Accounting for trips out of Washington for several days, the total number of vacations Washington Secrets tabulated is 16, 10 where the family was together, such as for Christmas and summer vacations, one by the president and five by the first lady. Not included were Camp David visits or trips like the first family’s New York City date night in May, 2009.
Former President GW. Bush, at this time of his presidency, had made 30 visits to his Texas ranch spanning all or part of 220 days. The Obama’s vacation day count is less than half of that.
However, the Bush "vacations" were mostly trips home to his ranch on weekends. These cost the taxpayers very little. The Obama vacations tend to much more elaborate, luxurious, and costly affairs. For example, the first family’s 2011 Christmas vacation in Hawaii would exceed $1.5 million.
Critics and even some in his own party say the vacations present a bad image at a time when many Americans are struggling to get by during the recession. According to recent Harris poll, only three in 10 said they plan to take a vacation lasting longer than a week in the next six months, and that number has been dropping during the recession as people worry about the costs of vacations.
Other polls have found that less than half of all Americans take all the vacation time they earn because they can’t afford trips.
The Obama Vacation List
* 2012, President’s Day, Michelle and the first daughters in Aspen, Colorado to ski.
* 2011, Christmas, the first family in Hawaii for an extended vacation.
* 2011, Summer, in Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., for the annual beach break.
* 2011, June, the first lady, her mother and daughters traveled to South Africa and Botswana.
* 2011, President’s Day, the first lady and first daughters travel to Vail to ski.
* 2010, Christmas, in Hawaii. This has pretty much become a "family tradition" now
* 2010, August, Panama City Beach, Fla., for some sun and fun at the beach.
* 2010, August, Obama spent the weekend alone in Chicago for his 49th birthday bash.
* 2010, August, the first lady and daughter Sasha traveled to Spain for a vacation.
* 2010, August, summer vacation again at Martha’s Vineyard.
* 2010, July, the first family went to Mount Desert Island, Maine.
* 2010, May, the first family had a four-day trip to Chicago.
* 2010, March, first lady and daughter spend Spring Break in New York City.
* 2009, Christmas, Hawaii again for the annual break.
* 2009, August, at Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Canyon for a short vacation.
* 2009, August, their first summer vacation as first family at Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.
Wow, means they enjoy a lot in these three years..
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