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Battleship New Jersey
At 887 feet of armor-plated steel, the 45,000-ton Battleship New Jersey dominates not only the New Jersey waterfront, but also American naval history.
Winding through tight, narrow companionways, visitors see the communication center, officers’ and enlisted men’s mess halls and sleeping quarters, which range from small private rooms for senior officers to even smaller cots stacked atop each other for enlisted men.
The dimly lit Combat Engagement Center displays radar and sonar tracking stations, while videos show the launch of Tomahawk missiles.
A highlight of the tour is the 16″ turret where 2,700-pound shells were loaded and fired to hit targets up to 23 miles away.
Best of all, some of the tour guides served active duty on the “Big J” and are more than happy to share their personal experiences.
Battleship New Jersey is America's most decorated warship.
Through World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam and the Gulf War, the Iowa-class Battleship New Jersey earned an unprecedented 19 Battle and Campaign Stars for outstanding service.
Today, the battleship is preserved to how it was when it was decommissioned for the fourth and final time in 1991, and it is America’s most decorated battleship.
Visitors are immersed in the battleship’s past when taking a tour. Guests can sit in the commander’s chair and check out the Combat Engagement Center (CEC), where all weapons were launched and tracked aboard the ship.
The CEC features a C-Whiz defense gun shoot, video of the tomahawk missile launch and more.
Families and youth groups can even spend a night aboard the ship. The overnight encampment program features breakfast and dinner in the mess halls, a chance to sleep in bunks used by sailors and time to check out areas of the ship that are unseen during regular daytime tours.
The Visit Philly Overnight Package — booked more than 190,000 times since 2001 — comes with free hotel parking (worth up to $100 in Center City Philadelphia), overnight hotel accommodations and choose-your-own-adventure perks.