Vacation like the First Family in Oahu, Hawaii Private Villa from $4000/N
It is becoming a presidential pastime for the Obama family: an 11-day Christmas vacation in Hawaii. Just like last year, President Barack Obama and his family celebrated the holidays in Paradise Point Estates at Kailua Bay, a luxury beachfront estate complex in O'ahu, the island where Mr. Obama lived from the age of 10 to 18.
According to the Paradise Point Estates company, the 2.5-mile-long white sand Kailua Beach, where Malia (age 11) and Sasha (now 8) spent their vacation, is said to be the gathering place of ancient kings and the birthplace of the Hawaiian people. The beach hugs a sheltered bay ideal for swimming or watersports that require strong breezes but gentle surf, such as windsurfing and kite boarding. Rental equipment and instruction is available along the beach.
The Obama family (without dog Bo), their retinue and security staff occupied the adjacent "Plantation" and "Balinese" estates. Dubbed the “Winter White House,” both of the 7,000-square-foot estates, completed in 2006 and 2007, were rented, fully appointed, with custom finishes and furnishings from around the world. The $8.9 million house costs around $4,000 a night with a wonderful location overlooking Kailua Bay, the Mokulua Islands and the Koolau mountain range.
And special delivery for the First Family this Christmas was a traditional Christmas tree in the courtyard. Nestled among palm trees and other tropical plants, the tree was just one of the fixtures in a vacation filled with golfing, a luau with friends and family excursions.
Mr. Obama golfed at the Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course and others on Windward O'ahu and also spent time admiring the waves at the Pyramid Rock Beach. He played tennis with Michelle and even managed to bring his daughters to an early morning screening of Avatar.
The family even got in touch with the natural life of Hawaii spending time at the nature preserve at Hanauma Bay and visiting Sea Life Park. Afternoons were spent eating shave ice and the family dined out having meals at Alan Wong's in Honolulu and Lucy's Grill 'n' Bar in Kailua.
It wasn’t all play for President Obama. He worked out every morning at the gym at the Marine Corps base and also had to give attention to national security after the attempted bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 that was bound for Detroit.
On the family’s last day in Hawaii, they visited the Honolulu Zoo after it was closed to the public. Additionally, President Obama also stopped at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, or Punchbowl, to pay his respects to his maternal grandfather, Stanley Dunham, whose ashes are interred there.
