When Barack Obama wants to unwind, he heads home. And home for the president just happens to be an island paradise.
The president and his family are currently in Hawaii through the New Year for their annual Christmas vacation, and after eight straight years, they've now perfected their routine of hiking, dining, golfing, swimming and, above all, rest and relaxation.
Hawaii's scenery, culture and history hold an undeniably important place in POTUS's heart -- and he hasn't been shy about expressing that.
Below, a look at why Obama loves the Aloha State, in his own words, because as Michelle Obama has said, "You can’t really understand Barack until you understand Hawaii."
Also on HuffPost:
-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
