Punchbowl Cemetery

A cemetery may seem like an odd choice for an outing, especially with kids, but that’s where we went recently.  We were meeting friends visiting Oahu and the place we were meeting and the time frame we had made the Punchbowl the obvious choice for something to do.

The Punchbowl, officially called the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, has a couple of areas I usually visit.  This time we started by going through the memorial with its mosaic maps of famous battles from WW II.  This one is my favorite - a map of Saipan where I grew up.

Both of my kids could fit right through the protective railing and since no one was around I was irresponsible and let them march in and out of the railings.  They thought that was great! 

 

They also enjoyed going up and down all the stairs and checking out the water fountain in the center of the memorial.

We walked up to the viewpoint area next.  While I chatted with my friends, my kids both enjoyed climbing and walking on the various walls along the way.  There was a lot of vog so the view of Diamond Head and the view toward Pearl Harbor were not as clear as usual but we still had fun checking out downtown from that vantage point.

Do it yourself:

Punchbowl Cemetery is located between Prospect Street and the Pali Hwy.  You will go through neighborhoods to get there and may feel lost at times, but there are signs at the main turns and overall it’s pretty easy to find.

As you enter the cemetery, take a left and drive up behind the memorial where there is parking between the memorial and the viewpoint.  Entrance and parking are both free.

If your children like walking along the tops of walls like mine do, keep an eye on them.  In some places the ground next to the walls drops away and your children can suddenly be many more feet up in the air than is safe.

I did my best to teach my children respect for the cemetery and the service members whose lives it was built to remember and honor.  I hope you will do the same.