Battleship IOWA General Access Pass
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Los Angeles, USA
- 1 to 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Enjoy the special opportunity to explore the only publicly accessible battleship on the West Coast—and learn all about its wealth of history—when you book advance tickets to the USS Iowa. Active since 1943, the ship has seen conflicts from World War II to the Korean War. With the accompanying mobile app, you’ll hear stories from soldiers and veterans about wartime life, and will have multimedia accompaniments to your excursion. Upgrade your experience to include guided tours of exclusive areas.
- Book your tickets before you travel for a stress-free visit
- This excursion is perfect for visiting history buffs
- The accompanying mobile app offers an interactive, multimedia experience
- Learn about the ship’s history, and hear stories from its former crew
What's Included
- Free App
- Parking
Meeting and Pickup
Departure Point
- Battleship IOWA Museum, 250 S Harbor Blvd San Pedro, Los Angeles, CA 90731-2830
What To Expect
1
Battleship IOWA Museum
Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Most travelers can participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 280 reviews
Kelly_C, Apr 2026
Great self guided tour. There is a restoration project of the deck ongoing on that did not hinder the experience. At the end there is a museum and a food truck. At the museum you could buy metal cabinets from the original Iowa ship.
russell_g, Apr 2026
very interesting and fun Staff were all friendly and informative a real feel for the times and technology
Allen_B, Jan 2026
Our Guide was fantastic! Charles (a retired US Navy Captain was very knowledgeable about President Roosevelt's secret trip on the Iowa during WWII andkept us engaged with his questions at e phase of the tour. He was awesome. My father a Korean war vet had a great time, not only learning about the secrete mission but also reminiscing with the Captain about his time in the Navy. Thank you Charles!
Dennis_G, Jan 2026
Quite a good experience. Well presented and very good narrative from the volunteers. You can do this tour relatively quick or take your time to get deep into the details
Christopher_H, Nov 2025
I retired from the Navy in 2005.
If I had went on the ship, it would have been ok!
We took the tour, Gary was great.
He made the ship come alive!
We had a great time on the ship because of the tour!!!!
20.00 per person more seems like a lot, but it was worth every penny!
Thank you Gary!
Jon_O, Oct 2025
A visit to any historical US Navy ship should not be passed up. The
USS Iowa visit was an experience to be remembered. The people
tending to the visit very courteous and friendly. The self conducted
tour was fun and interesting and we could spend as much time as
wanted without any pressure to move on.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you for the 5-star review! We’re thrilled to hear you had a memorable visit aboard Battleship IOWA. It’s wonderful that you enjoyed the self-guided tour and felt welcome by our courteous and friendly team. We hope to welcome you back soon for even more history and exploration!
Lawrence_G, Aug 2025
limited acess. in process project. would have like to see the 50 cals uncovered, historic ahip for aure
Gary_M, Aug 2025
Amazing, interesting, great historical value, volunteers do a great job. Lots of videos explaining different aspects of the battleship
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for your 5-star review! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the Battleship IOWA and found it both interesting and full of historical value. Our volunteers work hard to make the experience engaging, and we’re glad the videos helped bring the ship’s history to life. We hope to welcome you back aboard soon!
Samuel_G, Jul 2025
I loved to see the big ship and educate myself about the history of USS Iowa. It was amazing and very educative.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for visiting the Battleship IOWA and for taking the time to leave a review!
We’re so glad to hear that you enjoyed exploring the ship and found the experience both amazing and educational. Sharing the rich history of the USS IOWA is something we’re passionate about, and it means a lot to know it made an impact on your visit.
We hope to welcome you back aboard again soon!
Richard_N, Jul 2025
The USS Iowa is a fantastic reminder that freedom is not free. There is so much to see and do on board and I plan on returning and taking a guided tour.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you so much for your thoughtful review! We’re honored to serve as a reminder of the sacrifices made for our freedom. We're glad you enjoyed your visit and all there is to see on board.
We’d love to welcome you back for a guided tour—it’s a great way to dive even deeper into the ship’s rich history and stories.
See you again soon aboard the Battleship IOWA!
Omar_B, Apr 2025
Great for quick trip (1.5 - 2.5 hrs) when visiting the area. Parking was plenty and inexpensive. Very interesting seeing the ship, yet at times not enough “descriptive” signage.
Robert_L, Apr 2025
Took our grandsons, 10 and 8 years old, and we really enjoyed the experience. We recommend it to our friends.
Brian_W, Apr 2025
I love how history is being preserved in this ship. Thanks to all the people that have donated so much of their precious time!
Toni_A, Feb 2025
It's was great. Great video, history, explaining what things where. Great for kids. Would do it again.
Jon_R, Jan 2025
Showing up early and driving through the fog with the windows down over the bridges and seeing BB61 as the sun came through was a good way to start 2025!
Great staff and self tour.
Dennis_S, Sep 2024
The ship itself was a story in itself. I appreciated the reminder that freedom is not free, that indeed it comes at a cost. The restoration work is being carefully done to preserve and honor not only the vessel, but the memories of so many who served. Thank you
Patrick_M, Jun 2024
Seeing battleship's crew quarters and mess hall, and Captains quarters. Our own father was a 'Signalman" on the USS Iowa 1942 - 1945...he is no longer with us, but his memories of the battles, coming to shore and general overall experience was always very very entertaining.
Ellen_P, Jun 2024
It was very underwhelming and not worth the money. There were very few plaques explaining what things were. One of the video presentations wasn’t working. There were no docents to ask questions of.
ADAM_S, May 2024
My wife and I purchased tickets the night before but unfortunately, we had a family emergency Saturday morning and couldn't attend. I wrote to the company to see if we could get our money back as $60 is a lot of money for two retirees. I never heard back from anyone. I mean, the least they could have done was send a note saying refunds are against our policy or something of this nature. I hate it when companies don't reply back. They were very eager to take our money yet, nothing from them when we request a refund due to a family emergency!
Wendy_R, Apr 2024
The battleship looks amazing & highly recommended to visit. Brilliant to see the rooms and museum full of history!
Philippe_T, Feb 2024
This is a magnificently restored warship with a rich history. The ship and its weapons systems is fascinating, and the museums inside are equally interesting. While there are steep and narrow stairways to go up and down, it's not difficult. We had a lot of fun taking the self-guided tour through the ship. The main guns are massive and impressive. I hope that one day they'll open up the engine rooms as well. There's even a hot dog stand on the deck at the end of the tour. I highly recommend.
Christine_H, Jul 2023
Ship is under restoration. Still has lots to see. It's living history and the men who served are now guides to answer questions.
Donna_C, Jul 2023
Quite the experience. Good walk. Great weather. Even got an in-depth story about how the ship was built from a very informative volunteer.
Rach_E, Jun 2023
Very cool experience! We thoroughly enjoyed this tour and the history that accompanied it. Thanks to the tour operators for allowing us the opportunity to attend as we ran late as our third party app gave us the incorrect address and the GPS coordinates were not right. They were very understanding and we were grateful for that. If we can give any advice, contact the tour guide for the correct address so you don’t experience what we went through. -Thanks, Grateful Canadians!
Janice_H, Jun 2023
Seeing the very close living quarters and also the brig!
The missile launchers were fascinating as well, and how much powder it takes to fire one!
Kimberly_P, May 2023
My husband served on the Iowa in the early 1980's. This was his first time back since she was decommissioned & what an emotional trip it was! We were greeted by a group of retired sailors, some of which, like my husband, had served upon this amazing battleship. They swapped sea stories for a bit on the Quarterdeck & then we were on our way down Memory Lane.
There were many emotional moments for my husband, but none more powerful than walking into the Officer's Wardroom & my husband seeing the "fancy work" he did nearly 40 years ago on the poles. He was a young BM2 back in those days, with an eye for detail & a heart for legacy, little did he know how pivotal those days aboard the USS Iowa would become for the soon to be Warrant Officer.
During my husband's nearly 39 years of service to his country, he always told young people he met "every Sailor needs to go to sea, but if you're fortunate enough to serve upon a war fighting machine, it will change your life for the better".
Though the military has shifted to more technically advanced ships, the mission remains the same; To Protect & To Serve. Walking throughout the USS Iowa was a reminder of the remarkable generation that served upon her. A breed of sailors that, quote frankly, no longer exists in today's military.
This is a tour every patriotic American should visit. You'll stroll the decks of history, climb up & down the ladders of might and walk away with a greater appreciation for the sacrifices of those who answer the call to serve.
100% worth the $25 ticket investment!
angel_s, Dec 2022
the history of the ship, the canons, thevolunteers willing to answer questions and just the way they explained it.
Jose_L, Nov 2022
My kid loved the battleship and we stayed till closing time. We had hot dogs there too. It’s a great place to visit , look at the sea and the big boats in the port. Full of history.
Gary_B, Oct 2022
Marveling at how this ship was built 80 years ago - incredible considering the leaps in technology since that time
brian_c, Sep 2022
There were too many — just a great experience — highly recommend — if you are interested in history this is a great experience —
From $29.95
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Battleship IOWA General Access Pass
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