August 2008 Obama Hawaii Vacation

(Visit the Obama Hawaii Vacation page on this website to see photos from all of his vacations)

In August 2008, Barack Obama, wife Michelle, and daughters Malia and Sasha spent a week on vacation in Hawaii. They stayed at a private residence in Kailua, located on the windward side of Oahu. They spent a relaxing week doing pretty much what "regular" folks do when they come to visit. Here is a photo gallery of their vacation.

Obama Hawaii Vacation Google Map

Click on each blue marker to see each place Obama visited. For more details, click multiple times on the "+" to zoom in for a closer look!

Here is a brief description of their itinerary (** See map above):

Friday 8/8/08
- Arrived Honolulu International Airport
- Attended Welcome Rally at Ke'ehi Lagoon Beach Park
- Visited Grandmother Madelyn Dunham on the 10th floor of Punahou Circle Apartments
- Unpacked and settled into the 11-bedroom beach house rental in Kailua. The house is owned by California resident Jill Tate Higgins. For more about this house, read my blog post.

Saturday 8/9/08
- Obama took an early morning jog on Kailua Beach (around 6:30AM)
- Obama played 18 holes of golf at Olomana Golf Links
- Visited Grandmother at her apartment
- Dinner at Alan Wong's Restaurant in Honolulu

Sunday 8/10/08
- Worked out at 24-Hr Fitness in Kaneohe
- Took Malia and Sasha to see the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park
- Stopped off at Aloha Tropical Farms - macadamia nut farm outlet store
- BBQ at Punahou high school buddy, Bobby Titcomb's house on the North Shore

Monday 8/11/08
- Visited Grandmother at her apartment
- Watched the new Batman movie (Dark Knight) at Ward Complex
- Dinner at Mariposa restaurant, located on the 3rd floor of Niemen Marcus at Ala Moana Center

Tuesday 8/12/08
- Obama played a pickup game of basketball at his old high school Punahou
- Stopped by Kua 'Aina Sandwich Shop at Ward Center for burgers and fries to go
- Picnic with the kids at Magic Island (Ala Moana Beach Park)
- Stopped by his Grandmother's apartment
- Raised $1.3 million at sold-out fundraiser at Kahala Hotel & Resort. 500 people attended for $2,300 each or $10,000 for the VIP reception.

Wednesday 8/13/08
- Played a round of golf in Kailua at Luana Hills Country Club. Stopped off in the clubhouse for a hotdog, energy bar, and a can of Aloha Green Tea(Green Apple).
- Visited Punchbowl Cemetery - Obama's maternal grandfather, Stanley Dunham, an Army sergeant during World War II is inurned in the columbarium in niche 440. He passed away in 1992.
- Stopped off to admire the view at the Pali Lookout
- Took daughters Malia and Sasha and their friends to Island Snow in Kailua for some shave ice. Obama ordered a tri-colored cone of Guava Orange, Lanikai Lime, and Choo Choo Cherry.

Thursday 8/14/08
- Went snorkeling at Hanauma Bay.
- Obama left his daughters at Hanauma Bay with friends and went to Lanai Lookout to pay his respects to his mother, whose ashes he scattered there several years ago. He was joined by his Punahou friends Greg Orme and Bobby Titcomb.
- Obama went body surfing at Sandy Beach catching five waves in 30 minutes. He then went back to Hanauma Bay and then returned to his rental house in Kailua.
- Obama and family went to the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor

Here is a video of Barack Obama on the beach in Kailua on his first day here

This video shows Barack Obama at Lanai Lookout and also bodysurfing at Sandy Beach