KTJohnson Loc: Northern Michigan

The experience of being there and knowing what happened is the main thing. The movie you'll see before going to the AZ site will help with that. As far as getting photos of the actual sunken ship - there's actually not that much to see. Some good photos of the AZ Memorial can be had from the USS Bowfin or the USS Missouri.

If you have the time, a trip to the Missouri & Bowfin (WWII submarine) are well worth your time.

From the Missouri


From the Bowfin


From the boat that takes you to the Memorial

Ted Liette Loc: Greenville, Ohio

Good information... :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Toolking Loc: Pacific Northwest

Would be helpful if we knew what your options were. IMHO a long lens isn't necessary. I'd opt for fast and wide.

Ka2azman Loc: Tucson, Az

The reason I heard for no backpacks and purses rule is because they take up valuable space. The memorial is swamped with people. People treat backpacks etc as a human and place them on seats as well as being tripping hazards on the floor. Also if worn, they add considerable to the depth of each and everyone who wears one. These actions take up valuable space they could give to another person who wants to attend the memorial. As it is they have to turn away people because of the popularity of the memorial.

amkras Loc: NY

I will certainly absorb the history of this site but I wanted to be prepared for good photo ops as well.

Thank you all.

daddybear Loc: Brunswick, NY

Reverence, Respect and Appreciation is all you need to bring. A small P&S will be sufficient for photos. Use your
DSLR on the rest of the trip. Great place and a great state.
Enjoy it.

amadjuster Loc: Amarillo, TX

You'll have no more than 30 minutes on the Memorial. As the barge comes in, the other barge is leaving. Your time there will depend on how long it takes for the next barge to get from the main dock to the Memorial. As I recall, there are a total of 3 or 4 barges in operation. One is loading while one is unloading and one is in transit and one is docked. It moves rapidly! You won't have a lot of time on the Memorial itself. You will have tons of time on the USS Missouri. As a side note, pay attention to the list of names of the dead. They are listed by ship, as I recall, and there are 3 or 4 US Naval airmen from one of the carriers that was not at Pearl Harbor. These poor guys were shot down when they flew in from the carriers. Right after that, the US emblem on the planes were changed to not look like a Japanese sun! There is also a separate list of the sailors who have died since then and whose ashes have been placed inside the Arizona.

Indi Loc: L. I., NY, Palm Beach Cty when it's cold.

If your experience is like my experience was, you'll be absorbing more than history. Take the 18-200 as suggested, unless you have a prime like a 35mm or 50 mm. There's nothing you'll see at a distance except perhaps the USS Missouri, or the Memorial as you approach or depart from it.
Enjoy the moment and don't concentrate too much on the pictures.