December 2008 - Obama Christmas Vacation in Hawaii

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


In December 2008, Barack Obama, wife Michelle, and daughters Malia and Sasha chose to spend their Christmas in Hawaii. They stayed at a private residence on Kailua Beach, located on the windward side of Oahu. Here are some photos from their vacation:

  • Obama arrives in Hawaii

    Arriving in Hawaii (R.Breyer-Hon Advertiser)

  • Obama Kailua rental house

    Paradise Point estates at the end of Kailua Beach

  • aerial view of Obama Kailua rental house

    Aerial view of Obama's rental house in Kailua

  • Obama golfing at Olomana

    Obama golfing at Olomana with Eugene Kang (AP Gerald Herbert)

  • Obama greeting marines in Hawaii

    Obama greets marines after workout (AP Lawrence Jackson)

  • Obama memorial service for grandmother

    Obama attended a memorial service for his grandmother here (AP Gerald Herbert)

  • Obama and family head down to Lanai lookout

    Obama and family head down to Lanai Lookout after service

  • Obama plays golf at Midpac

    Obama plays golf at MidPac Country Club (AP Gerald Herbert)

  • Obama visits marines on Christmas

    Obama visits with some marines on Christmas Day

  • Obama feeds sea lions at Sea Life Park Hawaii

    Feeding the sea lions at Sea Life Park (S. Shepherd/CNN)

  • Obama with the dolphins at Sea Life Park Hawaii

    Looking at the dolphins (Photo - Sea Life Park)

  • Obama orders shave ice in hawaii kai

    Obama orders shave ice in Hawaii Kai (AP Lawrence Jackson)

  • Obama Malia Sasha at Honolulu Zoo

    At the Honolulu Zoo (AP Lawrence Jackson)

 

Obama 2008 Christmas Vacation in Hawaii 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!


Click here to view full Google Map with descriptive text and photos



Here is a brief description of Obama's Hawaii Christmas vacation itinerary (** See map above)

Saturday 12/20/08
- Arrived Honolulu International Airport on their charter United 767 jet
- Unpacked and settled into their rental house at the end of Kailua Beach at Paradise Point Estates on Kailuana Place. There are three homes in the compound. The Obamas stayed at the "Plantation" estate, a 5,000 square foot home with a lagoon-style pool with a waterfall and a hot tub.

Sunday 12/21/08
- Barack and Michelle left the house at 7:15AM and headed to the Semper Fit Center at the Marine Corps Base Hawaii(MCBH) in Kaneohe for a 45-minute workout.
- Obama headed out at noon to play 18 holes of golf at Olomana Golf Links, which is a public course near Kailua.

Monday 12/22/08
- Barack and Michelle went back to the gym at MCBH for a morning workout.
- The Obamas hung out at their beachside estate for the remainder of the day.

Tuesday 12/23/08
- Barack and Michelle went back to the gym at MCBH for a morning workout.
- Obamas attended an hour-long service at the First Unitarian Church in Nu'uanu in memory of Barack's grandmother Madelyn Dunham, who died of cancer in early November.
- Obama scattered his grandmother's ashes at Lanai Lookout. This is the same place he scattered his mother's ashes in 1995.

Wednesday 12/24/08
- Barack and Michelle went back to the gym at MCBH for a morning workout.
- Obama played a round of golf at Mid-Pacific Country Club in Kailua with friends Marty Nesbitt, Eric Whitaker and Eugene Kang.

Thursday 12/25/08
- The Obamas celebrated Christmas at home in their rental house in Kailua.
- Obama made a surprise visit to the Marine Corps Base Hawaii today to visit Marines enjoying their Christmas dinner at Anderson Hall on base.

Friday 12/26/08
- Obama went back to the gym at MCBH for a morning workout.
- The Obama family went to Sea Life Park where they fed the sea lions and enjoyed a dolphin show.
- They stopped off at Koko Marina Center in Hawaii Kai for sandwiches at Paradise Deli and shave ice at Kokonuts Shave Ice.
- Lights out in Kailua!   Island-wide power outage at 6:45PM keeps the Obamas at home the rest of the night.

Saturday 12/27/08
- Back to the gym at MCBH for a morning workout
- The Obamas hung out at their beachside estate for the remainder of the day.

Sunday 12/28/08
- Barack and Michelle went back to the gym at MCBH for a morning workout with Chicago friends Eric Whitaker, Marty Nesbitt, and Valerie Jarrett.
- The Obama family and Chicago friends Eric Whitaker and Marty Nesbitt traveled to the North Shore, briefly stopping off at Turtle Bay Resort before continuing on to Punahou friend Bobby Titcomb's house in Mokuleia.

Monday 12/29/08
- Barack, Michelle, and Chicago friend Marty Nesbitt went back to the gym at MCBH for a morning workout.
- Obama played another round of golf at Mid-Pacific Country Club with Chicago friends Eric Whitaker and Marty Nesbitt, aide Eugene Kang, and Punahou classmates Bobby Titcomb and Greg Orme.
- Barack and Michelle had dinner with his sister Maya Soetoro Ng and her husband; Chicago friends Eric Whitaker, Martin Nesbitt, and Valerie Jarrett; and Punahou classmate Bobby Titcomb at Alan Wong's Restaurant.

Tuesday 12/30/08
- Obama went to Punahou, his alma mater, to play basketball with Chicago friends Marty Nesbitt and Eric Whitaker, and Punahou friends Greg Orme and Mike Ramos.
- Obama visited the Honolulu Zoo with daughters Malia and Sasha.

Wednesday 12/31/08
- Barack went back to the gym at MCBH for a morning workout with Chicago friends Eric Whitaker, Marty Nesbitt, and Valerie Jarrett.
- The Obamas celebrated New Year's Eve at their Kailua house with friends.

 

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

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

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

  • Valerie Jarrett - Senior advisor and close friend; She hired Michelle while working for Chicago Mayor Richard Daley

  • Eugene Kang - Campaign political advisor; now Special Assistant to the President

  • Bobby Titcomb - Punahou friend

  • Greg Orme - Punahou friend

 

Here are my blog posts about Obama's vacation in Hawaii over the Christmas 2008 holiday:

 

Plantation Estate Video and Photos

Here are some interior/exterior screenshots from a video tour of the Plantation Estate. Good Morning America recently toured the Winter White House. Watch the video on their website.

Plantation Estate photos

 

Read about President Obama's favorite Hawaii restaurants.