Presidential-Style Vacation at Citizen Prices

KAILUA, Hawaii, Jan. 12, 2009 — -- President-elect Barack Obama and his family brought international attention to Kailua, Hawaii, with two vacations to the small town last year.

During the Christmas holiday, the future first family enjoyed a sprawling three-house compound, complete with several swimming pools and jacuzzis. The beachfront property is valued at more than $30 million.

The compound sits at the edge of Kailua beach. The two-and-half-mile stretch of white sand and clear blue water is consistently ranked as one of the best in the world.

"It's a home fit for a king," said Dave Zimel, whose company owns two of the homes. "There is a lot of rich tradition of kings spending time on Kailua beach. This was a place where royalty actually gathered."

There are no high-rise hotels on the beach or in town, but travelers without a royal budget can still stay here.

Kailua has a handful of bed and breakfast rentals, most priced between $125 and $225 per night.

Beach houses are also available, but require a minimum one-month stay and start around $750 per night. Some of the more lavish homes can reach into $5,000-per-night range.

The beach is a 30-minute drive and world away from the heavily touristed Waikiki beach, where hotels clutter the shoreline and tourists lay side-by-side, often crammed at the water's edge.

Located on Oahu's windward coast, a steady breeze makes Kailua beach ideal for wind and kite surfing. The water can be a bit rougher than other swimming areas on the island -- though that can make for good body surfing for those seeking adventure.

Kailua, Old Hawaii

"The beauty, the flowers, the sand and the colors of the ocean make this a painter's paradise," said longtime Kailua resident and realtor David Catanazaro.

Mom-and-pop locally owned businesses add to the small-town feel. Surf shops with gear rentals and fruit stands selling mangoes, bananas and flowers are plentiful.

One of the most popular stops in town is Lanikai Juice, where the blended pineapple, papaya and passion fruit drinks are fresh, never frozen.

Locals consider Kailua one of Oahu's best kept secrets. No telling how long that will last, now that the president-elect has made it his vacation destination.