Sites To See In Hawaii

Pearl Harbor is a National Historic Landmark and active military base that earned its place in history for the 1941 attack, which killed 1,177 servicemen on the USS Arizona. The site is now home to several attractions that are part of the World War II Valor in the Pacific Monument, including the USS Arizona Memorial, which floats above the remains of the sunken ship - parts of which can be seen protruding from the water. There is no cost for a tour of the memorial, however reservations are recommended due to its popularity. The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center has free admission and is the meeting place for tours, including transportation to the Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island, where visitors can see WWII aircraft and artifacts, as well as experience landing an airplane on an aircraft carrier in a flight simulator. Other attractions include the USS Oklahoma, USS Utah, and the Battleship USS Missouri whose deck can be toured by visitors. The park's centerpiece, Kilauea, has been active as recently as 2018, and visitors should be aware that portions of the park are closed during periods of seismic activity that might pose a threat. Located on the Big Island of Hawaii, Volcanoes National Park offers a unique, close-up look at an active volcano system where lava seeps from fissures in the earth. The surrounding landscape is shaped by cooled lava rock, both old and new, which has flowed over roads in a display of its unstoppable force. During the area's most active periods, tourists have the chance of experiencing the thrill of feeling seismic activity, hearing the boom of gas emissions, or even seeing a pillar of ash escaping into the air. The park has many things to do and see, including the Thurston Lava Tube, the Jagger Museum, Devastation Trail, and the steaming Halema'uma'u crater.