December 2012 - President Obama's 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 originally left DC before Christmas on Friday evening (12/21) and arrived in Honolulu shortly after midnight. The President cut his vacation short and left Hawaii on Wednesday night (12/26) to return to Washington to work on a deal to avert the fiscal cliff. The rest of the First Family remained in Hawaii to finish up their vacation. The President returned to Hawaii on January 2nd for a few days before leaving again on January 5th.
The Obama family arrives at Hickam AFB in Honolulu - AP
President Obama at Kaneohe Klipper golf course - Natalie Nishida
President Obama and friend Bobby Titcomb on 12/22/2012 - Kumo Photography
President and Mrs. Obama arrive at Punchbowl for Senator Daniel Inouye's
memorial service - Reuters
President Obama comforts Irene Hirano Inouye at her
husband's memorial service - Reuters
President Obama returns from a workout at the Semper Fit Center - AP
Michelle answers calls from children for the NORAD Tracks Santa program
- White House
President Obama and First Lady Michelle greet military personnel and their
families at Anderson Hall on Christmas - Reuters
President Obama swimming in ocean at Pyramid Rock Beach (note: photo from Jan 1, 2012)
- White House
President Obama waves goodbye as he heads back to Washington
on Air Force One - AP
President Obama returns again to Hawaii to finish up his vacation - EPA
President Obama greets Admiral Locklear, Commander, US Pacific Command - EPA
President Obama stops by Island Snow
for shave ice - AP
President Obama greets people as he leaves Island Snow - AP
President Obama and the First Lady at Hickam on 1/5/2013 - AP
Back to Washington on Air Force One - AP
Friday 12/21/2012
- President Obama departed Washington DC around 7:30PM EST and arrived at Hickam Air Force Base around midnight
Saturday 12/22/2012
- Golf at the Kaneohe Klipper golf course at Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) with Punahou friends Bobby Titcomb & Mike Ramos, White House chef Sam Kass, and aide Marvin Nicholson.
- Dinner at Morimoto Waikiki restaurant
Sunday 12/23/2012
- Attended the memorial service for the late Sen. Daniel K. Inouye at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl
- First family went on a 2-hour hike along the Maunawili trail
Monday 12/24/2012
- Early morning workout at Semper Fit Center at Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH)
- Golf at the Kaneohe Klipper golf course with friends Mike Ramos, Greg Orme, and Bobby Titcomb.
- After golf, President Obama joined his family at Pyramid Rock Beach at MCBH
- First Lady Michelle answered phone calls for NORAD's Santa Tracking Program.
- President Obama made Christmas Eve phone calls to American service members stationed around the world
- The Obama family spent a quiet Christmas Eve at home with close friends
Tuesday 12/25/2012
- Early morning workout at Semper Fit Center 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 on Christmas
- The Obama family enjoyed a Christmas dinner at their vacation home in Kailua with friends
Wednesday 12/26/2012
- Early morning workout at Semper Fit Center at Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH)
- Final round of golf at the Kaneohe Klipper golf course with friends Bobby Titcomb, Mike Ramos, and Greg Orme.
- After golf, President Obama joined his family again at Pyramid Rock Beach at MCBH
- President Obama departed from Hickam Air Force Base shortly after 10:00pm.
Wednesday 1/2/2013
- President Obama returned to Hawaii after announcing the House passed the fiscal cliff bill on New Year's Day
- Shortly after arriving in Kailua, President Obama headed off to the Semper Fit Center at Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) for an early morning workout.
- Golf at the Kaneohe Klipper golf course at Marine Corps Base Hawaii with friends Marty Nesbitt, Bobby Titcomb, and Allison Davis
- Dinner at Alan Wong's Restaurant in Honolulu
Thursday 1/3/2013
- Morning workout at Semper Fit Center at Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH)
- President Obama took his daughters bowling at K-Bay Lanes at MCBH
- After bowling, the President and his daughters stopped off at Island Snow in Kailua for shave ice
Friday 1/4/2013
- Golf at the Palmer Course at Turtle Bay Resort with Bobby Titcomb, Marty Nesbitt, Sam Kass and Marvin Nicholson.
- Dinner at Nobu Waikiki
Saturday 1/5/2013
- Dinner at Buzz's Original Steakhouse in Lanikai
- The First Family departed from Hickam Air Force Base around 9:40pm.
The Obama family returned to the same Kailua Beach home that they rented in 2011. Here is a blog post from last year about the rental home.
2012 Obama Kailua Beach rental home (behind black fence) - Photo: Armchairhawaii.com
This photo was taken a few weeks ago prior to the fence going up - Photo: Armchairhawii.com
2012 Obama Kailua vacation house - Photo: CNN/David Dunham
Living room - Photo: CNN/David Dunham
Kitchen - Photo: Washington Post/David Dunham
Covered lanai - Photo: Washington Post/David Dunham
Walkway - Photo: Politico/David Dunham
Pool cabana - Photo: CNN/David Dunham
Pool - Photo: CNN/David Dunham
Castle Point area in Kailua
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 Assistant Chef and the Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives
Marvin Nicholson - President Obama's "body man" or personal assistant. Also serves as White House trip director
Valerie Jarrett - Senior advisor and close friend; She hired Michelle while working for Chicago Mayor Richard Daley
Allison Davis - Close friend from Chicago; He was Obama's former law-firm boss at Davis Miner Barnhill & Galland
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