The Obama family — Barack, Michelle, Sasha and Malia — stepped onto the tarmac of Air Force Base Hickam early Saturday to begin the seventh Hawaiian holiday vacation of the Obama presidency.

Their motorcade promptly headed for their home-away-from-home in Kailua. If the visit goes according to form — and the last six certainly have — the president’s next two weeks will be filled with workouts at the Marine base in Kaneohe, golf outings with old friends, beach outings at Bellows and Hanauma Bay and occasional forays into Honolulu for dinners with family and friends.

Noticeably missing from the itinerary: public appearances. The president takes the vacation notion seriously, and the press pool that follows in his tracks may well go whole days without a glimpse of the man.

Same goes for Hawaii residents and tourists, although there’s always the chance of getting stuck in a traffic backup as the presidential motorcade makes its rounds.