The MSM likes to compare these vacations to Reagan, GHWB, and GWB’s vacations. However they leave out that these Presidents spent their vacation time on their own residential properties. Yes there were expenses such as developing the living quarters for their Secret Service details but those were one time expenses with on going maintenance costs.
Obama’s vacations away from “home” incur huge costs for logistics, planning, temporary housing for staff and SS details, as well as all of the background checks on the places they visit for shopping and dining. Then throw in the costs for planning multiple vacations sites as backups until an actual decision is made on where and when to go.