Magoo's Burgers - Hawaii 2013

One of the most prominent landmarks in Waikiki (besides the endless number of ABC Stores that dot the area) is Diamond Head which is a volcanic tuff cone that looms over the city.  It’s also a popular hiking location because of the expansive views that it affords from the rim of the crater.

While the trail is short (about 3/4 of a mile one-way), it climbs up 560 feet on an exposed and uneven rocky path that takes you through dimly lit tunnels and a challengingly steep 99 steps towards the end of the hike.  If you make it past the 99 steps, there’s still a small spiral staircase that you need to climb that leads up to the concrete observation platform that you have to both duck and crawl out of to get to the top.  Alternatively, you can take a slightly longer but less intense route by taking a left instead of a right at the end of the tunnel before the 99 steps.

Because the trail is exposed, there’s very little shady rest spots to shelter yourself from the blazing heat.  The only thing that had me going was the thought of the Magoo’s Burgers food truck located at the base of the trail serving up shave ice.  While it was more like a snow cone because it lacked ice cream and red azuki beans, I wasn’t about to quibble since it was refreshing (we picked lemon-lime and watermelon).

Magoo’s is a food truck so I’m not sure if they are always at Diamond Head.  If you’re looking for a real shave ice experience, head up to the North Shore and check out Matsumoto Shave Ice in Haleiwa.

4204 Diamond Head Road
Honolulu, Hawaii

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