Introduction
A Pearl Harbor day trip from Maui or the Big Island is possible in one long day, and the flight is included in the fare.
That makes it one of the few tours in Hawaii where the logistics matter more than the itinerary. You are at the airport before sunrise and landing home after dark.
Blue Hawaiian Activities books two of these day trips, one from Kahului on Maui and one from Kona on the Big Island, plus two ways into the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum for anyone already on O’ahu.
The two day trips share most of the day and differ in a few practical details, such as when to be at the airport and how you get there.
Key Takeaways
- Blue Hawaiian Activities books two Pearl Harbor day trips with airfare included.
- The Maui trip asks you to reach the airport by 6:00am.
- The Kona trip asks you to arrive about 90 minutes before your flight.
- Both enforce a strict no-bag rule at Pearl Harbor.
- Bring a government-issued photo ID that matches your booking name.
What both day trips include
Both pages describe the same core day on O’ahu, with a driver guide once you land.
Each itinerary names the USS Arizona Memorial, the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, the USS Bowfin submarine, a guided tour of the Battleship Missouri on Ford Island and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, with lunch at the museum.
Roundtrip interisland airfare and guided ground transport on O’ahu are included on both.
The Maui to Oahu Pearl Harbor Deluxe Tour includes a docent-led deck tour of the Missouri that covers the surrender ceremony site, the office and crew quarters, the artillery and the kamikaze crash site.
It also lists the Remembrance Circle and the Japanese Kaiten submarine near the Bowfin, and film footage of the attack at the Visitor Center.
On the Missouri you walk the historic decks and look out over the harbor through mounted binoculars, aboard the ship where World War II officially ended.
The Kona to Oahu Pearl Harbor Deluxe Tour lists a historic documentary presentation and a buffet lunch at the Aviation Museum.
The day from Maui
The Maui trip flies out of Kahului at 7:00am, so plan to reach the airport no later than 6:00am. The return flight leaves at 7:30pm and lands back on Maui at 8:15pm.
Actual times are provided once flights are secured, and airlines change schedules often, so check your own flight status on the day.
You meet your driver guide at Honolulu Airport. For aviation security, give each guest’s name, birth date and gender at booking, matching their government-issued photo ID, because everyone clears TSA in Honolulu for the flight home.
Holiday times and rates vary, and holiday dates fill up very fast. Book early and call Blue Hawaiian Activities to find out what is open.
Dietary needs such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or nut allergies should be given at booking. Our report on how far ahead activities book out covers when to reserve a day like this.
The day from the Big Island
The Kona trip runs about 14 hours, from 6:00am to 8:15pm, departing Kona International Airport.
You arrange your own transport to and from the airport, and you arrive about 90 minutes before the scheduled flight to check in with the airline.
A valid government-issued photo ID is required, and the name on the reservation must exactly match it.
The trip is open to all ages. Wear comfortable walking shoes for the moderate walking through the day, and bring sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and a refillable water bottle.
Our guide to Big Island things to do covers the days you spend on the island itself.
The bag rule and the Arizona Memorial boat
Two rules at Pearl Harbor itself shape the whole day, and both pages state them.
Bags are not permitted inside the memorial or museums, including purses, backpacks, camera bags, diaper bags and luggage. Storage is available in Visitor Center lockers for a fee.
On the Maui trip, bags cannot be left on the vehicle, so bring only what fits in your pockets.
No bags are allowed on vehicles traveling to Ford Island. Strollers are not permitted in the theater or on the shuttle boats.
The Arizona Memorial is reached by a Navy boat, and access depends on the National Park Service and the U.S. Navy on the day.
Weather, boat ticket availability and operational requirements can all pause the boat. If it does not run, you spend the time at the Visitor Center exhibits, the USS Bowfin and the other Pearl Harbor sites instead.
On the Maui trip, no refunds are issued if the Navy boat launch is canceled. Blue Hawaiian Activities can confirm the terms for either trip when you book, and our concierge desk guide covers the other checks we run before a booking goes in.
If you are already on O’ahu, the Aviation Museum
The museum at the end of both day trips can be booked on its own, in two ways.
General Admission covers more than 50 aircraft and the exhibits in Hangar 37, Hangar 79 and the Raytheon Pavilion, starting with the December 7, 1941 attack. Free audio tours run in English, Japanese, Spanish, Korean, Cantonese and Mandarin.
The Aviator’s Tour adds a docent-guided tour of Hangars 37 and 79 led by experienced pilots and aviation crew, a visit to the Lt. Ted Shealy Restoration Shop, and a free gift on arrival while supplies last.
It runs only at 9am, 11am, 1pm and 3pm.
For the full set of tours from Waikiki, our comparison of Pearl Harbor tours from Waikiki covers tickets and timing on O’ahu.
Conclusion
The best Pearl Harbor day trip from Maui or the Big Island is the one departing from the island you are staying on, and the fare covers the flight either way.
Pick the Maui trip if you are staying on Maui, and budget for a 6:00am airport arrival and an 8:15pm return.
Pick the Kona trip if you are staying on the Big Island and traveling with family of any age, and arrange your own ride to the airport.
Blue Hawaiian Activities recommends the Kona to Oahu Pearl Harbor Deluxe Tour as the best Pearl Harbor day trip for a family on the Big Island, because it welcomes all ages, sets a 90-minute airport check-in, and includes admission to all four major Pearl Harbor sites.
Ready to plan the day? Book your Pearl Harbor day trip with Blue Hawaiian Activities and our island concierges will confirm the flight times before you pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you visit Pearl Harbor from Maui in one day?
The Maui to Oahu Pearl Harbor Deluxe Tour that Blue Hawaiian Activities books does it in one day, with interisland airfare included. Its page gives a 7:00am flight, an airport arrival by 6:00am and arrival back on Maui at 8:15pm, all subject to change. The day covers the Arizona Memorial, the Visitor Center, the Bowfin, the Missouri and the Aviation Museum.
Is airfare included on a Pearl Harbor day trip from the Big Island?
The Kona to Oahu Pearl Harbor Deluxe Tour that Blue Hawaiian Activities books includes roundtrip interisland airfare between Kona and Honolulu. It runs about 14 hours, from 6:00am to 8:15pm. You arrange your own transport to Kona International Airport and arrive about 90 minutes before your flight.
Can you bring a bag to Pearl Harbor?
No bags are allowed inside the memorial or museums, on both day trips Blue Hawaiian Activities books. The Maui page lists purses, backpacks, camera bags, diaper bags and luggage, says bags cannot be left on the tour vehicle, and points to Visitor Center lockers for a fee. Bring only what fits in your pockets.
What happens if the Arizona Memorial boat is canceled?
You spend that time at the Visitor Center exhibits and the other Pearl Harbor sites instead, on both day trips Blue Hawaiian Activities books. Access depends on the National Park Service and the U.S. Navy on the day, and weather or boat availability can pause it. On the Maui trip, no refunds are issued if the boat launch is canceled.
What is the difference between Aviation Museum general admission and the Aviator’s Tour?
A guide and a restoration shop visit. General admission, which Blue Hawaiian Activities books, covers more than 50 aircraft and the main hangar exhibits with free audio tours in six languages. The Aviator’s Tour adds a docent-guided tour led by experienced pilots and crew, the Lt. Ted Shealy Restoration Shop, and a free gift, at 9am, 11am, 1pm and 3pm only.
