December 2011 - Obama Christmas Vacation in Hawaii

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


President Obama and his family returned to Hawaii in 2011 for their annual Christmas vacation. The President arrived in Hawaii on December 23rd and joined First Lady Michelle and daughters Malia and Sasha, who had arrived a week earlier. They departed on January 2nd. Unlike previous years where they stayed at the Plantation Estate, the Obama family stayed at another house in the same Castle Point neighborhood.

 

Photos of the 2011 Obama Vacation House in Kailua


  • Obama house in Kailua

    Kailua Beach area where President Obama's rental house is located

  • Obama 2011 rental house in Kailua

    View of Obama rental house after palms were removed (2012 photo)

  • Obama Kailua rental house - 2011

    2011 Obama Kailua vacation house - CNN/David Dunham

  • Obama Kailua rental house - 2011

    Living room - CNN/David Dunham

  • Obama Kailua rental house kitchen - 2011

    Kitchen - Washington Post/David Dunham

  • Obama Kailua rental house lanai - 2011

    Covered lanai - Washington Post/David Dunham

  • Obama Kailua rental house walkway - 2011

    Walkway - Politico/David Dunham

  • Obama Kailua rental home pool cabana - 2011

    Pool cabana - CNN/David Dunham

  • Pool at Obama house in Kailua

    Pool - CNN/David Dunham

  • Castle Point area in Kailua

    Castle Point area in Kailua

More information about the house where the Obama family is staying this year.



2011 Obama Vacation Photos


  • President Obama and dog Bo on Air Force One on trip to Hawaii

    President Obama and dog Bo on Air Force One en route to Hawaii - White House

  • President Obama arrives in Hawaii

    President Obama arrives at Hickam - AP

  • Michelle Obama in Kailua

    Michelle answers calls from children for the NORAD Tracks Santa program

  • Obama motorcade

    The Obama motorcade returning from golf at Kaneohe Marine Corps Base - AP

  • Obama calls the military on Christmas Eve

    President Obama calls 10 American service members on Christmas Eve

  • Obama family at church on Christmas

    Obama family arrives at Christmas service at a chapel on base - AP

  • Obama visits marines on Christmas

    President Obama visits military families at Christmas dinner in Anderson Hall

  • Obama Sasha Malia go on hike in Hawaii

    The Obama family hikes on the Pillbox trail - nwn.blogs.com

  • Obama motorcade at Hanauma Bay

    The presidential motorcade arrives at Hanauma Bay - AP

  • Obama releases baby sea turtles at Hanauma Bay

    Sea turtle release at Hanauma Bay - Limtiaco

  • Obama at Sea Life Park

    President Obama, Malia and Sasha leave Sea Life Park with their friends - AP

  • President Obama leaving Island Snow in Kailua

    President Obama leaves Island Snow after a shave ice stop - AP

  • President Obama at Pearl Harbor

    President Obama prepares to lay a wreath at Pearl Harbor - Reuters

  • President Obama and Michelle at USS Arizona Memorial

    Petals thrown into water at Arizona Memorial - EPA

  • President Obama at Punchbowl cemetery

    Presidential motorcade at Punchbowl cemetery - Getty

  • President Obama at East West Center

    First Family exits the East-West Center - Reuters

  • Obama swimming in ocean at Pyramid Rock Beach in Hawaii 2011

    President Obama swimming in the ocean at Pyramid Rock Beach on New Year's Day
    - White House

  • President Obama and Michelle depart Hawaii

    The President and First Lady walk toward Air Force One - AP

  • President Obama and Michelle wave from Air Force One - Hawaii

    The Obamas wave from Air Force One - Reuters

 

2011 Hawaii Christmas Vacation Itinerary

Friday 12/23/2011
  - President Obama arrived at Hickam Air Force Base around 6:00PM local time
  - Dinner in Waikiki at Morimoto restaurant

Saturday 12/24/2011
  - Golf at the Kaneohe Klipper golf course at Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) with Eric Whitaker, Mike Ramos, Greg Orme, Bobby     Titcomb, Sam Kass, and Marvin Nicholson
  - First Lady Michelle answered phone calls for NORAD's Santa Tracking Program.
  - President Obama made phone calls to 10 American service members stationed around the world
  - The Obama family spent a quiet Christmas Eve at home with close friends and the President's sister Maya Soetoro-Ng

Sunday 12/25/2011
  - The Obama family attended a Christmas service at a chapel at Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH)
  - President Obama and the First Lady returned to MCBH in the afternoon to visit with service members and their families
  - The Obama family enjoyed a Christmas dinner at their vacation home in Kailua with family and friends

Monday 12/26/2011
  - Early morning workout at Semper Fit Center at MCBH
  - First family went for a hike on the Lanikai Pillbox trail
  - Golf at the Kaneohe Klipper golf course at MCBH with Punahou friends Mike Ramos, Greg Orme and Bobby Titcomb

Tuesday 12/27/2011
  - Morning workout at Semper Fit Center at MCBH
  - Afternoon snorkeling at Hanauma Bay
  - Visited Sea Life Park on the way back from Hanauma Bay

Wednesday 12/28/2011
  - Golf at Ko'olau Golf Club in Kaneohe with Mike Ramos, Greg Orme and Bobby Titcomb
  - Dinner at Alan Wong's Restaurant in Honolulu with friends and sister Maya Soetoro-Ng

Thursday 12/29/2011
  - Morning workout at Semper Fit Center at MCBH
  - Picnic at Pyramid Rock Beach at MCBH
  - Stopped off at Island Snow in Kailua for shave ice
  - Went to Pearl Harbor and placed a wreath at the USS Arizona Memorial honoring those killed in the attack there in 1941

Friday 12/30/2011
  - Morning workout at Semper Fit Center at MCBH
  - Golf at the Kaneohe Klipper golf course at MCBH with Mike Ramos, Greg Orme and Bobby Titcomb.

Saturday 12/31/2011
  - President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act from his vacation rental in Kailua
  - Celebrated New Year's Eve at home by holding their traditional talent show with family and friends

Sunday 1/1/2012
  - Morning workout at Semper Fit Center at MCBH
  - Visited the grave of his maternal grandfather, Stanley Dunham at Punchbowl National Cemetery
  - Toured an exhibit at Honolulu's East-West Center on the anthropological work of President Obama's mother, Stanley Ann Dunham
  - Enjoyed three hours at the beach at MCBH in the afternoon
  - Dinner at Nobu Waikiki with friends

Monday 1/2/2012 - LAST DAY
  - Morning workout at Semper Fit Center at MCBH
  - The First Family departed from Hickam Air Force Base around 5:40pm.

 

2011 Obama Hawaii Christmas Vacation Videos


President Obama arrives in Hawaii - Video


Christmas church services for the Obama family - Video


Christmas day visit with military families - Video


President Obama at the USS Arizona Memorial - Video


Punchbowl National Cemetery and East West Center


Obamas depart Hawaii - Video


 

President Obama on the Beach Photo Gallery

 

View photos taken while President Obama was playing football on the beach in Hawaii

 

Who's who: Your handy guide to President Obama's vacation friends and staff

  • Eric Whitaker - Close Chicago friend; met Obama at Harvard Law; U of Chicago Medical Center executive

  • Marty Nesbitt - Close Chicago friend; President of "Parking Spot"; his wife who works at the U of Chicago Medical center delivered both Obama girls

  • Bobby Titcomb - Punahou friend; commercial fisherman who lives on Oahu

  • Mike Ramos - Punahou friend; businessman now living in Colorado

  • Greg Orme - Punahou friend

  • Sam Kass - White House chef and Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives

  • Marvin Nicholson - President Obama's new "body man" or personal assistant. Former White House trip director

 

Obama Hawaii Vacation Map


Click on the markers below to see the places President Obama has visited on his previous Hawaii trips. View the full Obama Hawaii Vacation Map in Google Maps.


View Obama Hawaii Vacation Map in a larger map

 

 

Read about President Obama's favorite places to eat in Hawaii.