narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis with NPS historians and Pearl Harbor survivors. You collect a handheld device at the Narrated Tour Desk, and move at your own pace for anything from an hour to four.
- $14 for adults 13 and over, $9 for children 4 to 12.
- Seven languages: English, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, French, German and Spanish.
- Check in at the Narrated Tour Desk between 7am and 3:30pm.
- Parking at the Visitor Center is $7 a day, and there is a strict no-bag policy.
The USS Arizona Memorial ticket is separate
This is the point most visitors miss. The audio tour does not include the Navy boat to the USS Arizona Memorial, and you do not need a memorial ticket to take the audio tour. If you want to stand on the memorial itself, reserve a ticket at recreation.gov for $1. The first release opens eight weeks ahead, and a second release opens at 3pm Hawaii time the day before.
Guided tours compared
| Tour | Pickup | Length | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salute to Pearl Harbor, late morning | Waikiki, 9:45 to 10:05am | 5 hrs | $59 adult, $45 child |
| Pearl Harbor and Honolulu City Tour | Hotel pickup | 5 hrs | $68 adult, $45 child |
| Salute to Pearl Harbor from Ko Olina | Ko Olina, Sun and Wed | 5 hrs | $74 adult, $60 child |
| Battleships tour from Waikiki | Waikiki, 6 to 7am | 8 to 9 hrs | $116.99 adult, $89.99 child |
| Private Pearl Harbor tour | Waikiki hotels | 5 to 6 hrs | From $450 per group |
The Pearl Harbor and Honolulu City Tour includes the Navy shuttle out to the USS Arizona Memorial, which is the main thing a cheap self-guided visit can miss if tickets are sold out. The battleships tour adds the USS Missouri and fills the day.
Which should you book?
- You have a car and want depth: the $14 audio tour plus a $1 memorial ticket. The cheapest and most thorough option.
- No car, staying in Waikiki: a five-hour guided tour from $59, or the $68 city tour if you also want Punchbowl and downtown.
- You want the Missouri too: the battleships tour at $116.99.
- Non-English speakers: the audio tour, which runs in seven languages.
- Staying at Ko Olina: the Sunday and Wednesday pickup at $74.
A Pearl Harbor shuttle from Waikiki is the middle path: transport handled, and you do the site at your own pace with the audio tour. Travelling with children? See Pearl Harbor with kids.
Staying on the west side? Our guide to tours with Ko Olina resort pickup covers what you can book without driving to Waikiki first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Pearl Harbor audio tour worth it?
For visitors who want depth and have their own transport, yes. At $14 it covers 29 stops narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis, NPS historians and survivors, in seven languages, at your own pace.
Does the Pearl Harbor audio tour include the USS Arizona Memorial?
No. The Navy boat to the memorial needs a separate ticket, reserved at recreation.gov for $1. You do not need it to take the audio tour.
How much is a guided Pearl Harbor tour from Waikiki?
From $59 per adult for a five-hour late-morning tour with Waikiki pickup, up to $116.99 for a full battleships day that includes the USS Missouri.
Can I visit Pearl Harbor without a tour?
Yes. Admission to the Visitor Center and museums is free. Parking is $7 a day, and the audio tour and memorial boat tickets are optional extras.
What languages is the Pearl Harbor audio tour in?
English, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, French, German and Spanish.
Prices checked against operator listings, September 2026. Availability and rates are set by the operator and can change.
Plan your Pearl Harbor visit
Audio tour and guided tours with live availability.
Pearl Harbor tours · $14 audio tour · Battleships tour · (808) 207-9427
