How billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson spend their vacations, from cruising on yachts to visiting private islands

Advertisement

When he's not in the San Francisco Bay area running Meta, CEO Mark Zuckerberg frequently travels to his nearly 1,500-acre estate on the north shore of the Hawaiian island Kauai. He's often spotted surfing or foiling in the waves off Kauai, which he says helps take his mind off work.

Zuckerberg first put down roots on the island in 2014, and his presence there has frustrated locals due to what they say is a failure to respect the island's history, Insider has reported. Zuckerberg's representatives say he and his wife, Priscilla Chan, work closely with the community on issues like sustainability and wildlife conservation.

Advertisement

Zuckerberg has also spent tens of millions of dollars on a super-private estate on Lake Tahoe's west shore, just outside Tahoe City. Tahoe is a popular summertime destination for Bay Area residents, including Zuckerberg: He spent last Fourth of July foiling on the lake.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has been building an expensive real estate portfolio over the past few years, and his most recent addition makes for the perfect summer destination: a home in Maui, Hawaii.

Advertisement

Bezos and his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez, purchased the home, located in an isolated area on the island's south shore near lava fields, last October for a reported $78 million.

But Bezos seems to spend a lot of time vacationing since stepping down as Amazon CEO, and will soon have a new way to travel: a 417-foot mega-yacht that's expected to be one of the most luxurious yachts ever made.

Advertisement

Michael Dell, who has a net worth of over $51 billion, has a lavish real estate empire that spans from Texas to New York City. But when it comes to vacation, Dell likely heads to Hawaii, where he owns a palatial estate called the "Raptor Residence."

Located on the Big Island of Hawaii, the retreat is said to be 18,500 square feet and has seven bedrooms, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Advertisement

Richard Branson, the billionaire founder of Virgin Group, doesn't just have a vacation home — he owns a whole island.

Branson's Necker Island, part of the British Virgin Islands, spans 74 acres. Guests can book a room or rent out the whole island. Guests can partake in water sports, snorkeling, and sailing; play tennis; do yoga; or visit the spa. Branson said in 2013 that he has an office on the island and that "it's easy to attract people to come from all over the world, to plot and plan things."

Advertisement

Much like Branson, Oracle founder Larry Ellison also owns an entire island — or 98% of one anyway. But rather than one in the Caribbean, Ellison bought Lana'i, a small island that's part of Hawaii.

Since purchasing Lana'i in 2012 for a reported $300 million, Ellison has worked to turn it into a wellness utopia, albeit for the ultra-wealthy: the island boasts a Four Seasons hotel and a Nobu, a high-end sushi restaurant. But residents of Lana'i have bristled at Ellison's ownership and many say they are now being priced out, according to Bloomberg.

Advertisement

Another billionaire who can't resist a Hawaii vacation is Marc Benioff, the CEO of Salesforce.

Benioff, who's worth over $7 billion, spent $12.5 million on a 5-acre estate on the Big Island in 2000. The property seems to have multiple buildings and was assessed in 2020 at $22.2 million, according to Hawaii County tax records viewed by Pacific Business News.

Advertisement

Eric Schmidt has several options for a summer trip: The former Alphabet chairman has spent big on his yacht and luxury properties over the years, including mansions in California and a penthouse in New York City.

In 2009, Schmidt bought a 194-foot luxury yacht called Oasis. The yacht reportedly boasts a pool and a gym-turned-nightclub and cost Schmidt $72.3 million.

Advertisement

When he's not cruising on Oasis, Schmidt has several vacation homes to choose from, including his most recent purchase: a $22.6 million oceanfront retreat in Malibu, California, that he bought in April. The 3,500-square-foot home has floor-to-ceiling glass walls that overlook the beach and plenty of space for entertaining, according to real estate site Dirt.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is known for being frugal: Despite his roughly $2 billion net worth, he doesn't seem to spend lavishly on yachts or vacation homes.

Advertisement

Instead, Cook's go-to vacation is a trip to one of the national parks, he said on an episode of the Outside podcast in 2020. "I religiously go to some every year," he said, though he said his planned trip to Glacier National Park in 2020 was canceled due to the pandemic.