Visited by 1.5 million people every year, Pearl Harbor is one of the most prominent and renowned destinations in Hawaii. Pearl Harbor tours allow visitors to witness the catastrophic event first-hand, while honoring those who have lost their lives.
There are many ways and opportunities to see and tour Pearl Harbor. Tours are offered from many of the Hawaiian islands, including the Big Island, Kauai, Maui, and of course Oahu, where the harbor is located. Most tours also include exploring the beautiful surroundings of the Hawaiian environment, yet these one-of-a-kind tours are usually the main focus of the trip. Besides the scenery, there are luaus, volcanoes, the Polynesian Culture Center, and memorials located around the harbor. The memorials include the USS Arizona, USS Missouri, and recreated models of submarines and fighter planes from World War II.
Perhaps the most interesting thing is the history present all around the port. The attack occurred on a quiet Sunday morning on December 7th, 1941. Germany, Italy, and Japan were joined together as the Axis powers and were quickly conquering large parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Pacific Ocean. Japan saw the U.S. naval fleet as a threat in their pacific take-over, and proceeded with an aerial surprise attack. 1,177 men died in the devastating attack, and the United States was filled with anguish and wrath towards the Japanese. This fueled the motivation needed to join the war and retaliate against the Japanese.
The attack on Pearl Harbor has great significance in our world’s history; if the United States never intervened and stopped Germany, Italy, and Japan, then the Axis powers would have eventually controlled all of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Pearl Harbor is the only naval base to be named a national historic landmark, and continues to be a great place to visit and tour.
