Follow Obama family vacation on Martha’s Vineyard

Yes, the Obamas are on holiday in Martha’s Vineyard this week. Top of the Ticket even managed to find out what’s on Barack Obama’s summer reading list.

Doesn’t the trip sound nice? Lounging by the Atlantic, strolling through a small town with one traffic light [Note: An earlier version of this post said there were no lights], playing golf, lingering over a bowl of clam chowder. The president asked that everyone respect his daughters’ privacy during their vacation, but there are ways for us to get a glimpse of their holiday from our seats at home. Here are a few resources, plus a couple more in case you want to follow in the Obamas’ footsteps and do a little relaxing on Martha’s Vineyard of your own some time.

Where are they staying? Blue Heron Farm in Chilmark

When did they get there? They arrived at Blue Heron at 3:20 p.m. Aug. 23, according to the Martha’s Vineyard Times.

Getting your bearings on Martha’s Vineyard: Telegraph writer Lucie Young tells us about the island and sheds light on the history of presidential visits there.

A map from Frommers: Martha’s Vineyard

What they’ll be doing: The Vineyard Gazette has a blog called Summer White House 2009 with photos of their arrival. I particularly liked the letter from editor Julia Wells “From Our Island to Our President” that welcomes the first family and gives us a description of the simple life they might be enjoying at Blue Heron.

Who’s got the scoop? Huffington Post reported in early August that Plum.TV would have photos and video. When I checked the site, the current post was announcing President Obama’s next golf game at Farm Neck Golf Club

What about Bo? The First Dog is there too. NY1’s Valarie D’Elia offers tips on how dog owners can enjoy Martha’s Vineyard [NY1]

Restaurant suggestions: The blog from Martha’s Vineyard Online gives restaurant tips for the Obamas should they venture out from Blue Heron Farm. Where would you like to see them eat?

Labor Day Deal on Martha’s Vineyard: Despite its reputation, Martha’s Vineyard offers budget accommodations too. CheapoAir tipped us off to a $77 per night Labor Day Deal at the Cape Point Hotel. The sale includes a 30% savings when you stay three nights over Labor Day weekend. They are also offering special coupons for flight + hotel packages on Martha’s Vineyard at certain properties.

Looking for a vacation rental? Here’s the Martha’s Vineyard page from HomeAway.

— Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times Travel & Deal blogger

[Photo: The president, First Lady Michelle Obama and their two daughters are set to spend the week at the well-appointed Blue Heron Farm, a private estate they are renting from a family of Republican political donors; Credit: Jewel Samad / AFP/Getty Images]

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This entry was posted on Monday, August 24, 2009 at 1:34 pm by Jen Leo and is filed under Celebrity, Deals, East Coast, News, Tips & Advice, Summer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.