This post was written by P Ling, who is a travel writer for Uptake and also runs the Triphow blog.
A ‘Kamaaina’ in Hawaii is someone who is a native or has lived in Hawaii for a long time. President Barack Obama was born in Honolulu and spent most of his childhood and youth in Hawaii.
So when President Obama visits Hawaii along with First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia on a family vacation, it is as a Kamaaina.
As a travel writer, I always recommend travelers to get to know any place they visit like a local. Travel is not just about wearing sunglasses and a t-shirt, checking out the main tourist attractions and snapping pictures.
You need to understand the people, the culture, the food and feel comfortable talking, eating and traveling in a bus or train with the locals.
And who better to show you how to enjoy the many pleasures of the Hawaiian Islands like a local than their most famous son – President Barack Obama.
Just before he was sworn in as President, the Obamas took off on a 12-day year-end vacation to Kailua, in Oahu. If you would like to follow in the President’s footsteps and visit all the same places – an Obama-themed Hawaii vacation – then make note of the following places and activities:
- Tour of the USS Arizona Memorial
- Golf – Obama has teed off at golf courses including at the Olomana Golf Links and Luana Hills Country Club and the Mid-Pacific Country Club
- National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl (Obama’s grandfather is buried there)
- Valley of the Temples Memorial Park
- Visit to Aloha Tropical Farms, a macadamia nut farm
- Hanauma Bay – A popular snorkeling destination
- Sandy Beach – Obama’s favorite beach in Hawaii, where he goes body-surfing
- Nuuanu Pali Lookout – A historic and scenic tourist destination
- Honolulu Zoo
- Dolphin show at Sea Life Park
- Day-trip to Magic Island (Ala Moana Beach Park)
As for food, the President enjoys the restaurants of Kapahulu on the outskirts of Waikiki. He’s especially fond of plate lunches from the Rainbow Drive-In and the 24-hour Oahu mainstay, Zippy’s.
He took daughters Sasha and Malia, along with some friends, for some shave ice at Island Snow in Kailua. While he was playing golf at the Olomana Golf Links, Obama also wolfed down two spam musubis – which is a rice ball, with a slice of cooked spam on it and wrapped with nori, or dried seaweed.
Wouldn’t you love to enjoy a vacation in Hawaii, just like the President? If so, now you know what to do, where to go and what to eat.
Photo credits: Obama photos by senorglory; Plate lunch photo by hellochris; Shave ice photo by Inuyaki
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Thanks for your article.
I hope to get to Hawaii for a vacation and some serious snorkeling sometime soon.
Gav@SnorkelingSet´s last blog ..Snorkeling Fin Options
Great tips, Hawaii is an amazing travel destination, a part from what you mention I also like to learn bits of the local language, just som phrases to hang around thet local really apreciate the effort,
gilles@como ganar dinero´s last blog ..Como ganar dinero con Adsense
President Barrack Obama should try Boracay islands or the Bantayan Islands in the Philippines.
My family and I went to Hawaii last month and we were blown away. However I am sure that we did not get the same treatment that the president got. However that is fine by me as I do not want all that attention.
Deborah@Panic Attack Symptoms´s last undefined ..If you register your site for free at
Yeah that food doesn’t look good at all
New post = thx. Tired of having to see the Obaminator with his shirt off.
-Jack
The food doesnt look bad, except for whatever that thing is in the bottom right.
-Jack
It would be awesome to take a vacation but I am barely above water on the bills, something tells me you hav eto be as rich as a President now adays to take a avacation. Thanks for a good job.
Victor´s last blog ..Top Five Reasons: People Succeed to Make Money Online
Hawaii is on my vacation destinations list but I’d prefer alot better type of food on my trip.
Let me invite the OBAMA and company to the best destination in Philippines. Just visit Cebu and you will enjoy SUMILON Island exotic resort
arnold´s last blog ..Riverstone Castle
nice itinerary. I really like whenever he treats his kids for ice cream bar, cheese burger or snow cone.
i think this is the most popular hawaii beach rental in Kailua oahu .. Oahu Lani and great pavilion are the same right?
hawaiian´s last blog …Maui Hawaii Luxury Villa Vacation Rental
President Barrack Obama should try Boracay islands or the Bantayan Islands in the Philippines.
He looked so cute when he was a little boy. Thanks for sharing
I was looking for Obama’s babay picture to use for my school project. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for sharing, it was very informative
He looks really cute. Thanks for the pics. I have never seen these before!
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