Docents were wonderful. Disappointed that only 10% of the ship was available for touring due to Covid BUT we werent told this until after we paid our full tour price. $50 for less than a half hours worth of touring.

There is so much to see on this retired aircraft carrier. It’s actually one of the smaller aircraft carriers but it’s still massive. They have am Apollo space museum on the hangar deck and a good selection of planes on the flight deck. Admission was very reasonable and the ship is pretty much restored to its time in service.

Great museum. For lots of jets and flight deck is open. They have a part representing the Regiment 442 so thats great to see. Only dad thing is the bridge is not open.

Worth visiting the carrier....get to see things from close...it even has original Apollo part which gt astronauts back from moon...

I came here at night it was super chill the boats are so big i love to come here specially at night because is so calm

Hornet has huge history and I really enjoyed this little peek in it. My 2 boys were trilled.

So much history to be seen here! Apollo astronauts first steps on earth. Namesake of the ship that conducted the Dolittle raid in WW2. Tours, jets, memorabilia, events. Easy parking. Glorious views from the old Alameda naval air station. Worth a visit.

Awesome experience. The ship was more than I couldve imagined. Never been up close yet let alone on an aircraft carrier. It was the perfect backdrop for the Veterans Day festivities.

Really rich with history and very informed speakers with unique stories of their own. Unfortunately with crovid happening, they do have everything except their main floor closed. Couldnt view the deck or the interiors of the USS Hornet. However was given a 5 dollar off coupon in compensation of this and am definitely planning to go back for everything I didnt get a chance to see.

Great place to see a famous carrier that helped defeat the Imperial Japan. Very nice aircraft on display as well mainly on the hangar deck.

A really great place for family and/or just to hand out. The carrier is HUGE. The people are very knowledgeable and the view is unmatched. You will not be sorry. Just go.

Its a great place to bring the whole family to experience what its like to live out at sea. As a Cub Scout trip, we had the honor of sleeping overnight. In the mess hall, we had lasagna, salad, garlic bread, and a chocolate chip cookie for dinner. My son enjoyed sleeping on the three-tier bunks with all his Cub Scout friends. Fortunately, there were outlets for me to use my CPAP machine on the ceiling. The nighttime tour was interesting especially when it included ghost stories.

Great day. The docents were well informed, and good story tellers. Being on the flight deck really brings home the might of our navy, the professionalism of of our sailors, and the valor of those who have served our country. It was a great break from our pandemic boredom. Watch 30 Seconds Over Tokyo to make it a complete day.

Great way to spend the day and emerse in some great history. Docent and self led tours were great. Wonderful exhibits

I was on the USS Hornet CVS12 from 68 to 70 in the GO/Div, on board for Apollo 11 & 12.This experience was amazing.Very honored and proud to have been a part of history.

The tour guides were great. The took time explaining everything in detail, and they have a clear passion for the history. Loved it!

We spent our Saturday here, some places, like engine room, tower, need guided tour, which goes every hour, better register as early as possible. You can ask for audio tour device with you as well, which give you audio introduction for each place you go. Notice some smells down there, and you may want to wash everything after visit. Overall, excellent!

Extremely interesting place to visit. We had a special VIP tour which was supposed to last 2 hours but lasted 4 and our guide would have continued if we hadn’t stopped him (we had to get back). Well worth it.

The Hornet is a CV, WWII era non-nuclear aircraft carrier. I was in the Navy, but never saw a ship from this time period. My only issue is the incredibly poor condition of the ship and the base. The volunteer/historic group does the best it can, but this ship is one of the last of its kind and as much of a war hero as the men that served on it. I would absolutely love to see this ship brought back to its original condition (at least removing rust, painting, and non-skid type work) like many of the other naval ship museums Ive seen. The guides are incredibly knowledgeable and nice. We took the tour up to the bridge, but skipped the one to the engine room. Each tour takes about 45 minutes, plus there are a couple areas you can walk around on your own so its a lot of area to cover! The aircraft on the ship were not necessarily ones that would have flown off this carrier because they were from different decades, but it was very cool to see all of them too. The most interesting thing for us was learning what tools the pilots used to have to help them land, and how incredible it was that not everyone crashed. This was also the carrier that picked up Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins after the Apollo 11 mission!

I traveled to the Bay area for a quick weekend getaway. The even I was there for didnt start for several hours, and I needed something to occupy myself with.I quickly found the USS Hornet on the map, and knew I needed to go. And I am grateful I did. $20 well spent! I spent the next several hours roaming the decks of this historic naval vessel. The ship itself is a sight to see, but learning more about its history, and the impact it has had for the decades she served is even better.I highly recommend the guided tours they offer, but also suggest leaving time for yourself to roam the decks of this magnificent piece of history.

I loved my visit. Its great that there was plenty of room to park my 18 wheeler. Ill probably visit again next time I have some time to kill in the area!

Ok this is well worth the trip if your kids are into history. Especially when it is the Apollo 11 history. Check their schedule first. We found out the hard way that there are many free days and events going on. The tour of the command center you need an escort it they are always on the deck to give tours.

What an education! There is much history to see. Make sure you wear comfortable clothes and shoes...

A well-maintained representation of US history. We went for Smithsonian Museum Day (highly recommend taking advantage of museum day), so tickets were complimentary. All of the docents were stationed on the USS Hornet at some point in their naval careers. The staff members we encountered were incredible friendly and ready to share their stories and knowledge.Our favorite spots were the flight deck, with its incredible view of the city, and the planes/NASA exhibits.In a previous year, we attended a company holiday party here and it was amazing. We got to ride the deck elevator that is usually reserved for transporting planes between the decks.

Great place for adults and kids of all ages. You can have a tour guide or explore on your own. Lots of history to see and learn about. There is snacks/food area kinda pricey for what is offered. There is a cover charge, but affordable, well worth it. Handicap accessible for disabled. Plenty of parking space.

Amazing pieces of history happened aboard and it gives you a sense of the conditions our service men and women experienced during their time aboard. Fascinating connections also to the recovery of Apollos 11 and 12 and their crews with exhibits.The docents were all knowledgeable and welcoming and deserving of praise.One warning, the ship is HUGE and there is a lot of climbing involved. I wouldnt recommend this for small children or those not able to climb with both hands, particularly on the island tour.

The employees are great! Very nice ! Bill and Ross are very funny! I stayed the night for the history mystery overnight stay and all the workers were beyond helpful! Great staff!

People so super nice and welcoming

Such a fascinating old historical ship! Its a little expensive but it has to be to maintain the ship. I wish more of the ship was open to visitors like the bridge. But if you ask they will take you up there and be very friendly and informative about it! Must see for any military history enthusiasts

Loved coming here. Tour guide was excellent extremely knowledgeable about the history of the boat. And all the planes are so cool to look at. Taking a step back in time is so amazing to me. To look at the older gadgets is cool. Oh how technology has grown so much. But that a little sad, because our younger generation is going to depended on tech to get their problems solved. Example, can you get anywhere without gps/Google maps/waze?? Bring the kiddos its important that we pass on our history. Take a guided tour. Or walk around. I will have to go back for a self tour. I didnt a get a chance to see the entire ship. When I went, in May, it was chilly, you may want to bring light jacket.

Amazing to see what life was like aboard what was basically an entire village that maintained a mobile airport. You can see so much of the ship and the tour guides (docents) all seemed to have served in the Navy or Coast Guard and had amazing stories to share. They added so much colour and personality to the tour. Spent 5 hours there and didnt get through everything. Would definitely go again.

Just go and see, among the most impressive experiences in my life. Try to get a docent tour - you can see parts of the ship not generally open to visitors, and the docents have a lot of fascinating stories to tell. Book at least 4 hours for the visit.

What an amazing experience!! My son and I participated in the Night Ops STEM Overnight program and were completely blown away. Our docent was an amazing guy with a lot of life experience and treated our little group of 5 to probably the best tour of the ship that could possibly be crammed into the 18 hours we were aboard ship.USS Hornet CV-12 recovered Apollo 11 and 12 and played a major role in the WW2 pacific theater performing many firsts for the US Navy and carrier craft in general. We walked in Neil Armstrongs first footsteps after his return to earth, saw the helicopter that recovered every Apollo capsule, walked the flight deck that launched the Doolittle raid, saw many other aircraft in addition to touring the massive 872 foot long, 36,000 ton vessel that sits up to 93 feet above water line and 34 feet below.

Highly recommend for all ages. The historical value of the USS HORNET is priceless

Too big for photos! Excellent tours included! I recommend becoming a member. For two adults admission is $40, but a family annual membership is $90, and you get this ship plus reciprocal admission on a lot of other museum ships. Just seeing everything from main level up was enough for the day....and there is so much below, that I have to go back!

Fascinating look at WWII era carrier technology with bonus Apollo program artifacts and even cold war nuclear connections. Every time Ive been there I spent way more time than I planned and it was still not enough. Take any of the guided tours if you can for a look at parts of the ship you cant otherwise see. There is plenty to see on your own though.

We did a Boy Scout over night and it was fantastic. The amount of history in the people there and the equipment was staggering. We will definitely be back.

Awesome exhibition. Makes you proud to be an American.

I waited since 1969 to see Neil Armstrongs footprints, and finally achieved my goal

Love this place! I love ships and supporting all the veterans. This place has the best music events and parties. I’m so glad promoters can’t help keep this place alive. I can’t wait to come back and visit.

Great museum! The $20 are totally worth it! I especially advise to go for the free tour in the pilot room, navigation room and combat room!

Real historical ship, its like traveling back in time. She aided in shaping our history. Thank you for all who made the sacrifice and to the ones that gave all...

Reception didnt mention the general admission is not able to visit flight deck. Very beautiful aircraft carrier, really enjoy to visit this historical ship.

Loved the experience! We were there for boys scouts winter awareness so didnt take the tour but its pretty cool ship.

Amazing Everytime I visit

The look, feel, and smell of one of the grand old ladies of the Pacific Fleet! She did our nation proud for almost 3 decades, please do her proud by supporting her with a visit.

Aside from my terrible thallasophobia, the trip was extremely cool and interesting :))(thallasophobia is fear of the ocean/big bodies of water/or anything to do with the ocean)

Really nice place to visit and take a walk such a beautiful view of SF

Fun place for family and friends to learn about history. Very scenic views of San Francisco.

Nice aircraft museum, the guided tours were amazing!

Lots of places are under construction.But its always nice to her in person and actually get on a CV

On Halloween this is the place you have to visit at least once. They have a night tour (pay extra) the workers tell their ghost stories etc.live music, different bars you could grab a drink from and a costume contest. Very spacious venue.This takes place on a huge Historic ship mind you so its interesting to walk up to this & get on board.

My grandma used to work on the museum some years ago. I have alot of fun memories on this ship as a child. I would explore the ship while she worked. Let me tell you this place is Haunted. If you dont know that feeling walk the lower deck by yourself and you will see

This was a great experience. We enjoyed exploring the Hornet, seeing all the planes, and learning so much about the men and women who served on her. There’s also an excellent exhibit on Apollo 11. Highly recommend for kids, adults, and anyone interested in history.

This is an awesome piece of history. Perfect for school trips, family outings, even first dates. You can take a tour as group or even alone. One thing dont expect any hot beverages, even though the sign says hot beverages. Also dont even expect a cold coffee drink they just like advertising it I guess. You must visit the souvenir shop great prices compared to other souvenir shops Ive been into

I loved this place. Havent been since I was little. We went for memorial day and it was a blast. They did a ceremony in honor of memorial day. The staff/volunteers working were great. We took a tour of the island which I highly recommend, also know as the control tower. Ray was our guide and he was hilarious and told great stories of his time in the service. The carrier is fun to tour through as you navigate through all the halls. Easy to get turned around in. Definitely recommend this to everyone.

As an Army veteran, Im in awe of the brave men and women that served during WWII. The USS Hornet played an important role and the many volunteers (Bosuns) provide visitors with a wealth of information. The guided tours offer a glimpse of life on the iconic ship and the past literally comes to life. The fact that this historic ship was saved from the wrecking yard, is a testament to the tenacity of those dedicated to saving her. Do yourself a favor and pay a visit to the USS Hornet. Take the time to soak up naval and NASA history, thank the dedicated volunteers for their time and service and leave a better and more knowledgeable citizen.

Touring the USS Hornet was VERY informative and interesting. You can easily spend 1/2 day walking through it. We absolutely LOVED it! The tour guides are very friendly too. You can tell they enjoy doing what they do. Makes all the difference.

Great guide on our tour he flew helicopters in Vietnam had access to every part of ship

That’s a picture of my elder Russ he is the best tour guide ever he served our country for many years and he’s very knowledgeable about the USS hornet it’s amazing how many aircraft they have inside that big ship they have videos and games and tours what a wonderful place to take your family I highly recommend it

People should visit this museum more. The veterans helped us understand how life was like living in the USS Hornet before its decommissioning. Pretty amazing. And am wondering why not many people come to visit it!

Lots to see, cover charge not to expensive $$, veterans, and seniors discount, children under 4 are free. Handicap accessible lots of parking. Great view of San Francisco and bay area bridges. Lots of world wars history.

Must see when in Bay area. Guided tours were the best.

A great piece of history. The Hornet doesnt receive the same publicity as the Midway (in San Diego). Received a one on one tour. A must see.

Huge place with lots of things to see, with knowledgeable and friendly staff. Simply walking around is an adventure in itself. Definitely worth a visit.

A lot of fun getting to walk through the ship. Wonderful programs for kids. Vary informative exhibits. Had a great time. I really enjoyed talking to the veteran pilot.

You just have to love this place since you may seeing an WW2 carrier everyday. Some staff was vets on board, much respect!

Excellent aircraft carrier that picked Apollo 11 astronauts from the ocean. Some helicopters and planes on board.

Amazing aircraft ships war. Friendly and professional guide man.

Amazing visit of this floating museum and aircraft carrier with a great history. You can visit a lot on your own, but I highly recommend doing the guided tours. I had the chance to go on the engine room tour with Andrew, a veteran who served on this ship. He shared stories from life on the boat and real life situations he encountered. I will be back to see the remaining of the ship.

Great piece of history to visit with the family. Was not crowded and we had access to 80%of the ship. The docents were very helpful and friendly.

Wonderful museum ship full of incredible artifacts and history. Can easily spend all day going through the ship with docent-led and self-guided tours. Great for the whole family!

Fantasic old ship with a wonderful staff of people who are passionate about keeping this carrier around for as long as possible.Went for tea service in the Officers Mess. Had a wonderful time and will absolutely be returning

Astonishing feeling to be on such a tremendous warship. Unfortunately its not in the best shape but the crew do increment efforts to get it visible for the audience. Special thanks for Donald who made this old ship more alive with his great stories during our tour!

Highly recommend for all ages! Do the engine room tour- you will not be disappointed.

Very educational historical place for school agw kids. Lots of stairs. Wear good walking shoes. it may get windy on deck but the views are great.

Sweet spot to walk around. Spectacular views of the City at anytime of day or night. Can fish at the end of the pier if that floats your boat. The museum costs a lot but you can walk around the entire ship for free and still enjoy the views. Its a great little area to explore. There is an awesome view of the City from a variety of angles. Additionally, there are other boats moored nearby that are also interesting to look at; although you cannot go inside of them. There area is kind of hidden in Alameda, so there isnt a lot of traffic and you almost feel like youre not supposed to be there, but it is part of the public shoreline.

Great experience on this Legendary ship. I hope people come and support this ship!!

What can I say? The staff was very genial and I was happy to be on board on an aircraft carrier!

What a great experience! Make sureyou plan for at least 4-5hours in you like military history and really wanna see the carrier!

Steve and Bruce were great guides. We gave ourselves 2.5 hours or so, and we saw the flight deck, the island, CIC, the fire room, and the engine room. That was kind of rushing their explanations, though. If youre moderately interested in military or engineering, I would give yourself 3-4 hours at least, just to hit the aforementioned places. A military or history buff could easily spend a whole day there. Its pretty awesome.

This place was insanely cool. Not only does it give you a glimpse of these fantastic machines circa ww2, the docents are mostly veterans of the actual ship. So for the various tours, you get to hear thier actual experiences. The planes are great on the hangar deck. Several in the flight deck are getting weather and corroded sure to the salt Sea air. The fact that the hornet was instrumental to the United States space program is also highlighted. There are some interesting exhibits surrounding that aspect of the hornet time on the water.

In the area on business and stumbled on this majestic carrier - what a great surprise. We visited on a September weekday, so virtually no crowd. Plenty of time to talk to the volunteers, most of which served on similar crafts, so they were incredibly well informed. We spent about three hours total on site, and could have easily spent 3 more. We happened to get there in time for an excellent, guided tour of the engine room. That took 90-120 minutes by itself and I dont think we covered everything. Upper control room was not accessible, but would love to go back to finish what we started. Thanks to all who support this wonderful piece of history. Glad they didnt turn her into a reef.

Great family environment for historical navy and military ship like plane carriers

Great museum to visit. the walk through doesnt take that long so its definitely worth the visit

My grandfather worked on this ship while he was in the navy, so I love going here. Very tight quarters, but that is to be expected. I do not recommend if you have claustrophobia. Otherwise it is a beautiful ship with a lot of history! They have tours and a gift shop as well.

This place takes me back to the time they used this they provided lot of excellent information I had a great time there.

One of the best places that I have visited in SF, loved it and have great respect to those who have served in wars. The admission is 20 US. In this city, I think it is a very cheap price comparing to the rest, lots to see if you don’t just go around and taking picture only. At lower deck, there are many photos that tell us the history of it, at the middle deck, you can go around the air crafts, including the bus where the Apollo 11 crews stayed. The guide tour of the ship is free. Going there without a car can be a bit inconvenient but as a tourist myself, I took the bart then combined it with Uber. Quite simple and price is also reasonable since my hotel is in SF downtown. There is also direct ferry.

Awesome place to see and have a quick recap of history and events related to USS Hornet. Easy to find location, sufficient parking and little away from tourist rush.

Loved it. The man giving our group tour was also a great pleasure to meet him

Really nice displays on lower part of ship. Was extremely disappointed when we were told after touring part of ship that flight deck was closed due to some function being prepared for. That they didnt tell us half the display was closed when we purchased tickets, made me really mad. I would call ahead and ask. Also they didnt put up signs of the closure which was also frustrating, we had to find somebody to ask. Ship is in pretty poor condition.

Had a great time seeing this WW2 Aircraft Carrier. Amazing that our service men lived, worked and defended our country aboard this carrier. Definitely not the Ritz Carlton!!!Tips for visiting; be sure to get there early if you want to take in the various tours they offer (no extra charge for these) so as to allow yourself some time between the tours. Parking is free and plentiful ... located towards the front of the carrier.On deck, it can be quite breezy and cool. Maybe bring a hoodie or something similar.Stairs getting on the carrier and in the carrier are very small and steep. Watch your head as well going through the doorways.No food service on board ... so maybe pack a few munchies and some water. Though you can leave the carrier to go get some lunch and return. Just show your entry receipt to return on board.The staff are mostly all former service men of that era. They are quite friendly and have some interesting stories. Though the service men I encountered all served on other vessels, not the Hornet.There are a few aircraft topside and more below deck. Interesting and fascinating exhibits through out the carrier.Highly recommend this. It will make you really appreciate our service personnel and our countrys military.

Great time at the 50 year anniversary of Apollo 11.

Great place to go and take the kids, the staff are friendly and more than willing to help. Its a big ship so need a few hours.

Loved the visit to the Hornet, such an historic ship and well preserved. The volunteers were knowledgeable and very helpful. Try to visit if you can

This place is wonderful. I saw the 40th anniversary of the splashdown here in 2009 with Buzz Alderin and a promotion ceremony of my friend to Master Chief. Very historical place and noteworthy experience.

Very cool ship! Ross was our docent tour guide and he really knew his stuff! It was a great time had by all!

Excellent displays, and very knowledgeable docents.

Historical Essex Class Aircraft Carrier, nearly identical to the USS Oriskany, where I served on and helped decommission in 1976. The anchor displayed at the pier is from the USS Oriskany. My family and I were given a VIP tour. Escorted by veterans who volunteer, the experience is enjoying to multiple generations simultaneously educational as well.

A great place to go...