Obama leaves Oahu after golfing, hiking, dining at Buzz’s
President Barack Obama is seen through the window of his motorcade vehicle as he is driven through the Kailua, Hawaii, neighborhood where he is spending his annual holiday vacation with his family, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014, en route to Marine Corps Base Hawaii, in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, to play golf. The first family is in Hawaii for their annual holiday vacation. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
A protester holds signs that read "Injustice Anywhere is a Threat to Justice Everywhere" and "Protest Illegal Settlements in Palestine" is seen from the media motorcade vehicle that is traveling with President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama through the Kailua, Hawaii, neighborhood where they are spending his annual holiday vacation with his family, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014. The President and the first lady are returning from a hike at the Na Pohaku O Hauwahine trail. The first family is in Hawaii for their annual holiday vacation. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
A protester holds a sign that reads "Pivot to World Peace Not War in the Asian Pacific" is seen from the media motorcade vehicle traveling with President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama through the Kailua, Hawaii, neighborhood where they are spending his annual holiday vacation with his family, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014. The President and the first lady are returning from a hike at the Na Pohaku O Hauwahine trail. The first family is in Hawaii for their annual holiday vacation. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
A protester is seen from the media motorcade vehicle traveling with President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama through the Kailua, Hawaii, neighborhood where they are spending his annual holiday vacation with his family, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014. The President and the first lady are returning from a hike at the Na Pohaku O Hauwahine trail. The first family is in Hawaii for their annual holiday vacation. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha left Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam around 9 p.m. Saturday night following a 17-day vacation in Honolulu.
First Lady Michelle Obama, who reportedly has elected to stay in Hawaii to celebrate her 50th birthday on Jan. 17 with friends, was not at the airfield.
The 20-vehicle presidential motorcade arrived at the airfield around 8:40 p.m.
Obama’s daughters boarded Air Force One while the president met briefly with military families who came to witness the departure.
Obama boarded the plane around 8:50 p.m.
The president spent the final day of his vacation hiking with his family at the Na Pohaku o Hauwahine trail off Kapaa Quarry Road and golfing at the Kaneohe Klipper golf course.
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Instead of his usual morning workout, the president went for a short 15-minute hike with Michelle Obama at the Na Pohaku O Hauwahine trail off Kapaa Quarry Road, which overlooks Kawainui Marsh.
Na Pohaku O Hauwahine (the rocks of Hauwahine) is a basaltic rock promontory named after the Hawaiian lizard goddess, or akua mo’o. It offers a view not only of the marsh but Coconut Grove, Olomana and Maunawili.
The motorcade passed some protesters in the morning, holding signs for various causes.
At about 12:37 p.m., the president’s motorcade returned to Marine Corps Base Hawaii and the president teed off at the Kaneohe Klipper course with aide Marvin Nicholson and White House chef Sam Kass.
The president golfed the Klipper course on his first day of vacation.
Before heading to Air Force One, parked at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, the Obamas grabbed some dinner at Buzz’s Original Steakhouse in Kailua, arriving at 6:23 p.m., just after sunset.
They left the restaurant at 8:08 p.m.
On Friday night the president and his wife dined with friends at Morimoto in Waikiki. It was the president’s second visit to the restaurant, created by Masaharu Morimoto of "Iron Chef" fame, on this vacation.
Spanning Christmas and New Year’s, the 17-day vacation was Obama’s longest stay in the islands so far in his presidency.
Obama, who was born in Honolulu, has spent much of his vacation playing golf and staying in a rented home in the suburb of Kailua.
He has taken his daughters to the zoo and for shave ice and watched Oregon State, coached by brother-in-law Craig Robinson, play in the first round of a basketball tournament.
Obama also has done some official business, signing a defense bill and a budget deal easing spending cuts.
