Brief biography and chronology
Barack Obama was born in 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii. From 1967 to 1971, he lived in Jakarta, Indonesia. From 1971 to 1979, he attended Punahou School in Honolulu. From 1979 to 1981, he attended Occidental College in Los Angeles, then graduated from Columbia University in New York City from 1981 to 1983. From 1985, he worked as a public figure in Chicago; from 1988 to 1991, he studied law at Harvard, then taught in Chicago and entered politics. In 2008, he won the election and became the 44th president of the United States, taking office in 2009 and being re-elected in 2012. After the White House, he divided his time between Washington, D.C., and Martha's Vineyard and frequently returns to Hawaii.
Places of childhood and study
Honolulu, USA. The Makiki and Manoa neighborhoods, the Punahou School campus, and the beaches of Oahu's south shore are convenient jumping-off points. Combine a stroll through the campus with Ala Moana Beach and views from Diamond Head. Jakarta, Indonesia. Addresses from the late 1960s have now transformed into vibrant urban areas; look for school buildings and family-friendly streets in the south. Los Angeles, USA. Occidental College in Eagle Rock retains the atmosphere of the early 1980s. New York City, USA. Morningside Heights and Columbia University mark the end of his undergraduate studies and the beginning of his work.
Chicago: Common Addresses
Hyde Park and Kenwood are the South Side neighborhoods where he lived and taught. The University of Chicago campus and law school are classic haunts. Valois Restaurant on 53rd Street is known for its Obama-themed breakfasts and friendly chats with neighbors. Italian Fiesta pizzeria and Hyde Park Hair Salon add a casual touch. Promontory Point and Jackson Park are lakeside promenades. In 2008, his victory party filled Grant Park—the lawn became a symbolic stage for the slogans "Yes We Can" and "The Change We Need."
Washington and the symbols of the capital
The White House and Presidential Park are the first stops; start at the Visitor Center. Nearby, the Lincoln Memorial hosted many of his national ceremonies. Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street is a legendary spot he visited in January 2009. Around the same time, he stopped by Five Guys near Pennsylvania Avenue, demonstrating his love for simple burgers. The National Mall, the Capitol, and the King Memorial are key locations for public life and marches, where he spoke.
Hawaii: Winter Vacations and Native Lands
Kailua, Oahu. From 2008 to 2016, the Obama family spent most of their winter vacations here. A favorite ice cream spot is Island Snow on Kailua Road. Kailua and Lanikai beaches are ideal for swimming and kayaking to the Mokulua Islets. Golf at the Klipper Golf Course on Marine Corps Base Kaneohe and the Mid Pacific Country Club. Dining at Alan Wong's in Honolulu and the Rainbow Drive-In on Kapahulu Avenue. Excursions include Diamond Head lookouts, Koko Crater, and snorkeling in Hanauma Bay.
Europe and the World: Landmark Visits
Berlin, Germany. On July 24, 2008, Obama spoke at the Triumphal Column in the Tiergarten to an estimated 200,000 people, a place that has become part of his global story. Cairo, Egypt. In June 2009, he gave a speech at Cairo University and visited the Giza plateau with the pyramids and the Sphinx. China, Beijing. In November 2009, he visited sections of the Great Wall of China near the capital. London, United Kingdom. In May 2011, a state visit included Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. Wales and England, United Kingdom. In September 2014, after a summit, he stopped at Stonehenge to walk among the megaliths. Israel and Jordan. In March 2013, he visited Yad Vashem and the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition at the Israel Museum, followed by the ancient city of Petra in Jordan. Cuba, Havana. In March 2016, he made a historic visit, strolled through Old Havana, and attended a baseball game at the Estadio Latina Americano. In Hanoi, Vietnam. In May 2016, he tried bun cha at the Bun Cha Huong Lien restaurant and explored the Old Quarter. In Nairobi, Kenya. In July 2015, he visited his father's birthplace, met with relatives in the capital, and visited them in Kogelo.
Parks, Nature, and Civic History
Yellowstone and Grand Canyon, USA. In August 2009, the First Family visited both national parks as part of a classic Western road trip. Alaska, USA. In August 2015, Obama hiked to Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park to raise awareness of climate change and announced the restoration of the name Denali for North America's highest peak. California and New Mexico, USA. In June 2016, he visited Yosemite and Carlsbad Caverns to commemorate the centennial of the National Park Service. Selma, Alabama. In March 2015, he commemorated the 50th anniversary of the march by crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge with veterans of the movement.
Places by country and city
USA, Hawaii, Honolulu – Punahou School, Diamond Head, Ala Moana, Alan Wong, Rainbow Drive-In; 1971–1979 and regular visits 2008–2023.
Indonesia, Jakarta – addresses of schools in the south of the city; 1967–1971.
USA, Illinois, Chicago - Hyde Park, Valois, Promontory Point, Grant Park; 1985–2008 and regular visits.
USA, Oahu, Kailua - Snow Island, Kailua and Lanikai beaches, Clipper Golf Course; 2008–2016.
USA, Washington, D.C. — White House, Lincoln Memorial, Ben's Chili Bowl; 2009–2017.
Germany, Berlin – Triumphal Column, Tiergarten; 2008.
Egypt, Cairo and Giza - Cairo University, Pyramids and Sphinx; 2009.
China, Beijing — The Great Wall of China; 2009.
United Kingdom, London — Buckingham Palace, Westminster, Downing Street, 10; 2011.
Great Britain, Stonehenge - megalithic structure; 2014.
Israel, Jerusalem – Yad Vashem, Israel Museum; 2013.
Jordan, Wadi Musa – ancient Petra; 2013.
Cuba, Havana – Old Havana, Latin Americano Stadium; 2016.
Vietnam, Hanoi - Bun Cha Huong Lien, Old Quarter; 2016.
Kenya, Nairobi and Kogelo – Places for Meetings and Family Events; 2015.
USA, Wyoming and Arizona - Yellowstone and Grand Canyon; 2009.
USA, Alaska – Exit Glacier, Kenai Fjords; 2015.
USA, California and New Mexico – Yosemite and Carlsbad Caverns; 2016.
USA, Alabama, Selma - Edmund Pettus Bridge; 2015.
Practical tips for visitors
In Chicago, start with breakfast at Valois in Hyde Park, then head to Promontory Point and finish in Grant Park. In Washington, D.C., plan to visit the White House and the Smithsonian Institution early in the morning, and on a weekday off-peak, head to Ben's Chili Bowl. On Oahu, rent a car: visit Kailua Beach in the morning, Island Snow at midday, and admire Diamond Head at sunset. In Berlin, visit the Triumphal Column early in the morning to see the Tiergarten axis. In Havana, explore Old Havana before noon and check the baseball schedule at Estadio Latinoamericano. For US national parks, book accommodations in advance and check seasonal restrictions—Yosemite and the Grand Canyon are crowded from June to August. In Petra, arrive at opening time for a pleasant hike through the Siq. In Hanoi, try bun cha on a weekday before lunch to avoid queues.
Brief biography and chronology
Barack Obama was born in 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii. From 1967 to 1971, he lived in Jakarta, Indonesia. From 1971 to 1979, he attended Punahou School in Honolulu. From 1979 to 1981, he attended Occidental College in Los Angeles, then graduated from Columbia University in New York City from 1981 to 1983. From 1985, he worked as a public figure in Chicago; from 1988 to 1991, he studied law at Harvard, then taught in Chicago and entered politics. In 2008, he won the election and became the 44th president of the United States, taking office in 2009 and being re-elected in 2012. After the White House, he divided his time between Washington, D.C., and Martha's Vineyard and frequently returns to Hawaii.
Places of childhood and study
Honolulu, USA. The Makiki and Manoa neighborhoods, the Punahou School campus, and the beaches of Oahu's south shore are convenient jumping-off points. Combine a stroll through the campus with Ala Moana Beach and views from Diamond Head. Jakarta, Indonesia. Addresses from the late 1960s have now transformed into vibrant urban areas; look for school buildings and family-friendly streets in the south. Los Angeles, USA. Occidental College in Eagle Rock retains the atmosphere of the early 1980s. New York City, USA. Morningside Heights and Columbia University mark the end of his undergraduate studies and the beginning of his work.
Chicago: Common Addresses
Hyde Park and Kenwood are the South Side neighborhoods where he lived and taught. The University of Chicago campus and law school are classic haunts. Valois Restaurant on 53rd Street is known for its Obama-themed breakfasts and friendly chats with neighbors. Italian Fiesta pizzeria and Hyde Park Hair Salon add a casual touch. Promontory Point and Jackson Park are lakeside promenades. In 2008, his victory party filled Grant Park—the lawn became a symbolic stage for the slogans "Yes We Can" and "The Change We Need."
Washington and the symbols of the capital
The White House and Presidential Park are the first stops; start at the Visitor Center. Nearby, the Lincoln Memorial hosted many of his national ceremonies. Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street is a legendary spot he visited in January 2009. Around the same time, he stopped by Five Guys near Pennsylvania Avenue, demonstrating his love for simple burgers. The National Mall, the Capitol, and the King Memorial are key locations for public life and marches, where he spoke.
Hawaii: Winter Vacations and Native Lands
Kailua, Oahu. From 2008 to 2016, the Obama family spent most of their winter vacations here. A favorite ice cream spot is Island Snow on Kailua Road. Kailua and Lanikai beaches are ideal for swimming and kayaking to the Mokulua Islets. Golf at the Klipper Golf Course on Marine Corps Base Kaneohe and the Mid Pacific Country Club. Dining at Alan Wong's in Honolulu and the Rainbow Drive-In on Kapahulu Avenue. Excursions include Diamond Head lookouts, Koko Crater, and snorkeling in Hanauma Bay.
Europe and the World: Landmark Visits
Berlin, Germany. On July 24, 2008, Obama spoke at the Triumphal Column in the Tiergarten to an estimated 200,000 people, a place that has become part of his global story. Cairo, Egypt. In June 2009, he gave a speech at Cairo University and visited the Giza plateau with the pyramids and the Sphinx. China, Beijing. In November 2009, he visited sections of the Great Wall of China near the capital. London, United Kingdom. In May 2011, a state visit included Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. Wales and England, United Kingdom. In September 2014, after a summit, he stopped at Stonehenge to walk among the megaliths. Israel and Jordan. In March 2013, he visited Yad Vashem and the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition at the Israel Museum, followed by the ancient city of Petra in Jordan. Cuba, Havana. In March 2016, he made a historic visit, strolled through Old Havana, and attended a baseball game at the Estadio Latina Americano. In Hanoi, Vietnam. In May 2016, he tried bun cha at the Bun Cha Huong Lien restaurant and explored the Old Quarter. In Nairobi, Kenya. In July 2015, he visited his father's birthplace, met with relatives in the capital, and visited them in Kogelo.
Parks, Nature, and Civic History
Yellowstone and Grand Canyon, USA. In August 2009, the First Family visited both national parks as part of a classic Western road trip. Alaska, USA. In August 2015, Obama hiked to Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park to raise awareness of climate change and announced the restoration of the name Denali for North America's highest peak. California and New Mexico, USA. In June 2016, he visited Yosemite and Carlsbad Caverns to commemorate the centennial of the National Park Service. Selma, Alabama. In March 2015, he commemorated the 50th anniversary of the march by crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge with veterans of the movement.
Places by country and city
USA, Hawaii, Honolulu – Punahou School, Diamond Head, Ala Moana, Alan Wong, Rainbow Drive-In; 1971–1979 and regular visits 2008–2023.
Indonesia, Jakarta – addresses of schools in the south of the city; 1967–1971.
USA, Illinois, Chicago - Hyde Park, Valois, Promontory Point, Grant Park; 1985–2008 and regular visits.
USA, Oahu, Kailua - Snow Island, Kailua and Lanikai beaches, Clipper Golf Course; 2008–2016.
USA, Washington, D.C. — White House, Lincoln Memorial, Ben's Chili Bowl; 2009–2017.
Germany, Berlin – Triumphal Column, Tiergarten; 2008.
Egypt, Cairo and Giza - Cairo University, Pyramids and Sphinx; 2009.
China, Beijing — The Great Wall of China; 2009.
United Kingdom, London — Buckingham Palace, Westminster, Downing Street, 10; 2011.
Great Britain, Stonehenge - megalithic structure; 2014.
Israel, Jerusalem – Yad Vashem, Israel Museum; 2013.
Jordan, Wadi Musa – ancient Petra; 2013.
Cuba, Havana – Old Havana, Latin Americano Stadium; 2016.
Vietnam, Hanoi - Bun Cha Huong Lien, Old Quarter; 2016.
Kenya, Nairobi and Kogelo – Places for Meetings and Family Events; 2015.
USA, Wyoming and Arizona - Yellowstone and Grand Canyon; 2009.
USA, Alaska – Exit Glacier, Kenai Fjords; 2015.
USA, California and New Mexico – Yosemite and Carlsbad Caverns; 2016.
USA, Alabama, Selma - Edmund Pettus Bridge; 2015.
Practical tips for visitors
In Chicago, start with breakfast at Valois in Hyde Park, then head to Promontory Point and finish in Grant Park. In Washington, D.C., plan to visit the White House and the Smithsonian Institution early in the morning, and on a weekday off-peak, head to Ben's Chili Bowl. On Oahu, rent a car: visit Kailua Beach in the morning, Island Snow at midday, and admire Diamond Head at sunset. In Berlin, visit the Triumphal Column early in the morning to see the Tiergarten axis. In Havana, explore Old Havana before noon and check the baseball schedule at Estadio Latinoamericano. For US national parks, book accommodations in advance and check seasonal restrictions—Yosemite and the Grand Canyon are crowded from June to August. In Petra, arrive at opening time for a pleasant hike through the Siq. In Hanoi, try bun cha on a weekday before lunch to avoid queues.