White House tours are back: Here's what you need to know

Benét J. Wilson

I remember visiting the White House for the first time during former President George H.W. Bush's time in office.

A friend with a friend who worked in the Washington, D.C., landmark at the time — if that isn't a quintessential D.C. thing to say, I don't know what is — was couch surfing at my place and wanted to "pay" me with a tour of the presidential mansion.

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I happily accepted the offer and, not long after, found myself exploring the iconic building. In addition to checking out the usual rooms included in the tour, my friend scored us a peek inside the Oval Office, an experience I'll never forget.

Like many sites in D.C., the White House paused tours of its interior due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But after 14 months, the Biden Administration announced that tours will resume on Friday and Saturday mornings starting April 15.

As was the case before the pandemic, you can't just show up and ask for tickets. Instead, you'll need to plan your visit weeks in advance.

Before you finalize your itinerary, here's everything you need to know about White House tours, plus suggestions for where to stay nearby.

a tour in the white house

Although the White House is managed by the National Park Service, you can't reach out to the agency to get tickets. Instead, you'll need to request them from your member of Congress (or your embassy, if you're not a U.S. resident). You can do this between three months and 21 days in advance.

Tours are limited to Friday and Saturday mornings (excluding federal holidays or unless otherwise noted) from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis, so you'll want to request your tickets as early as possible.

When you submit your request, be sure to include three potential dates for your tour, as well as the number of individuals in your party. Try to avoid the Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Veterans Day and Christmas holidays, as tickets are a lot harder to come by during these busy times.

While you'll have a set tour time when you receive your tickets, know that unexpected events may occasionally cause your tour to be canceled at the last minute. If this happens, you'll need to submit a new request for a tour.

a tour in the white house

On the day of your tour, all members of your group who are 18 and older will need to present a valid government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license or military ID (or a passport, if they're from another country). Each person's name, date of birth, city and state given for the reserved tickets must exactly match the government-issued photo ID presented.

While face masks are not required during the tour, they will be available on site should you want to wear one. Items you're welcome to bring on the tour include:

  • Compact cameras with lenses shorter than 3 inches long.
  • Umbrellas without metal tips.
  • Small personal items like wallets and cellphones.
  • Items needed for medical purposes, such as wheelchairs (which you also can request at the Visitors Entrance), medications and mobility aids.

Keep in mind, though, that the White House's strict security protocols mean certain items are not permitted inside. These include:

  • Video cameras, cameras with detachable lenses, tablets, iPads, tripods, monopods and cameras sticks.
  • Bags of any kind (handbags, purses, book bags, backpacks, diaper bags and camera bags).
  • Any pointed object, including pocket knives.
  • Food, liquids, aerosols, tobacco products and personal grooming items (makeup, lotion, etc.).
  • Guns, ammunition, fireworks, electric stun guns, mace, martial arts weapons and devices, toy weapons and knives of any kind.

There is no storage available at the White House or the White House Visitor Center, so plan on keeping any prohibited items in your hotel safe or leaving them with a companion who isn't taking the tour.

What you'll see

a tour in the white house

After you've made your way through security, you'll embark on an hourlong tour that includes stops at several well-known spots in the building, including the family theater, the East Room (which you may recognize from press conferences and special events), the State Dining Room (a banquet hall and ceremonial chamber for official events) and the Blue Room (a reception room famous for its decorations during the holiday season).

Depending on what's going on during your visit (or who you know), you may also have the chance to see other spaces like the Oval Office and the South Lawn, where Marine One (the presidential helicopter) lands and departs.

To supplement your White House tour, check out the adjacent White House Visitor Center . Open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the center is home to roughly 100 historical artifacts and offers an interactive touchscreen tour of the White House.

There's also the nearby White House Historical Association retail store , which sells a great selection of souvenirs, including history books, jewelry, cherry blossom items and the official White House Christmas ornament.

Where to stay

Washington, D.C. is home to many chain, independent and boutique hotels, and luckily, some of the best ones happen to be within walking distance of the White House. Here are some of my personal favorites — and their current room rates for October 2022.

Related: Best hotel credit cards

The Hay-Adams

a tour in the white house

This historic hotel located between the White House and Lafayette Park regularly shows up on lists of the best hotels in D.C., and for good reason. If you play your cards right, you can snag a room with White House and Washington Monument views.

Speaking of views, the property's top-floor Top of the Hay has French doors that open onto a wraparound balcony with panoramic White House and city skyline vistas. It has a full-service rooftop kitchen, making it a terrific space for meetings and special occasions.

Since The Hay-Adams is a boutique hotel, it does not participate in any major brand's loyalty program. As a result, you'll need to pay cash for your stay. Standard superior rooms start at $439 a night.

Hotel Washington

a tour in the white house

For a while, this 105-year-old hotel was known as the W Washington DC, but it reverted back to its original name in August 2021.

The chic property is known for the Vue, an open-air space regularly touted as one of the city's best rooftop bars. You'll also find a mix of rooms and suites, including some with jaw-dropping city views.

Cash rates for a standard queen room at this independently operated hotel start at $337 per night, but if you're looking for a show-stopping view, consider upgrading to one of the Monument suites. You'll enjoy sweet views of the Washington Monument for a minimum of $580 a night.

JW Marriott Washington, DC

a tour in the white house

One of Marriott's flagship hotels just happens to sit right on Pennsylvania Avenue, less than two blocks away from the White House and next door to the National Theatre.

Like other hotels on this list, the JW Marriott Washington, DC boasts rooms with incredible views of downtown and the city's popular monuments. You'll also find a moody bar and an American-inspired restaurant on site, should you crave a cocktail or bite to eat after sightseeing.

While standard rooms do not come with a Washington Monument view, for a slight price increase, you can reserve a king bedroom that overlooks the monument starting at $359 a night. If you have a stash of Marriott Bonvoy points, you can apply 50,000 to 60,000 points per night to cover a stay here.

Willard InterContinental Washington DC

a tour in the white house

The history of this hotel, which opened in 1818, almost goes back to the start of the republic. As such, it was the place to see and be seen for centuries.

When I moved to D.C. in 1978, the iconic Willard had been closed for 10 years and was just a decaying building on Pennsylvania Avenue. That same year, a team was chosen to redevelop the hotel into the stunning property it is today.

Ever since reopening in 1986, the IHG-affiliated hotel has drawn visitors with its ornate lobby and classically-styled rooms.

To book a king room with a premium view, expect to spend at least $517 per night or apply a minimum of 53,000 to 94,000 IHG Rewards points per night.

Kimpton Banneker Hotel

a tour in the white house

Located on a tree-lined avenue with a view down 16th Street Northwest to the White House, this Kimpton outpost is slightly off the beaten path ... in a good way.

The property's Lady Bird rooftop bar features a bird's-eye view of D.C., including an unobstructed look at the White House, and a centerpiece U-shaped bar. Rooms and suites feature modern, eye-catching designs with colorful local art and bold accent walls.

Because this property participates in the IHG Rewards program, you can use either cash or points to pay for a room here. A standard room with two queen beds starts at $315 or 53,000 points per night.

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The Ultimate Guide to Visiting the White House in Washington, D.C. [Includes Virtual Tour]

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Amar Hussain

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The Ultimate Guide to Visiting the White House in Washington, D.C. [Includes Virtual Tour]

History of the White House

Planning your visit, on the day of your tour, the white house experience mobile app (virtual tour), white house garden tour, the white house easter egg roll, what to see at the visitor center, when to visit, the northern trail, the southern trail, other landmarks and buildings, the north side from pennsylvania avenue, 20 facts about the white house, hotels near the white house, final thoughts.

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As the official residence and workplace of the President of the United States, the White House is one of the most easily recognizable and iconic buildings in the world. Home to every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800, the White House is a historically and culturally important building that attracts millions of visitors all year round.

The site for the White House was selected by George Washington back in 1791, with the cornerstone laid by Irish-born architect James Hoban 1 year later. The extensive and ambitious build took 8 years to complete, and although it was Washington that commissioned it, he sadly died before it was completed.

Originally known as the President’s House, it was the second President of the United States, President John Adams, and his wife that were the first to take up residence there . However, much of the original building was destroyed by a fire set by rampaging Brits in 1814. The newly built house was completed some 4 years later, and it has been called home by a succession of presidents and their families ever since.

During the early 20th century, various additions were made to the building, including the iconic West Wing that houses the Oval Office, the Cabinet Room, the Situation Room, and the Roosevelt Room, among others. During the Great Depression, the White House suffered neglect as a result of dwindling funding, and urgent renovations were needed during the 1940s.

Now one of the most well-cared for and loved buildings in America, the White House as we know it today is home to 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 6 levels in residence , as well as 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, and 3 elevators. Anyone visiting the capital city of Washington, D.C., should definitely try to pay a visit.

White House Illustration

Getting to the White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is probably one of the most famous addresses in the world. Taking a trip to visit the sprawling presidential home and offices is easy using almost any route.

There is a Metrobus stop located on the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 14th Street, which is the closest stop to the White House Visitor Center. Pennsylvania Avenue Line numbers 30, 32, 34, 35, and 36 all stop there.

Union Station is around 1.5 miles away from the Visitor Center. Heading northeast along Massachusetts Avenue, you can take in the city as you walk there, or hop on the shuttle bus that leaves from outside the station every 10 minutes.

The Blue, Silver, and Orange lines stop at Farragut West, McPherson Square, or Metro Center stations, all of which are within easy walking distance of the Visitor Center.

There are several parking lots that are located close to the White House Visitor Center, but spaces can be difficult to find and expensive. Downtown D.C. is also rated as one of the worst cities for traffic in the U.S. , so it may be quicker to walk or use public transport than try to undertake the journey by car.

How to Schedule a Tour of the White House

The White House is one of the most popular landmark attractions in the world. Every year, demand for tours outstrips the available places, so before your head off, make sure you know the best ways to maximize your chances of getting a tour inside the world-famous White House.

In order to visit the rooms that are available for public inspection at the White House, you will need to book a tour in advance . Tours are free of charge and self-guided , but you must request permission to visit at least 3 weeks in advance of your arrival in order to receive clearance from the U.S. Secret Service.

You can request tours up to 3 months in advance via your member of Congress , but there is no guarantee that your request will be accepted.

The self-guided tours run from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, but these timings can be subject to change depending on the White House schedules and events. Tours can also be canceled without prior notice, so be prepared.

Tours run in groups of 10 , and you will be placed in a group with other visitors before arrival if there are not enough in your own party. You will need to submit information about every member of your party, including their address, phone number, date of birth, Social Security number, and country of citizenship.

You will need to show your ID upon arrival, and your ID must exactly match all of the information you submitted in your application . A valid U.S. government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or military ID, is acceptable for U.S. nationals, as are valid U.S. passports.

Overseas Nationals

If you are planning on visiting the White House from overseas, you will need to contact your home country’s embassy in Washington, D.C. to submit a tour request before your departure. Foreign nationals must present their passport — no other forms of foreign ID will be considered as acceptable.

update:  The Trump administration has put tour requests for overseas nationals on hold until further notice.

Disabilities

If you or anyone in your group is hearing, visually, or mobility impaired, their needs can usually be catered for through your member of Congress, or via your embassy. There is also a TDD (Telephone Device for the Deaf) at the Visitor Center, which can be contacted at 202-456-2121. Guide animals are permitted in the White House.

If you need the use of a wheelchair during your visit, you can request the loan of a wheelchair at the Visitor Entrance upon arrival. Unfortunately, reservations are not possible , but if you are able to secure one, there is a ramp to allow access to the entrance on the ground floor, and an elevator to take you from the ground floor to the State floor.

Hot Tip: While no tour company can get you access to the White House, you can take the popular hop-on, hop-off tour of Washington, D.C . on the red loop which takes in the White House, U.S. Capitol, and many more landmarks. 

The White House

If you are successful in your application to book a tour of the White House, there are further instructions and guidelines to consider on the day.

Firstly, you should plan to get to President’s Park 15-30 minutes before your tour is due to start . This will allow plenty of time for presenting your ID to officers, taking toilet breaks, and ensuring that you don’t have prohibited items in your bag. Better still, if you arrive an hour or so before your allocated tour time, you can take in the exhibits and watch a video of the White House at the Visitor Center.

You will enter the White House by the south side of East Executive Avenue near the Southeast Gate , where National Park Service rangers will be on hand to assist you.

As you would expect, security is tight in and around the White House. Visitors must adhere to strict rules about what they can and can’t take with them during the tour.

Prohibited items include, but are not necessarily limited to:

  • Video cameras and cameras with detachable lenses
  • Tablets and iPads
  • Tripods, monopods, selfie sticks, and camera sticks
  • Any bags, including handbags, purses, book bags, backpacks, diaper bags, and camera bags
  • Any pointed object or sharp objects
  • Food and liquids
  • Aerosols and personal grooming items such as makeup or lotion
  • Guns, ammunition, fireworks, electric stun guns, and mace
  • Martial arts weapons or toy weapons

You should also note that there are no storage facilities at the White House , so if you accidentally bring prohibited items with you, there is nowhere to leave them, and you will be denied entry to the tour. Leave everything on the above list back at home or in your hotel room.

There are certain items that you can take with you on your tour, but they may be subject to usage limitations. These include:

  • Compact cameras (can be used for still photography only, no video recording or streaming, and all lenses must be less than 3 inches long)
  • Umbrellas without metal tips
  • Cell phones (remember, though, that talking or texting is not allowed, and phones must be on silent)
  • All items needed for medical purposes will be permitted, including wheelchairs, electronic scooters, glucose tablets, EpiPens, medication, etc.)

Hot Tip: Before and during the tour, you are at the mercy of government officers. In some circumstances, the U.S. Secret Service reserves the right to prohibit any other personal items that you may be carrying.

The White House Experience Mobile App

In these tech-friendly times, smartphone users will be delighted to know that there is a White House Experience Mobile App that you can download to enhance your experience during your visit.

Available on both iOS and Android , this is a useful tool for visitors who have not been successful in finding a place on an official tour, as well as those who have. Users can enjoy a virtual tour of the White House and the surrounding President’s Neighborhood, as well as taking a tour through the history of the White House and how its customs have evolved.

There are also a number of fun features to raise a smile. Snap a selfie with the Presidential Lookalike feature, or take the opportunity to virtually pilot the presidential helicopter around Washington, D.C., using the Fly Like Ike feature.

The Virtual White House tour offers visitors a glimpse of the interiors of the public areas including the East Wing, Family Theater, Library, Vermeil Room, China Room, Diplomatic Reception Room, Map Room, State Floor, as well as the famous rooms of the West Wing such as the Oval Office, Cabinet Room, and Press Room.

You can also sneak a peek into some of the upper floors, including the Treaty Room, the Lincoln Bedroom, the Queen’s Bedroom, and the President’s Dining Room.

While you are out and about, why not try the White House Neighborhood Walking Tour that provides turn-by-turn navigation of the President’s Neighborhood.

This tour stops at a range of historic landmarks, including Decatur House, Lafayette Square, St. John’s Church, Treasury Building, North Lawn, Blair House, Eisenhower Executive Office Building, South Lawn and Ellipse, and the White House Visitor Center. The app also provides information on points of interest at each of these locations.

Melania Trump White House Kitchen Garden

During the spring and fall, the White House opens its stunning and extensive gardens to visitors. With the sun shining on Washington, D.C., garden lovers can stroll through the White House Kitchen Garden, the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, the Rose Garden, and South Lawn of the White House, while taking in the tranquil surroundings just outside the home of democracy.

The Spring Garden Tour usually takes place on a single weekend in April, while the Fall Garden Tour will is held over a weekend in September. Both White House Garden Tours are free and open to the public, but they are only open to ticket holders.

Tickets can only be obtained on the day , but there are often long queues of people waiting to get hold of them. Every member of your group must wait in-person to receive their ticket, and tours are timed throughout the day. Children are welcome to join you on your tour, but they will need their own ticket, and there are plenty of plaques and information points to take in during your self-guided tour of the gardens.

The White House Gardens are home to over 50 different kinds of vegetables, as well as berries, herbs, and even a beehive . In 2009, first lady Michelle Obama planted the Kitchen Garden in conjunction with her Let’s Move! Initiative that focused on health and well-being in America. To this day, the White House cooks still use fresh fruit, vegetable, and herbs that are grown there when cooking for the first family and their guests.

The Rose Garden is famous for the lush green lawn often seen in outdoor press conferences, and it can be found just outside the West Wing in view of the Oval Office. The Jacqueline Kennedy Garden is dedicated to the former first lady herself, and the wide-open lawns and gorgeous borders are often used for parties, teas, and awards ceremonies.

The South Lawn is where the president departs and lands on the official presidential helicopter, Marine One, and is also where the famous annual Easter Egg Roll is held. It is also home to a range of magnolia trees that were first planted by President Andrew Jackson back in the 1800s.

Hot Tip: Visitors are welcome to take photos during the tour and are encouraged to share them on Instagram using the #WHGARDEN hashtag to share the beauty of the White House Gardens with the world.

white house easter egg roll

Often drawing as many as 35,000 parents and children on the South Lawn, the world-famous White House Easter Egg Roll is one of the most exciting events of the White House calendar.

This time-honored tradition was first established by President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1878 . What initially started as a few local families rolling eggs outside the White House on the first Monday after Easter , was extended when the growing crowds convinced President Hayes to invite young children to roll eggs inside the grounds of the White House Lawn instead.

If it hadn’t have been this kind gesture by the then president, the Egg Roll might never have happened, as members of Congress had already passed an Act banning egg rolling outside the White House as they deemed it be too disruptive.

The White House Easter Bunny holds celebrity status, and the giant 6-foot bunny suit has often worn by members of Congress, first wives, and a range of famous celebrities.

Anyone wanting to come and join in the fun must enter a lottery for a place. Children under 13 years are encouraged to attend, and the event is designed to promote healthy and active living. The lottery is usually held during February , and winners are notified via email the following month. There is no charge to enter the lottery , and attendance is literally by the luck of the draw.

Hot Tip: Commemorative White House Easter eggs can be purchased from the White House Historical Association online store and feature the president’s and the first lady’s signatures.

White House Visitor Center

White House Visitor Center

Located at 1450 Pennsylvania Ave., the White House Visitor Center is a great place to visit to find out about the history of the building itself, as well as discovering the customs and events that the White House is so famous for.

Offering just shy of 1,600 square feet of museum-quality exhibits and galleries , there is always something new to see at the Visitor Center. There are nearly 100 famous historical artifacts on display, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s desk and a host of other interesting pieces, many of which have never been on public display before.

The Visitor Center is also home to a large-scale model of the White House and a number of interactive exhibits , including a touch screen tour of the interior.

One of the biggest highlights is a 14-minute film, “White House: Reflections From Within,” that is shown every 20 minutes. It features Presidents Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, and a few first ladies and other family members reminiscing about their time in the White House. This is a popular attraction within the Visitor Center and a must-see whether you have managed to secure a place on a White House tour or not.

The White House Visitor Center is operated by the National Park Service . It is housed in historic Baldrige Hall in the Department of Commerce building. In 2014, the center was renovated to offer extra space in which to house a permanent museum gallery, a temporary exhibit area, an improved book sales area, and further visitor information facilities.

The White House Visitor Center is open every day from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day . It is free to enter and can be visited in conjunction with a White House tour if you are lucky enough to get on one, or as a stand-alone attraction.

President ’s Park

White House Aerial View

Located at the heart of downtown Washington, D.C., President’s Park offers 82 acres of stunning open space that includes the parkland and gardens surrounding the White House . The park is home to some of the most famous statues, memorials, and structures in Washington, D.C., and the park is open to visitors all year round.

Throughout the years, the President’s Park has played host to many important events in history. These include marches and rallies held by suffragettes, freedom fighters, and anti-war protestors, as well as welcoming thousands of visitors to enjoy the annual Easter Egg Roll and the lighting of the National Christmas Tree.

The National Park Service promotes 2 very distinct sides of the park for visitors to explore.

Beginning at the White House Visitor Center, visitors can proceed up to 15th Street to Lafayette Park on the Northern Trail . First opened in the 1820s, and redesigned in the 1960s, the park has been used as a race track, a slave market, an encampment for soldiers, and many other things along the way.

The park is also home to St. John’s Church, often referred to as the “Church of the Presidents,” and the whole area became a designated National Historic Landmark in 1970.

Statues and Monuments

The park is home to a number of statues that commemorate the many heroes who helped America during times of war. These include:

General Sherman Statue

Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman has his very own bronze statue that features a square platform with a bronze soldier at each corner. These represent the 4 branches of the U.S. Army: infantry, artillery, cavalry, and engineers.

General Lafayette Statue

Located at the southeast corner of Lafayette Square, this bronze statue was erected in 1891 and portrayed the Marquis de Lafayette petitioning the French National Assembly for assistance to the Americans in their fight for independence. On an adjoining pedestal, there is a bronze female figure, symbolizing America, turning toward him and imploringly lifting a sword.

General Kosciuszko Statue

Commemorating Polish patriot Thaddeus Kosciuszko and his life-long dedication to fighting for freedom in America and Poland, this bronze memorial is located in the northeast corner of Lafayette Park.

General Jackson Memorial

Located in the center of Lafayette Park, this statue portrays General Andrew Jackson reviewing his troops at the Battle of New Orleans. Depicting the general and his horse, the statue was dedicated on January 8, 1853, on the 38th anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans.

General von Steuben Statue

Portraying Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben (1730-1794) as he inspects American troops during the American Revolution, this statue recognizes not only his leadership but his commitment to raising the standards of sanitization for soldiers during the war.

General Rochambeau Statue

This French general commanded 5,500 Royal French Expeditionary Forces to help with the American forces during the war. The statue depicts Rochambeau directing his troops, as well as a female figure, Liberty, who raises 2 flags in her left hand, symbolizing the unity of the U.S. and France.

Blair-Lee House

Serving as the official guesthouse for the president, Blair-Lee House was built in 1824. Various presidents and foreign dignitaries have stayed at Blair-Lee House throughout the years, and even today, many foreign heads of state are invited to stay there while visiting with the president.

Baruch Bench of Inspiration

Bernard Baruch was a wealthy financier from New York City who also served the country as an economic advisor during both World War I and World War II. Legend has it that he hated been driven to the White House and preferred instead to sit on a bench and wait for a signal that the president was ready to meet him.

In his honor, a commemorative bench with a bronze plaque set in granite block was dedicated on August 16, 1960, Baruch’s 90th birthday.

Navy Yard Urns

These huge ornamental bronze urns were cast using a melted cannon from the Civil War. They sit on giant pedestals at the center of Jackson Place and are a reminder of the hard-fought battles undertaken by Americans during the Civil War.

The Southern Trail begins at the White House Visitor Center and proceeds onto the Ellipse grounds, following a clockwise route around the parkland.

Monuments and Memorials

Butt-millet memorial fountain.

This tranquil fountain was erected to commemorate the deaths of Major Archibald Wallingham Butt and Francis Davis Millet. They both lost their lives on the RMS Titanic in April 1912. The fountain was also designed to double as a water fountain for the horses ridden by U.S. Park Police while on patrol.

Second Division Memorial

Erected to honor the 17,660 dead who served in the U.S. Army during World War I, this memorial was later extended to include a memorial to some of the most significant battles in World War II and the Korean War. It serves as a place of quiet contemplation and remembrance.

Original Patentees Memorial

This simple granite shaft was erected to remember the original 18 patentees whose land grants embraced the site of the federal city. Each side of the monument contains a relief panel carved with a symbol of the early pioneers’ agricultural pursuits, and the names of the original landowners are inscribed on the base.

Boy Scout Memorial

Dedicated to the Boy Scouts of America, this statue stood on the site of the first-ever Boy Scout Jamboree in 1937. The bronze statue consists of 3 figures that represent the aspirations of all past, present, and future Scouts throughout the world. There is also a female figure that symbolizes enlightenment with the love of God and fellow man, justice, freedom, and democracy.

The Zero Milestone

This 4-foot-high shaft of pink granite is the official starting point for the measurement of highway distances from Washington, D.C. It was built to mark the starting point of the first transcontinental military motor convoy that traveled from Washington, D.C. to San Francisco.

First Division Monument

This was built in remembrance of the heroism of the soldiers of the First Division of the American Expeditionary Forces who gave their lives during World War I. Further additions were made to also commemorate those who died in both World War II and the Vietnam War, as well as the Gulf War.

Bulfinch Gatehouses

Both of these gatehouses were build to oversee the U.S. Capitol grounds, and since 1889 they have weathered several floods, water, and the effects of acid rain.

The Ellipse

As perhaps one of the most famous areas of President’s Park, the Ellipse is a large open area surrounded by an oval drive. Over the years, the site has been used as a trash dump, horse pens, and even a slaughterhouse, but it is now often the meeting place for demonstrations and celebrations.

The National Christmas Tree

Every Christmas, local public schools erect a Christmas tree on the Ellipse. This age-old tradition is a highly anticipated event, and each succeeding president has participated in since 1923.

Best Place to Take Pictures of the White House

A visit to Washington, D.C. would not be complete without taking a series of snaps of the White House. There are various ways to capture awesome images of one of the world’s most iconic buildings, even if you can’t get right up close to it.

White House North Side

This view of the White House is one of the most famous images in the world. There is a fair distance between the sidewalk and the White House (as you would expect), but it is not impossible to get great pictures.

If you want to pass off the impression that you are inside the grounds of the White House, find a gap in the fence that is big enough to slip your digital camera through. Taking a picture of the White House straight on can make it look like it leans backward slightly. This is because there are no parallel vertical lines in the historical building.

You can either go with it and enjoy its imperfections or if you want your images to look super fancy, use the lens correction tool in Photoshop to fix this.

If you don’t mind seeing the fencing in your photographs, there are also some awesome images to be captured from Lafayette Park, where you can add stunning seasonal flowers into the foreground, too.

The South Side and E Street

White House South Side

On the south side of the White House, there are lots of trees that line the South lawn, which can be prohibitive to your view. There are, however, 2 walkways on E Street that offer you some excellent photographic opportunities.

You can take images through the fence on the north side of the street, or cross over to include people and bustling street scenes to add a sense of perspective.

Taking a short walk further away from the building itself, the Ellipse offers the opportunity for some excellent shots, and if you are lucky, you may be able to get Marine One in there, too. The base of the Washington Monument on Constitution Avenue offers some interesting viewpoints as well, as it has a slightly elevated position.

When to Take Pictures

Different seasons and times of the day offer different opportunities to capture the perfect picture. During the holiday season, the National Christmas Tree is bright and festive, with the White House providing a beautiful backdrop to great Christmas images, while the gardens around the White House look fantastic in both spring and fall.

Summer is the busiest time of year for visitors, so capturing images without bystanders is nearly impossible, but they can add an extra layer of perspective to your finished shots. Early morning and early evening shots add atmosphere, as the building looks magical lit up at night.

Bottom Line: No matter where you find yourself in the surrounding streets and parklands, you should still be able to take photographs that will keep your memories alive.

George Washington Never Lived There

Although he was responsible for commissioning the construction of the White House, his term ended 3 years before the building work was completed, and a year after he died. He is the only U.S. president never to have lived in the White House during their term in office.

He Was Responsible for the Design of the Oval Office, Though

The Oval Office was first used in 1909, and the oval shape was inspired by Washington’s love of unusually shaped rooms. He was believed to have preferred rounded shaped rooms at his home in Philadelphia, as he felt it made them more suitable for hosting formal gatherings.

The White House Was Built by Slaves

Controversial, but true, White House records show that the house was built by African American slaves who were trained as quarrymen, bricklayers, and carpenters to help complete the building project. This fact was brought to the attention of the American public by former first lady, Michelle Obama.

The White House Had No Electricity for Almost 100 Years

The White House was lit by gaslight right up until 1891 when the electricity system was first installed. The idea of electric lighting was still pretty novel at the time, and President Benjamin Harrison was worried about the dangers of touching a light switch. To protect himself throughout his time in office, he always had someone else switch the lights on and off for him.

It Didn’t Have Indoor Bathrooms for Decades, Either

Indoor plumbing systems were not part of the original design of the White House back in 1800. In fact, it wasn’t until 1833 that any kind of indoor plumbing was installed, and even then, not all of the bathrooms had hot and cold running water until some 20 years later in 1853.

It Was, However, One of the First Accessible Government Buildings

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was responsible for ensuring that the White House was and still is, entirely wheelchair accessible. Having suffered from polio, FDR was paralyzed below the waist and spent his time in office bound to a wheelchair.

Because of this, he took it upon himself to add elevators and ramps throughout the White House, making it one of the first wheelchair-friendly buildings in Washington, D.C. and possibly the U.S.

At Least 10 People Have Died in the White House

With such a high turn over of residents, it should come as no surprise that several people have passed away within the confines of its walls, too. Famous demises include Presidents William Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor, as well as first ladies Letitia Tyler, Caroline Harrison, and Ellen Wilson, too.

It Is Said to Be Haunted

Many residents, staffers, and guests have all claimed to feel the power of the paranormal during their time at the White House. To this day, rumor has it that the ghost of Abraham Lincoln still walks the hallowed halls and corridors, and there have been many reported sightings of him throughout the house.

There Is a Secret Entrance

The White House has a secret entrance that is only used by the president and secret visitors. This is not unusual in high-profile buildings, but to enter via the secret entrance at the White House, visitors must go through 2 tunnels and an alleyway before reaching the basement.

This intricate entrance system was originally designed during World War II when there was an underground bomb shelter that sat beneath the White House.

There Is Also an Underground Swimming Pool

The White House has an outdoor pool that is enjoyed during warmer months, but it also has an interior pool hidden beneath its floors. First opened in 1933 for use by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the pool still exists today and can be found directly under the Press Briefing Room.

And a Dentist’s Office

If the president suffers from a sudden toothache, a lost crown, or a broken filling, there is a dentist on-site to deal with that. The basement of the White House is home to a dedicated dentist’s office, as well as plenty of other useful services, including a chocolate shop and a florist.

Tom Hanks Gifted Coffee Machines for the Press Briefings at the White House

During a tour of the White House back in 2004, the actor was surprised to see that there were no refreshment services for reporters who attended press briefings at the White House. Hanks immediately sent a coffee machine to be used in the Press Briefing Room and has upgraded the original machine twice since then.

In 2017 he sent a $1,700 espresso machine along with a note that read, “Keep up the good fight for truth, justice, and the American way. Especially for the truth part.”

The White House Nearly Fell Apart

During the Great Depression, there was very little money in the kitty for much-needed maintenance and repairs. Creaking floorboards, a leaking roof, weakened wooden beams, and swaying balconies all put the White House at risk of collapse, but the ongoing damage to the structure was not fully discovered until much later in 1948 when it was fully renovated.

The Current White House Is Not the Original One

During the invasion in 1814, the British burned the White House down, just 14 years after it had been completed. While the modern-day building has stood for hundreds of years, much of the original building was lost to the fire, and the rebuild was not completed until 4 years later.

The West Wing Wasn’t Always There

Home to some of the most famous rooms within the White House, the West Wing wasn’t actually even built until the early 20th century.

In 1902, Teddy Roosevelt called to have an executive office building built alongside the residence. President Taft doubled the wing’s size in 1909, which included the Oval Office, making President Taft was the first-ever president to use it.

It Has Been Home to a Wide Variety of Animals

Each new presidential resident and their families are welcome to bring their pets with them when they move into the White House.

This means that over the years, it has been home to lots of cats and dogs, as well as a variety of more unusual animals. These include a raccoon, opossums, and even a pair of tiger cubs that were gifted to President Van Buren.

It Is Also Home to a 7-Seat Hot Tub

Former President Bill Clinton was gifted a 7-seat hot tub that is installed near the South Lawn next to the swimming pool.

Due to rules and regulations on “gifting” items to members of Congress, the hot tub had to be donated as a legitimate therapy appliance. A spokesperson for President Clinton said at the time that the hot tub did indeed help with his injured knee.

It Wasn’t Always Called the White House

Over the years, the building we know as the White House has had a number of different names. Originally known as the President’s Palace, its name was later changed to Executive Mansion sometime around 1810.

It wasn’t actually until 1901 that President Theodore Roosevelt officially adopted the name White House and it has been known by that name ever since.

Nothing Comes for Free

It may surprise you to know that even the presidential family doesn’t get fed for free in the White House. While they don’t have to pay rent or bills while they live there, they are responsible for the costs of their personal food, dry cleaning, toiletries, and even the wages for waiters and other members of staff they employ for private events.

These costs are usually just deducted from their salary.

The Famous Resolute Desk Was Found on an Abandoned Ship

The Resolute Desk in the Oval Office was originally part of an abandoned British Navy vessel found off Baffin Island in the Arctic.

When the ship was decommissioned by the U.K., its oak timbers were used to create a desk weighing more than 1,000 pounds that Queen Victoria later gifted to President Rutherford Hayes.

To this day, we still see the presidents sign orders from behind this fabulous piece of furniture.

Many visitors choose to stay close to the White House during their visit. Here are some of the best to choose from.

Willard InterContinental Washington

Willard InterContinental Washington

This historic hotel is located on the world-famous Pennsylvania Avenue and has been a D.C. landmark for over 200 years. Offering executive suites and luxurious guest rooms, this 5-star hotel has stately interiors and is just a short walk the White House itself.

Stay in style surrounded by city or courtyard views, Keurig coffeemakers, and suites with separate living areas, whirlpool tubs, and even their own foyers. All guests are invited to enjoy the use of the beauty and wellness treatments available at the Mynd Spa and Salon.

You can dine at the authentic French brasserie, Cafe Du Parc, or take advantage of the full concierge service who can help you to make the most of your trip to one of America’s oldest cities.

The Hay – Adams

The Hay Adams

This luxury hotel offers unparalleled White House views from its position on the National Mall, and it is as popular with visitors as it is with Washington, D.C. insiders. Elegant interiors paired with first-class service and facilities make this 5-star hotel one of the most sought after in the city.

Bedrooms are upscale and very well appointed, with many offering fabulous views out across the National Mall. The wood-paneled walls, ornate fireplaces, and chandeliers found in the communal areas give the hotel an incredibly grand feel, and visitors may even recognize The Hay-Adams from television shows, including House of Cards and Homeland.

With a busy bar, a fitness center, and one of the city’s best restaurants all on-site, this hotel offers an authentic taste of upscale D.C.

JW Marriott Washington

JW Marriott Washington DC

Brilliantly located for visiting the White House and numerous other political and cultural landmarks in D.C., this renovated hotel offers luxurious lodgings on Pennsylvania Avenue. This is a modern hotel that has a bright and airy feel, with contemporary bedrooms and plenty of minimalist touches.

Guests love the large windows with fabulous views out across the city, as well as spacious bedrooms and bright and practical communal spaces. The hotel is also home to The Avenue Grill that serves up casual American fare, as well as a lively bar with a daily happy hour and a Starbucks coffee shop. This hotel offers affordable 4-star accommodation in the heart of D.C.

Sofitel Lafayette Square

Sofitel Lafayette Square Washington DC

This glamorous Art Deco style hotel sits just 1 block away from the White House and adds a touch of European flair to this most American of cities. With opulent interiors and seductive French flair, this 5-star hotel is located at the heart of the finest shops, restaurants, and landmarks the city has to offer.

Bedrooms are plush and well-appointed with tall windows and luxury linens, while the communal areas feel decadent. Guests are welcome to enjoy the great-tasting fare at the ICI Urban Bistro or join fellow guests for a cocktail or 2 at the bar. There is also a large basement fitness center, and spa treatments can be ordered to your room.

Club Quarters Hotel

Club Quarters Hotel in Washington DC

This mid-range hotel offers comfortable and affordable accommodation just 2 blocks from the White House and right next to Farragut West Metro station, therefore affording easy access to the entire city. Designed very much with business travelers in mind, this hotel offers collaborative workspaces with super-fast Wi-Fi, wireless printing, and Mac and PC workstations.

Bedrooms are bright and airy and offer sleek interiors complete with yoga mats and resistance bands, while suites add kitchenettes and separate living areas. The hotel is also home to the Cafe Soleil that serves up fun, French-inspired food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Hot Tip:  Looking for even more hotels? Explore our best hotels in Washington, D.C. to book with points. 

No visit to Washington, D.C. would be complete without a trip to see one of the most famous buildings in the world. Home to presidents for hundreds of years, the city is steeped in history.

If you are lucky enough to secure a place on an official White House tour, you will not be disappointed. But even if you are unable to get inside the building itself, there is still a wealth of attractions, landmarks, exhibitions, and open spaces for you to enjoy in the world-class parks and open spaces around the White House.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can i get tickets to visit the white house.

You can get tickets to visit the White House through your member of Congress only. These tickets have to be requested a minimum of 3 weeks in advance and can be requested as early as 3 months prior to your tour date.

Is it free to visit the White House?

Yes, White House tours are free of charge and self-guided. The tours run from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. You must request tickets through your member of Congress.

Can you tour the Oval Office?

White House tours do not include the Oval Office and tours of the West Wing are usually reserved for VIPs or guests of the president.

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About Amar Hussain

Amar is an avid traveler and tester of products. He has spent the last 13 years traveling all 7 continents and has put the products to the test on each of them. He has contributed to publications including Forbes, the Huffington Post, and more.

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White House Public Tour Tickets

a tour in the white house

This post is an article on how to get White House tour tickets, plus tips for planning your visit, such as tips for dealing with security.

How to apply for tickets is a common question from visitors on our walking tours.

However, if you are asking one of our tour guides after arriving in Washington, DC, you are definitely too late.

So, we've created this post to help you secure tickets plus plan your visit, both before and after your tour.

The White House is open to public tours usually from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm Tuesday-Saturday, except for Federal Holidays.

Reservations must be arranged in advance.

It is hard to get a White House tour but the further in advance you request and the more flexibility you offer in dates, the better your chances.

These are to tour the main building, West Wing tours are a different experience and even harder to get tickets. I was lucky enough to get a West Wing tour if you want to see photos!

There is no cost to tour the White House, but you will need to apply for free tickets. Both U.S. nationals and foreign visitors can tour the White House.

To visit the White House, it's important to know that you must  reserve your tickets in advance ,   MONTHS in advance. 

You can submit a request for White House tours up to 3 months in advance and must do so no later than 3 weeks.

Don’t apply early or late or you risk having your request automatically denied.

You can increase your odds of getting a White House tour by requesting a reservation as soon as you possibly can.

For U.S. citizens and residents, requests must go through the office of the Member of Congress for your district ( find your Member here ).

How to Get White House Tour Tickets

If you are coming during the peak tourism seasons of March-April or June-August, we recommend closer to the 3-month mark.

The White House only accepts requests between 21-90 days before your requested dates.

If you are from a foreign country, you are advised to go through your embassy in Washington D.C. Not all embassies will be interested or helpful in the request.

However, nothing stops you from requesting a tour through any Member of Congress.

There is no real requirement that you be a resident of their district or state to do so. Therefore, it's worth a try.  

Most will ask you for contact information at home and during your stay in DC, dates available for tours, and the total number of persons in your group.

You'll also be required to provide information for security clearance, including:

  • Date of Birth
  • Social Security Number (only U.S. residents 18 and older)
  • Citizenship
  • City, State of Residence

Washington DC Walking Tours

How long before I hear back about my White House request?

Typically, once you have submitted your visitor info, you will receive an email two weeks before your requested dates informing you if you were selected for a tour.

If you do NOT get approved, the communication varies and depends. Some people have gotten rejection letters and some have just never heard back.

Assume if you haven't heard back a few days prior to your trip that you were not approved.

You can also visit the White House Visitor Center . It's actually a few blocks from the White House, but it's a great alternative to interior tours.

You can always see the White House from the street, as well.

There are a number of great views of the White House that we talk about - but the closest is from Pennsylvania Avenue NW by Lafayette Square.

But, if you are accepted, then read on for tips on planning your trip.

  • Plan Your Visit
  • Virtual Tour
  • Visitor Center
  • Things to Do in DC
  • Free Tours by Foot

PLAN YOUR VISIT

In this section, we go over where to enter the White House grounds, how to get there, as well as security and prohibited items . 

WHITE HOUSE TOUR ENTRANCE

We strongly recommend using our Google Maps for directions to the tour entry point . 

There is no White House Metro Station.

The closest metro stop to the tour entrance is Metro Center ( red , orange , blue, and silver lines ) (take the 13 th Street exit), which is just a 7-minute walk.

How to get to the White House Tour

When you come up the escalators, you will be facing 13th Street.

Take 13th Street southbound (downhill) and make a right turn on E Street and proceed straight until you reach 15th Street.  

McPherson Square Metro station ( orange , blue, and silver lines)  is also close to the White House.

McPherson Square Metro to White House

Public transportation is recommended for reaching the White House.

If you must drive, you can find a parking spot at a nearby garage through a service called SpotHero .

Washington DC Travel Tips and Hacks

This website allows you to reserve guaranteed parking spots ahead of time, often for a cheaper price than the garage itself would charge.

If you've been granted a tour, you need to arrive before your meeting time at the visitors' entrance.

Note: This is NOT at the Visitor Center.

Click here for a 360-degree view .

Entry Line for White House Tour

The tour lines up along 15th Street NW on the west side of the street by the William Tecumseh Sherman Statue.

It's across the street from where Pennsylvania Avenue NW dead-ends at 15th St NW.

You'll check in with the National Park Service Park Ranger standing guard outside the temporary fence.

There is no specific street address or sign - you just have to know you're in the right place, but since there is often a line it should be easy to spot.

You can click on the 360-degree view to familiarize yourself with the surrounding area. 

SECURITY AND PROHIBITED ITEMS

Security is a concern everywhere in Washington, but nowhere more than in the White House.

You will need a valid government-issued photo ID or passport to gain entry into the White House for every member of your group. Foreign nationals must use their passport.

You will have to stand in line for security, so make sure to arrive at least half an hour before your tour time. (longer in peak seasons, or with a group).  

WHITE HOUSE DRESS CODE

There is no dress code to tour the White House, but due to the importance of the building, you should want to dress neatly.

The list of what you can’t bring into the White House is extensive:

  • no video devices; video cameras including any action camcorders, cameras with detachable lenses, tablets, tripods, monopods, and camera sticks are not permitted. Video recording is not permitted.
  • no strollers.
  • no food, beverages, tobacco products, liquids, gels, or lotions.
  • no guns, firearms, knives, other sharp objects, martial arts equipment, etc.
  • no purses, backpacks, handbags, etc.   * If you need a place to store these kinds of items, some nearby hotel concierges may be willing to store the bags for a small fee.

The list of things you can bring to the White House is not extensive:

  • umbrellas 

Cameras are now permitted on tour!

Smartphones and compact cameras with a lens no longer than 3 inches (stills only) are permitted on the public tour route as long as their use does not interfere with other guests’ enjoyment of the tour. 

Flash photography or live streaming as well as talking or texting on cellular phones is not permitted while on the tour.

Where can I leave the rest of my belongings while I tour the White House?

If you can't leave your belongings at your hotel, then consider storage facilities.

For $6/bag for up to 24 hours, you can store your bags in nearby stores, souvenir shops, and even other hotels.

Once you are inside, the tour is self-guided and will take about half an hour.

NOTE: There are no restrooms on the White House tour.

Though the White House has 132 rooms in total, you are only shown through several rooms that they use for entertaining. 

You will NOT see the family living quarters, the Oval Office, or the West Wing ( read about my experience of the West Wing tour! ) So, don't expect to meet President Joe Biden on your White House Tour.

Small tip: there are secret service agents in every room, you can interact with them and ask them questions, they are usually really nice and very informative.

After you line up along 15th Street, you'll have your reservation checked and then line up again for an ID check.

You'll cross a street and then have your ID checked again.

a tour in the white house

All of these checks are outdoors so keep that in mind when preparing for your visit - you're outside for around 30 minutes before your tour.

You then go through security to enter the East Wing of the White House.

What Will I See on a Public Tour of the White House?

The tour is self-guided though there are occasionally guards who can answer some questions.

Each room has a placard or two explaining what you're seeing with some information.

a tour in the white house

The tour is self-paced and you can go back if needed to previous rooms, but you will not be able to exit the building and reenter.

You will see the East Garden from the hallway, the movie theatre, the China Room, the Vermeil Room, the East Room, the Green Room, the Blue Room, the Red Room, and the State Dining Room.

Throughout you'll also see a number of presidential portraits.

a tour in the white house

There is a gift shop inside the White House that sells the famous White House Christmas ornament and many other items from the White House Historical Association.

You'll exit the White House from what used to be the primary entrance facing the North Lawn and exit out the gates by the Lafayette Statue.

Will I See the President on a White House Tour?

You are unlikely to meet the President or First Lady on the White House tour, but you never know who you might see at the White House complex, including cabinet members or prominent visitors.

VIRTUAL TOURS OF THE WHITE HOUSE

These videos offer virtual tours inside various parts of the White House that you do not get to see on White House public tours.

Inside the Residence

Tour of the West Wing

Video Tour of the Situation Room

Learn About the West Wing Marines

Watch Marine One Land on South Lawn

You will see many helicopters during your visit to Washington, D.C. and they usually won't be transporting the President.

Most of the helicopters fly along the National Mall - over the Tidal Basin and Potomac River.

When you see three helicopters fly across the National Mall, right past the Washington Monument (that is why there are the red flashing lights on the top), one of those is Marine One.

So how do you watch Marine One take off/land?

For advance planning, you can keep an eye on the President's Schedule. It will give an approximate time when the president departs the South Lawn.

Keep in mind, it sometimes is early or late and they don't give any warning!

Marine One is often used to transport the President to Joint Base Andrews to board Air Force One.

If you're already in the area, you might notice some of the ways they prepare for Marine One:

  • Snipers are always on the roof of the White House, but when the President is leaving the White House, you'll also see them on the corners of area buildings.
  • Two decoy/escort helicopters will accompany Marine One but not land. You will always see a group of three helicopters.
  • The walkway to the South Lawn fence is closed. While you're normally can walk right up to the South Lawn fence, they won't let you get that close when Marine One is landing.

Marine One

Where to stand to watch Marine One land?

The best place to watch Marine One land if you want to be as close as possible is on the south side of the White House, an area called The Ellipse.

Normally, the circular sidewalk that forms the ellipse is open to the public but when the President is leaving - the side closest to the White House is closed.

You can, however, walk directly on the grass to the center of the Ellipse.

If you line yourself up with the Washington Monument behind you and the White House South Lawn Fountain in front of you, the helicopter will fly right over your head!

If you want to watch Marine One with some DC landmarks in the frame, stand at the WWII Memorial, facing the Washington Monument.

The three helicopters will fly in front of the Washington Monument lining up for a great photo op.

What kind of helicopter is Marine One?

Officially, any helicopter that the President is on is Marine One.

That is the call sign for any USMC aircraft that has the President on board, just like Air Force one denotes whatever plane is carrying the President.

It is usually operated by Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1 "Nighthawks"), only four pilots have this honor every year.

The type of helicopter is often a VH-3D Sea King:

a tour in the white house

or the VH-60N "WhiteHawk"

a tour in the white house

Marine One helicopters have standard military anti-missile countermeasures, and ballistic armor and can continue to fly even if it loses one of the three engines.

It can fit 14 passengers but is quiet enough that the President can use a normal tone of voice on his secure line to the White House.

NOTE: A few times a year when the President is out of the country, you will see a helicopter take off and land on the South Lawn on repeat for about half an hour - this is training!

The President isn't actually on the helicopter - but your Instagram followers won't know that!

THE WHITE HOUSE VISITOR CENTER:

After an extensive revamping, the White House Visitor Center is now open again to the public.  

Read our overview of the museum and visitor center for more information.

The restoration work took over 2 years and cost $12.5 million, much of which came from private donations through the White House Historical Association.

There are over 90 new artifacts on display, many of which have never before been on display.

Some of our favorites are the desk that Franklin Delano Roosevelt sat at when he delivered his famous fireside chats and a scaled model of the White House.

Within the White House Visitor Center, you can watch a 14-minute film that takes you inside the White House and the lives of the First Families. 

Allow anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour for your visit here.

VISITOR TIP : The White House Visitor Center has a great gift shop. There is also a gift shop at 701 15th St NW called White House Gifts. Here can take a photo of yourself sitting behind a replica of the Presidential desk in the Oval Office!

Related Content:

  • How to Get Tickets to the Washington Monument
  • How to Tour the U.S. Capitol Building
  • Can I tour the FBI Building?
  • Watch Marine One Land on the White House Lawn
  • White House Garden Tours
  • White House Christmas Tours
  • Easter Egg Roll

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a tour in the white house

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How Can I Tour the White House in Washington, DC?

Everything you need to know about planning a visit to the country’s most famous house., requesting a white house tour.

Touring the White House requires some advance planning. Public tour requests must be made through your member of Congress ( find your member of Congress and contact information ) and submitted up to three months in advance and no less than 21 days prior to your visit. If you're an international visitor and wish to schedule a tour, please contact your home country’s embassy in Washington, DC.

You are encouraged to submit your tour request as early as possible as tours fill up quickly and a limited number of spaces are available. Tours are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. All White House tours are free. Please note tours are subject to last-minute cancellations based on the official White House schedule.

Public, self-guided tours are 45 minutes and are run between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays unless otherwise noted. For complete details on White House tours, visit the White House tours and events page or call the White House Visitors Office 24-hour information line at (202) 456-7041. The White House is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.

Touring the White House - Washington, DC

Touring the White House - Washington, DC

What to expect on a White House tour

If there is a tour slot available during your visit to DC, you will be given a specific date and time to arrive and be instructed on where to check in. All guests over 18 years old will be required to present a valid, government-issued photo ID upon check-in. Foreign nationals must present their passport. Please bring as little as possible (avoid backpacks, food, large handbags, bottled water, etc.). Note that smartphones and compact cameras with a lens no longer than 3 inches are permitted on the public tour route, but video recording devices and flash photography are not allowed inside the White House. Visitors will go through security prior to entering the White House. There are no restrooms available at the White House. The closest restroom is located at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion nearby.

Public tours of the White House include the public rooms in the East Wing, which includes the Blue Room, Red Room and Green Room; the State Dining Room; the China Room; and a view of the White House Rose Garden. Secret Service members are stationed in each room and are available to answer questions about the history and architecture of each room.

You can also visit the White House Visitor Center   before or after your tour.

The White House - North Lawn and Entrance - Washington, DC

Stephen Melkisethian

How to get to the White House

The closest Metro stations to the White House are Federal Triangle (Blue and Orange lines), Metro Center (Blue, Orange and Red lines) and McPherson Square (Blue and Orange lines). Please note there is NO PARKING near the White House. Public transportation is strongly encouraged.

@abroadwife - View of National Mall from South Lawn during White House Garden Tour - Free activities in Washington, DC

@abroadwife

How to tour the White House Garden

Another opportunity to visit the White House is to attend either its fall or spring garden tour. Check whitehouse.gov in early October and April. The announcement of the garden tours is usually made within a week or two of when they take place. Garden tours generally run for two consecutive days. They may be canceled due to poor weather. A ticket is required for all attendees (including small children). Usually, tickets are distributed by the National Park Service at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion on 15th and E streets NW on each tour day beginning at 9 a.m. Review the announcement for specific details.

Will I still be able to see the White House without going on a tour?

While visitors are not allowed entry to the White House without requesting a tour through your congressional representative, you will still be able to see the White House from Pennsylvania Avenue NW at Lafayette Square and view the White House and the South Lawn from the Ellipse. Please note that a new fence is currently under construction at the White House, as the current 6-foot fence is being replaced by a stronger, wider fence that will be 13 feet.

Where can I store my belongings during the tour?

It is important to note that security at the White House is extremely high. If your hotel is nearby, we suggest leaving your belongings in your room during the tour. If this is not possible, there are a few other options. You can designate one member of your tour group to hold everyone’s belongings. That person can take the self-guided tour once his or her group has finished the tour.

If you're a ticketed Amtrak customer, you may be able to check luggage in advance at  Union Station . These are located near Gate A. Lockers are available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. A photo ID is required and lockers must be paid for via cash or credit in advance. Rates are $3-$6 per hour per bag depending on the size of your bag. For questions on bag storage, please call 202-906-3000.

Catch up on White House history with the free podcas t The 1600 Sessions and enhance your trip with the  White House Experience app  from the White House Historical Association. The app offers three tour experiences, including a virtual tour of the White House (with rooms you normally don't see on the tour), a neighborhood walking tour and a room-by-room guide for visitors on an in-person tour of the White House.

Now that you have read up on the White House, explore DC’s other awesome  monuments and memorials .

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A Tour of the White House

In 1961, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy resolved to make the White House a “living museum” by restoring the historic integrity of the public rooms and displaying the very best of American artwork, furniture, and décor. In order to fulfill her vision, Mrs. Kennedy founded the White House Historical Association, a private, non-profit organization created in partnership with the National Park Service. Today, the Association continues to advance its mission, enhancing the public’s understanding and appreciation of the Executive Mansion through educational outreach, research, and publications, while assisting the White House with acquisition and preservation projects. This collection, "A Tour of the White House," offers an online tour of the Executive Mansion for those who may not have the opportunity to visit in person. To learn more, purchase our The White House: An Historic Guide .

An Overview

The entrance hall, the east room.

A Great Ceremonial Room

The Green Room

A Serene Setting for Small Gatherings, Interviews, Teas, and Social Activities

The Blue Room

The Principal Drawing Room

The Red Room

A Richly Formal Room for Teas, Small Receptions, and Meetings

State Dining Room

The Setting for State and Official Dinners

The Ground Floor

The second floor, jackie kennedy's white house guidebook 60th anniversary.

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Jill Biden casts Donald Trump as a threat to women as she opens a tour of battleground states

First lady Jill Biden speaks to the National Governors Association during an event in the East Room of the White House, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

First lady Jill Biden speaks to the National Governors Association during an event in the East Room of the White House, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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ATLANTA (AP) — First lady Jill Biden warned Friday that returning Donald Trump to the White House would threaten women who already have watched the former president’s Supreme Court picks nix a federal right to abortion services.

Trump has “spent a lifetime tearing us down and devaluing our existence,” she said in Atlanta, where she launched a multistate battleground tour to highlight President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign outreach program aimed at women.

“I’ve been so proud of how Joe has placed women at the heart of his agenda,” the first lady said of her husband. She contrasted him to Trump, who she said “mocks women’s bodies, disrespects our accomplishments and brags about assault ” and, as recently as this week, took credit for “killing Roe v. Wade.”

It was an unusually pointed take-down from Jill Biden. She has long been a smiling, supportive advocate for her husband, often telling endearing stories about their marriage and family and her own career as an educator. Her remarks Friday signaled a more aggressive role in what is setting up to be a bitter rematch of the 2020 election. Women are likely to play a crucial role, especially in the relative handful of states that will determine the Electoral College outcome.

FILE - People cross the street near the Fulton County Courthouse, Aug. 14, 2023, in Atlanta. Court and other systems in Fulton County, Georgia's largest county is still repairing damage inflicted on its government offices by a cyberattack a month ago. Hackers in late January 2024 shut down online systems and phone service in Fulton County, which includes most of Atlanta.(AP Photo/Alex Slitz, File)

“We are the first generation in half a century to give our daughters a country with fewer rights than we had,” she said, adding that women must organize in 2024 and “meet this moment as if our rights are at risk — because they are.”

Besides visiting Georgia, the first lady will highlight the campaign’s “Women for Biden” effort with weekend events in Arizona, Nevada and Wisconsin. The president won all four states in 2020, and each is expected to be hotly contested in November.

Separately Friday, Vice President Kamala Harris released a video affirming her role alongside the first lady as the president’s top validator to women.

“We are fighting for fundamental freedoms,” Harris said, mentioning protection from gun violence and “the freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body.”

Harris nodded to her place as the first woman to serve as vice president and urged women “to mobilize your daughters, your sisters, your friends and neighbors” so “we will make history again.”

At a woman-owned event space in downtown Atlanta, Jill Biden listed administration accomplishments and priorities, assuring a friendly audience that “Joe and Kamala” will push for a national abortion rights law superseding state restrictions, while also protecting access to fertility treatments and birth control.

Trump’s campaign countered with a different slate of issues and highlighted the recent killing of a Georgia college student as proof the former president can serve women better than the incumbent who defeated him in 2020.

“The horrifying murder of Laken Riley at the hands of an illegal immigrant is every woman’s worst nightmare, and Joe Biden’s policies have turned our nightmare into reality,” said campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. “Women want a president who will secure our nation’s borders, remove violent criminals from our neighborhoods, and build an economy that helps hardworking families thrive.”

Jill Biden’s tour comes ahead of Super Tuesday, a slate of primaries and caucuses across 16 states and one U.S. territory that are expected to push Biden and Trump close to the delegate majorities required for their respective nominations.

The itinerary includes the three closest states from 2020. Joe Biden won by less than a percentage point in Georgia, Arizona and Wisconsin, with a combined margin over Trump of about 43,000 votes across the three, a razor-thin amount despite Biden’s national popular-vote advantage of 7 million.

Biden won Nevada by 2.3 points. But Democrats have since lost the governor’s office there.

The four states have a combined 43 electoral votes, enough to flip the Electoral College in Trump’s favor.

In 2020, an AP VoteCast survey of more than 110,000 general election voters shows Biden won 55% of women and 46% of men nationally, a so-called gender gap of 9 percentage points. VoteCast showed that Trump narrowly beat Biden among white women, largely on the strength of support in rural areas and small towns. But Biden dominated with women in the suburbs, winning 59% to Trump’s 40% of a group that makes up around a quarter of the electorate nationwide. Biden won overwhelmingly among Black women, 93% to Trump’s 6%, according to VoteCast.

Several attendees Friday said concerns about reproductive rights will boost support for Biden.

“It is absolutely the No. 1 issue for me and the women in my circle — even a lot of Republicans,” said Tina Coria of suburban McDonough.

Tambrei Cash, who is running for the Georgia congressional seat held by Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Green, described the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade as an awakening for many women who took the right for granted. A recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling concerning in vitro fertilization and frozen embryos , she added, is another reminder of the stakes.

“Women are mad, because they are coming for our fundamental rights,” Cash said. “It’s not just abortion. They’re coming for IVF, and they’re coming for birth control.”

Coria and Cash agreed that it’s important for Biden, as an 81-year-old man who once talked openly about his personal opposition to abortion, to have his wife and the vice president vouching for him.

“It is essential, just essential to have their voices,” Coria said.

Katrina Parks, a 54-year-old from Douglasville, another Atlanta suburb, stressed “everyday issues” beyond the headliner debates on abortion and, more recently, immigration and border policy.

“The country is just in an overall state of emergency,” Parks said, “but I think about that as the concerns that most people are living with every day.”

She cited health care, literacy and educational opportunities, consumer goods and criminal justice reform. As for the president’s age and fitness for a second term, she said, “I don’t hold anyone’s age against them. I believe in leveraging experience, and he does that.”

BILL BARROW

'Women put Joe Biden in the White House': Takeaways from First lady Jill Biden's visit to Waukesha

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WAUKESHA — First Lady Jill Biden spoke to a crowd of about 100 women voters in Waukesha on Sunday, continuing Democrats' message that abortion and healthcare access are at stake in the 2024 presidential election.

Biden made Wisconsin the final stop on a weekend tour of other critical battleground states — Georgia, Arizona and Nevada. The first lady is leading the "Women for Biden-Harris" initiative in 2024, an effort to mobilize women voters for the Democratic presidential ticket this year.

The first lady targeted former President Donald Trump, saying he is considering a national abortion ban and is taking credit for enabling state bans to go into effect. While providers like Planned Parenthood are currently offering abortions in Wisconsin, the state Supreme Court appears poised to determine access in the state.

"We are the first generation ... in half a century to give our daughters a country with fewer rights than we all had," Biden said. "Women put Joe Biden in the White House and women are going to do it again."

The latest Marquette University Law School poll of registered women voters in Wisconsin showed 45% would vote for Biden if the election were held that day, and 38% would vote for Trump. Ten percent would vote for someone else, and 6% wouldn't vote.

More: Joe Biden, Donald Trump deadlocked in new Marquette Poll of Wisconsin voters

Visit is first since Baldwin has an announced Republican challenger

The first lady's remarks in Waukesha mark the administration's first visit since Eric Hovde formally launched his bid for U.S. Senate. Hovde has the backing of national Republicans in his challenge to Sen. Tammy Baldwin.

"We have our work cut out for us, if we're going to defeat him and hold onto the seat. The stakes of our fight are higher than ever," Baldwin said at the event. "We have to fight for our right to reproductive freedom, a fight that continues to this day."

Democrats have taken aim at Hovde's previous comments that he was "totally opposed" to abortion, though he says he now supports exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother, and thinks voters should decide the issue. He also confirmed that he supports access to IVF and fertility treatments .

Abortion remains politically salient for Democrats in Wisconsin who have seen increased voter mobilization over the issue in statewide races for governor and state Supreme Court since Roe v. Wade was overturned.

More: Could the IVF turmoil in Alabama happen in Wisconsin? Here's why it's unlikely.

First lady's visit to Waukesha shows Democrats' growing focus on the suburb

Biden delivered her remarks at the Waukesha Expo Center, where the audience included many mothers, including one with a ten-day-old newborn. Both Biden and Baldwin highlighted the work of women in volunteering and mobilizing other voters.

The first lady's visit to Waukesha represents a growing push among Democrats to engage with the traditionally Republican county. In 2020, former President Donald Trump won the county with nearly 60% of the vote. But the party's margins in the county have dropped over time.

More: Gilbert: What 30 years of voting history tells us about Wisconsin's shifting suburban vote

In January, Vice President Kamala Harris rallied voters in Big Bend around abortion. Baldwin also met with Waukesha-area moms while campaigning for reelection and answered questions about family finances, public school teachers and child care access.

A handful of protesters called for ceasefire at stop in Bay View

Biden made two brief stops after delivering her remarks, including at Rooted MKE, a Black-woman owned children's bookstore.

She also stopped at the Democratic Party of Milwaukee County headquarters in Bay View, where crowds welcomed her to the neighborhood. When she departed, three or four protestors on one corner called for a ceasefire in Gaza, though disruptions were limited.

A day before Biden's visit, the Coalition for Justice in Palestine held a rally in Milwaukee urging voters to avoid casting ballots for both Biden and Trump because of their positions on the conflict in the Middle East.

Republicans respond by criticizing president's age

In a statement responding to the first lady's visit, Republican Party of Wisconsin chairman Brian Schimming took aim at the president's age and memory.

"For the second time since the Hur Report’s release last month, the White House is sending the First Lady instead of the President to make the case for his abysmal record. This marks the latest desperate attempt by Democrats to cover for a tired presidency and its failing policies. And unlike Joe Biden, Wisconsinites won’t forget it," Schimming said.

The president's last trip to the state was in late January, when he visited Superior . The report Schimming refers to was released in early February . It portrayed Biden as an elderly man with "diminished capacities," including memory loss, giving critics fresh evidence to argue the 81-year-old president isn't up to serving a second term.

The first lady's visit on Sunday comes ahead of another administration visit this week. Vice President Kamala Harris is set to  travel to Madison  on Wednesday to highlight the administration's efforts to promote union job growth and apprenticeship programs.

USA Today contributed to this report.

WISN Milwaukee

"Wisconsin, you put us in the White House": First Lady Jill Biden appeals to women voters in Waukesha

First Lady Jill Biden spoke to about 100 women voters in Waukesha Sunday while campaigning on behalf of President Joe Biden.

The Women for Biden-Harris event happened at the Waukesha Expo Center. It's the fourth stop in the First Lady's battleground states tour.

Sunday, Jill Biden emphasized how important Wisconsin will be in the upcoming presidential election, and appealed to women voters by focusing on topics like reproductive rights and lowering childcare costs.

"Four years ago Wisconsin, you put us in the White House," Biden said.

Biden-Harris won Wisconsin by a thin margin in 2020, after former president Donald Trump won the state in 2016.

Waukesha county executive and former Wisconsin GOP chairman Paul Farrow said the First Lady's decision to come to Waukesha was strategic.

"We are a strong, still heavily Republican, county. But it has been changing over the years so I wouldn't be surprised that the democrats are coming here as well," Farrow said.

In her speech, Biden pointed to Kamala Harris's historic vice presidency, and the president's promise to codify Roe v. Wade as examples of the president's commitment to supporting women.

"President Biden is defending reproductive rights, fighting for a national law that would restore Roe's protections," Biden said.

It was an attractive policy point for women voters in attendance Sunday, that Republicans will try and combat in the coming months.

"There's no way that the legislature should be coming in and telling me what I can and can't do with my body," said Hales Corners resident LuAnn Bird.

"I think what's happened is the democrats have been able to latch on to a very emotional situation. And because they have done it the way that they have, they've been able to deflect all the other failings that they've created," Farrow said.

This is one of multiple visits the Biden-Harris administration is making to battleground Wisconsin ahead of the election in November. Vice President Kamala Harris will be in Madison on Wednesday.

READ MORE: "Wisconsin, you put us in the White House": First Lady Jill Biden appeals to women voters in Waukesha

CHECK OUT WISN: Get the top Milwaukee news weather and sports. With the day’s biggest stories and ones you may have missed, our Wisconsin news team has you covered.

"Wisconsin, you put us in the White House": First Lady Jill Biden appeals to women voters in Waukesha

President Biden to visit southern border on the same day as Donald Trump

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WASHINGTON − President Joe Biden plans to make a rare visit to the southern border Thursday − the same day former President Donald Trump plans his own border stop − to call Republicans out for blocking border legislation .

Biden will visit Brownsville, Texas , a White House official said, to meet with Border Patrol agents, law enforcement officials and local leaders. Trump, the front-runner to win the Republican nomination, had already scheduled a visit Thursday to Eagle Pass, Texas, about 325 miles away from Brownsville.

Biden's trip − the second to the border of his presidency − comes as record migration at the U.S.-Mexico border remains one his biggest election liabilities.

But in a major political shift, Biden has embraced tougher rhetoric on the border and blamed congressional Republicans for inaction after they killed legislation this month − at Trump's urging − that would have created some of the most aggressive border restrictions in years.

It's an attempt to flip the script ahead of the 2024 presidential election by turning an issue that has historically hurt Democrats into a Biden campaign win.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

"Every day between now and November, the American people are going to know that the only reason the border is not secure is Donald Trump and his MAGA Republican friends," Biden said after Republicans blocked the border bill from getting a Senate vote.

Biden's only other visit to the southern border came in January 2023, when he stopped in El Paso, Texas , en route to meet with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador about stemming migration.

Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign's national press secretary, slammed Biden's visit in a statement, saying his "last-minute, insincere attempt to chase President Trump to the border won’t cut it."

"Americans know Biden is single-handedly responsible for the worst immigration crisis in history," Leavitt said.

During Biden's visit Thursday, the president will discuss "the urgent need" to pass the border security legislation, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

"He will reiterate his calls for congressional Republicans to stop playing politics and to provide the funding needed for additional U.S. Border Patrol agents, more asylum officers, fentanyl detection technology and more," Jean-Pierre said.

With the border legislation stalled, Biden is considering executive action under federal immigration powers once used by Trump to achieve some of the policies in the legislation, risking a backlash from progressives and immigration advocates.

The border legislation, which was negotiated by a team of Democratic and Republican senators, would have given the Biden administration the power to shut down the border to migrants crossing illegally when daily crossings exceed a daily average of 4,000 in any one-week period.

And if migrant border encounters surpass an average of 5,000 a day − a threshold now met − the Department of Homeland Security would have been required to close the border to migrants seeking to cross without authorization between ports of entry. 

The Associated Press reported Biden is exploring executive action under Section 212(f) of the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act to achieve similar restrictions on asylum-seekers trying to enter the U.S. illegally.

Trump cited the same power in 2018 to stop accepting asylum-seekers at the border − action later blocked in the courts − and to ban the entry of people from certain Muslim-majority nations.

Jean-Pierre declined to say whether Biden will be announcing any new policies during the trip but said "no executive action" can duplicate the bipartisan border bill.

"I don't have a reaction to the former president," Jean-Pierre said when asked about Trump's dueling visit. "Not going to speak to his schedule."

Even before any executive action is taken, progressive Democrats are pushing back, underscoring the delicate line Biden must walk as he navigates the border crisis in an election year.

The House Congressional Hispanic Caucus has said its members oppose unilateral attempts by the White House to overhaul the asylum system.

Republicans, who for years have hammered Democrats as soft on border security, are overwhelmingly viewed more favorably on the border.  An NBC poll this month  found more voters view Trump, by 57%-22%, as the better candidate than Biden to secure the border and control immigration.

Jill Biden Casts Donald Trump as a Threat to Women as She Opens a Tour of Battleground States

First lady Jill Biden is warning that returning Donald Trump to the White House would threaten women who already have watched the former president’s Supreme Court picks nix a federal right to abortion services

Evan Vucci

First lady Jill Biden speaks to the National Governors Association during an event in the East Room of the White House, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

ATLANTA (AP) — First lady Jill Biden warned Friday that returning Donald Trump to the White House would threaten women who already have watched the former president’s Supreme Court picks nix a federal right to abortion services.

Trump has “spent a lifetime tearing us down and devaluing our existence,” she said in Atlanta, where she launched a multistate battleground tour to highlight President Joe Biden's reelection campaign outreach program aimed at women.

“I’ve been so proud of how Joe has placed women at the heart of his agenda,” the first lady said of her husband. She contrasted him to Trump, who she said “mocks women’s bodies, disrespects our accomplishments and brags about assault ” and, as recently as this week, took credit for “killing Roe v. Wade.”

It was an unusually pointed take-down from Jill Biden. She has long been a smiling, supportive advocate for her husband, often telling endearing stories about their marriage and family and her own career as an educator. Her remarks Friday signaled a more aggressive role in what is setting up to be a bitter rematch of the 2020 election. Women are likely to play a crucial role, especially in the relative handful of states that will determine the Electoral College outcome.

“We are the first generation in half a century to give our daughters a country with fewer rights than we had,” she said, adding that women must organize in 2024 and “meet this moment as if our rights are at risk — because they are.”

Besides visiting Georgia, the first lady will highlight the campaign's “Women for Biden” effort with weekend events in Arizona, Nevada and Wisconsin. The president won all four states in 2020, and each is expected to be hotly contested in November.

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A Maka Indigenous woman puts on make-up before protesting for the recovery of ancestral lands in Asuncion, Paraguay, Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024. Leader Mateo Martinez has denounced that the Paraguayan state has built a bridge on their land in El Chaco's Bartolome de las Casas, Presidente Hayes department. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

Separately Friday, Vice President Kamala Harris released a video affirming her role alongside the first lady as the president’s top validator to women.

“We are fighting for fundamental freedoms,” Harris said, mentioning protection from gun violence and “the freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body.”

Harris nodded to her place as the first woman to serve as vice president and urged women “to mobilize your daughters, your sisters, your friends and neighbors” so “we will make history again.”

At a woman-owned event space in downtown Atlanta, Jill Biden listed administration accomplishments and priorities, assuring a friendly audience that “Joe and Kamala” will push for a national abortion rights law superseding state restrictions, while also protecting access to fertility treatments and birth control.

Trump's campaign countered with a different slate of issues and highlighted the recent killing of a Georgia college student as proof the former president can serve women better than the incumbent who defeated him in 2020.

“The horrifying murder of Laken Riley at the hands of an illegal immigrant is every woman’s worst nightmare, and Joe Biden’s policies have turned our nightmare into reality,” said campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. “Women want a president who will secure our nation’s borders, remove violent criminals from our neighborhoods, and build an economy that helps hardworking families thrive.”

Jill Biden’s tour comes ahead of Super Tuesday, a slate of primaries and caucuses across 16 states and one U.S. territory that are expected to push Biden and Trump close to the delegate majorities required for their respective nominations.

The itinerary includes the three closest states from 2020. Joe Biden won by less than a percentage point in Georgia, Arizona and Wisconsin, with a combined margin over Trump of about 43,000 votes across the three, a razor-thin amount despite Biden’s national popular-vote advantage of 7 million.

Biden won Nevada by 2.3 points. But Democrats have since lost the governor’s office there.

The four states have a combined 43 electoral votes, enough to flip the Electoral College in Trump’s favor.

In 2020, an AP VoteCast survey of more than 110,000 general election voters shows Biden won 55% of women and 46% of men nationally, a so-called gender gap of 9 percentage points. VoteCast showed that Trump narrowly beat Biden among white women, largely on the strength of support in rural areas and small towns. But Biden dominated with women in the suburbs, winning 59% to Trump’s 40% of a group that makes up around a quarter of the electorate nationwide. Biden won overwhelmingly among Black women, 93% to Trump’s 6%, according to VoteCast.

Several attendees Friday said concerns about reproductive rights will boost support for Biden.

“It is absolutely the No. 1 issue for me and the women in my circle — even a lot of Republicans,” said Tina Coria of suburban McDonough.

Tambrei Cash, who is running for the Georgia congressional seat held by Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Green, described the Supreme Court's 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade as an awakening for many women who took the right for granted. A recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling concerning in vitro fertilization and frozen embryos , she added, is another reminder of the stakes.

“Women are mad, because they are coming for our fundamental rights,” Cash said. “It's not just abortion. They're coming for IVF, and they're coming for birth control.”

Coria and Cash agreed that it's important for Biden, as an 81-year-old man who once talked openly about his personal opposition to abortion, to have his wife and the vice president vouching for him.

“It is essential, just essential to have their voices,” Coria said.

Katrina Parks, a 54-year-old from Douglasville, another Atlanta suburb, stressed “everyday issues” beyond the headliner debates on abortion and, more recently, immigration and border policy.

“The country is just in an overall state of emergency," Parks said, “but I think about that as the concerns that most people are living with every day.”

She cited health care, literacy and educational opportunities, consumer goods and criminal justice reform. As for the president's age and fitness for a second term, she said, “I don't hold anyone's age against them. I believe in leveraging experience, and he does that.”

Copyright 2024 The  Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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VP Harris meets privately with Alabama IVF patient in wake of state court ruling

The White House meeting comes amid her tour promoting reproductive freedom.

Vice President Kamala Harris met privately at the White House this week with an Alabama woman directly affected by the state Supreme Court's ruling that found frozen embryos to be considered children.

Abbey Crain has been undergoing IVF treatments for nearly two years and was preparing to transfer the frozen embryos when the court's decision was announced.

She traveled to the White House on Thursday to meet with Harris, describing the anger she felt after the ruling.

"This is literally, literally taking away my freedom to become a parent," Crain told Harris, according to a video of the meeting reviewed by ABC News.

"I know that any person who has waited just one month to get pregnant, they know that feeling -- it's agonizing. It's grief. It is all encompassing and it rules your life," Crain added.

Harris, who recently embarked on a nationwide tour to promote reproductive freedom, said, "the idea that these, mostly men, sitting in these state capitols have decided that it is their right to tell you what is in your best interest about your body and your life. To not understand how much hope, and hard work and physical emotional pain and rollercoasters someone goes through."

PHOTO: Vice President Kamala Harris participates in a conversation on Alabama's Supreme Court ruling on IVF with Alabama resident and IVF patient Abbey Crain, on Feb. 29, 2024, in the Vice President's West Wing Office at the White House.

MORE: Alabama Legislature passes bill to ensure IVF access after court ruled embryos are children

More than a year ago, Harris warned that the U.S. Supreme Court's overruling of its Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion access nationwide could open the door to more sweeping restrictions on contraception and in vitro fertilization.

The Alabama court ruling has sparked a national conversation around access to IVF. Within days of the decision, roughly half of IVF clinics in Alabama paused treatment out of fear they could face wrongful death lawsuits or criminal charges for discarding unused embryos, which is a routine part of the process.

In the wake of the ruling, Harris was the administration's lead voice in opposing the decision, calling it "shocking" but "not surprising."

"What we have seen in Alabama is, sure enough, it has now been attacked and the access to reproductive health care through IVF is being taken from countless individuals and families, and this is about an individual's right, but it also affects entire families," she said while visiting Grand Rapids, Michigan.

PHOTO: Vice President Kamala Harris participates in a conversation on Alabama's Supreme Court ruling on IVF with Alabama resident and IVF patient Abbey Crain, on Feb. 29, 2024, in the Vice President's West Wing Office at the White House.

MORE: What to know about IVF after Alabama Supreme Court ruling leaves it in limbo

Several days after the state Supreme Court ruling, the Alabama legislature passed legislation to restore access to in vitro fertilization. The bill provides civil and criminal immunity "for death or damage" to an embryo as part of IVF services. But even if clinics resume treatments, the move comes too late for a number of patients who were scheduled to undergo embryo transfers and had their appointments canceled.

Harris' meeting comes as President Joe Biden is expected to highlight his administration's efforts to protect abortion access and women's health care services during his State of the Union address next Thursday.

The president has invited Kate Cox, the 31-year-old Texas woman who was denied an emergency abortion by the state's Supreme Court, to be his guest at the speech.

Biden will discuss "saving our democracy, protecting women's reproductive health – rights and freedom are on the ballot," a White House official told ABC News.

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Every president except George Washington has called the White House home and has run the executive branch of the United States government from within its walls. Recognizable around the world, the White House stands as a symbol of democracy. The White House and its park grounds also serve as an iconic place for civil discourse.

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The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

The White   House Announces Public Tours Will Resume A Full Operating   Schedule

The Biden-Harris Administration is pleased to announce public tours of the White House will resume a full operating schedule from Tuesdays through Saturdays beginning on Tuesday, July 19, 2022. Public tours will be available from 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, excluding Federal holidays or unless otherwise noted. All White House tours are free of charge. The White House tour schedule is subject to change based on inclement weather or official use Public White House Tour Requests

Public tour requests are scheduled on a first come, first served basis and must be submitted through a Member of Congress and their Congressional Tour Coordinator. Constituents may reach your Member of Congress and Congressional Tour Coordinator through the U.S. House of Representative’s Switchboard at 202-225-3121, the U.S. Senate Switchboard at 202-224-3121, or online at  www.congress.gov/members .

Consistent with prior practices, public White House tour requests must be submitted a minimum of 21 days in advance and no more than 90 days in advance of the requested tour date(s). Reservations cannot be accepted for tour dates outside this 21 – 90-day window. Congressional Tour Coordinators will be able to submit tour requests for the full operating schedule on Monday, June 27, 2022. 

The White House will continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 situation with guidance based on recommendations from the CDC, and other public health officials and medical experts, and reserves the right to adjust availability of the public tours as necessary to adhere to the latest health guidance. Within the 10 days prior to the public tour, anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19, has had any COVID-19 symptoms, or been in close contact with someone confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19, should stay home. Face masks will be available when entering the White House complex for those who choose to wear them.

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11 Times Celebs Faked Their Home Tours, From Little White Lies To Renting Another Celeb's Fancy House

Robbie Williams gave Cribs a tour of his gorgeous eight-bedroom manor house complete with butler service. However, it later came out that he rented the house from Jane Seymour, and the butlers were hired just for the episode!

Kristen Harris

BuzzFeed Staff

From MTV's Cribs to Architectural Digest's "Open Door" series, lots of people love taking a look inside celebs' homes. However, things aren't always what they appear.

Here are 11 times celebs got caught lying or faking things for their house tours:, 1. the lie: in her architectural digest house tour, dakota johnson showcased a big bowl of limes and declared her love for them..

Dakota in a blazer standing in a kitchen with text "I love limes! I love them, they're great."

THE TRUTH: When she appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon about a year later, she revealed, "I actually didn't even know they were in there. I was giving the tour and went into the kitchen, and it was set dressing. I'm actually allergic to limes."

Dakota in patterned top on a video call with "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" logo visible

Here's her house tour, with the limes lie starting at the 4:58 mark:

a tour in the white house

View this video on YouTube

2. the lie: in ashley tisdale 's ad house tour, she showcased her gorgeous, fully stocked bookshelves..

Ashley standing by a desk with a bookshelf behind her, wearing a casual top and satin trousers

THE TRUTH: In the video , she said, "These bookshelves, I have to be honest, did not actually have books in them a couple of days ago. I had my husband go to a bookstore, and and I was like, 'You need to get 400 books.'"

Ashley in white tee smiling in front of a bookshelf

Here's Ashley's full house tour, with this part starting at the 3:22 mark:

a tour in the white house

3. THE LIE: On her Cribs episode, Mariah Carey showcased how she can walk from her closet to her home gym and workout in four inch heels.

Mariah in a gym, using a stair climber machine

THE TRUTH: She wasn't being "serious." She doesn't actually work out in heels, and she's poked fun at the moment several times.

Mariah laughing on her stairmaster

Awhile after the episode aired, Mariah filmed a commercial for MTV where she broke her $900 heels on the treadmill, threw them into a pile of discarded workout heels, and had a butler bring her a new pair.

Several years later, she posted an Instagram picture of herself working out on a Jacob's Ladder in high heels. She told Entertainment Tonight , "This is not the first time that I've worked out in heels... I remember the first time I did this on Cribs , and everyone was like, 'Oh my God, she's working out in heels! What is she doing?' I'm like, 'Like I'm being serious.' And then I was just like, 'Let me do this for laughs.'"

Then, in 2024, she posted a video where she used a leg press while wearing a gold evening gown and platform heels. She joked, "I'm Mariah Carey. Of course this is my workout ensemble."

Here's a clip from her episode, with the workout part starting at the 2:12 mark:

a tour in the white house

4. THE (LIKELY) LIE: When Kim Kardashian showed off her family home on Cribs , she said, "I'm a baker, so as you can see, some of the cookies we baked are over here."

Kim Kardashian in a casual outfit placing cookies in a glass jar on kitchen counter

THE (PROBABLE) TRUTH: Over the years, many people have pointed out how suspiciously store-bought those cookies looked.

Glass jars on a kitchen counter filled with an assortment of cookies

5. THE LIE: JoJo took Cribs on a tour of her vacation home in Massachusetts.

JoJo sitting on bed holding a sports-themed pillow, with stuffed toys behind her

THE TRUTH: JoJo "didn’t have a home at that point," as she and her mom were "living out of suitcases" and "mostly in hotels." So, they used her uncle's house on Cape Cod, and she pretended his kids' things were hers.

JoJo in long sleeved top and jeans standing by a refrigerator covered with photos and notes

She told HuffPost , "It was so ridiculous... That wasn’t my house. That wasn’t my stuff. When I was sitting on the spinny thing, that was his kids'. That’s the truth. I should’ve balled hard, and been like, 'Welcome to my crib, look at how luxurious it is.' And I should have rented out a place. But no. I just used my uncle's crib."

She also told the Zach Sang Show , "It's so ridiculous, because, like, why wouldn't I, like, get a really nice place? Because my family didn't have access to, like...we just didn't know people really that had places like that... It was so stupid."

Here's a clip from her episode:

a tour in the white house

6. THE LIE: When 50 Cent appeared on MTV's Cribs , he showed off a fleet of expensive cars.

50 Cent standing by a car, wearing a cap and graphic tee, with two sports cars in the background

THE TRUTH: In a 2015 court appearance, the rapper testified that his luxury lifestyle was all faked for "entertainment." Some of the cars, such as the Ferrari and the Bentley, were always rentals, never his own.

50 Cent sitting in a sports car, smiling, with another similar car next to him

Here's a clip from his Cribs appearance, with the cars appearing at the 13:35 mark:

a tour in the white house

7. THE LIE: In her AD house tour, Vanessa Hudgens showed her grand piano, which "doesn't really get used that often." She also played the little bit of Mozart she could remember.

Vanessa smiling at piano, sheet music on stand, bright room with window

THE TRUTH: In the accompanying Architectural Digest article, she said, "The piano came from my previous house, but I don’t play. I don’t read music, really. I’m great at faking it."

Vanessa Hudgens smiles while playfully posing with a grand piano in a sunlit room

Here's Vanessa's full house tour, with the piano part starting at the 0:43 mark:

a tour in the white house

8. THE LIE: On Cribs , 3LW said that they were leasing a house in Los Angeles , but because of 9/11, they were "stuck" and didn't want to fly. Since they were working on the second album, they decided to buy the house and live in it together.

3LW pose together; a blurred background with framed art

THE TRUTH: The house didn't actually belong to the band.

3LW sitting on a bed and chatting

On The Breakfast Club, Naturi Naughton said, "MTV did the  Cribs  and back when 3LW was hot. We had to pretend. But I didn’t have a car, I didn’t have a house, I didn’t have any of those things… But we did MTV Cribs .”

Here's a clip from their episode:

a tour in the white house

9. THE LIE: On Cribs , Ja Rule gave MTV a tour of a five-bedroom mansion on Star Island in Miami. He had a big party as part of the episode.

Ja Rule wearing chain gestures while talking indoors

THE TRUTH: The house was under a lease, which, according to the owner, forbade parties. She reportedly sued him for $1 million after seeing the party on MTV and returning home to find her house trashed with syringes and condom wrappers all over the place as well as structural damage.

Ja Rule and a friend smiling and walking by a crowd, one wearing a bandana and sunglasses, the other in a casual shirt

Here's a clip from his episode:

a tour in the white house

10. THE LIE: Robbie Williams gave Cribs a tour of his gorgeous eight-bedroom manor house in Bath.

Robbie stands by a car outside a stately home on MTV Cribs UK

THE TRUTH: The house didn't even belong to him — he rented it from Jane Seymour!

Robbie Williams sitting on a bed, looking at the camera

Years later, he reportedly told a US radio station, "We didn't let [Jane] know that I was going to pretend it was my house. And because I was, like, 23 and full of spunk, I didn't even consider other people's thoughts or feelings, so I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to Jane Seymour."

11. And finally, THE LIE: On his fake Cribs home tour, Robbie Williams was attended to by butlers as if he truly was the "lord of the manor."

Frame from MTV Cribs UK showing Robbie Williams outside with his car and butler

THE TRUTH: The bulters were hired for the shoot.

Robbie Williams in a scene from MTV Cribs UK, taking a cigarette from his butler

Robbie later did another episode of Cribs at his real home. Here's a clip:

a tour in the white house

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  4. The White House: Visitor's Guide, Tours, Tickets & More

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COMMENTS

  1. Visit The White House

    The White House Tour entrance is located in Sherman Park at 15th Street NW and Alexander Hamilton Place NW. If arriving by rideshare, use the White House Visitor Center (WHVC) as the drop-off address.

  2. How Can I Tour the White House in DC?

    Public, self-guided tours are 45 minutes and are run between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays unless otherwise noted. For complete details on White House tours, visit the White House tours and events page or call the White House Visitors Office 24-hour information line at (202) 456-7041. The White House is located at 1600 ...

  3. How to Book White House Tours When Visiting Washington DC

    Contact your state representative (Congressman or Congresswoman, or state senator) to submit a request for tour tickets. All public tour requests must go through your congressional office. Wait for confirmation of your ticket request for public tours of the White House. Wait to hear when your scheduled date and time of your tour will be.

  4. How to tour the White House

    Tours are scheduled on a first come, first served basis. Requests can be submitted up to three months in advance and no less than 21 days in advance. You are encouraged to submit your request as early as possible as a limited number of spaces are available. The White House tour is free of charge. Please note that White House tours may be ...

  5. White House tours are back: Here's what you need to know

    Open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the center is home to roughly 100 historical artifacts and offers an interactive touchscreen tour of the White House. There's also the nearby White House Historical Association retail store, which sells a great selection of souvenirs, including history books, jewelry, cherry blossom items ...

  6. Tour the White House in 360 Degrees

    The below digital notebook was created by the White House Historical Association to assist students and teachers using "The White House 360 Virtual Tour" in their classrooms. Even if students are learning in a virtual, in-person, or hybrid format, these materials are accessible and will accompany them on their journey through these tours.

  7. Virtual Tour

    The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500 To ... We invite you to put yourself in the center of living history and experience the White House through a virtual tour.

  8. The White House Announces 2022 Public Tours

    Tours. Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is pleased to announce public tours of the White House will begin on Friday, April 15, 2022. Public tours will initially be available from 8:00 AM to ...

  9. How To Visit the White House & Get A Tour [+ Virtual Tour]

    The White House Visitor Center is open every day from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. It is free to enter and can be visited in conjunction with a White House tour if you are lucky enough to get on one, or as a stand-alone attraction.

  10. How to Get White House Public Tour Tickets

    The White House is open to public tours usually from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm Tuesday-Saturday, except for Federal Holidays. Reservations must be arranged in advance. It is hard to get a White House tour but the further in advance you request and the more flexibility you offer in dates, the better your chances.

  11. How Can I Tour the White House in DC?

    Public, self-guided tours are 45 minutes and are run between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays unless otherwise noted. For complete details on White House tours, visit the White House tours and events page or call the White House Visitors Office 24-hour information line at (202) 456-7041. The White House is located at 1600 ...

  12. White House Visitor Center

    The White House Visitor Center, located at 1450 Pennsylvania Ave. NW ( map ), offers visitors a window into the president's iconic home. Admission is free. The park's operating hours and seasons webpage lists the current hours. Security screening, similiar to TSA-style airport security, is required for entry to the visitor center.

  13. How to Visit the White House: A Local's Guide

    You'll want to arrive at the White House around 15-30 minutes before your tour is set to start. That will most likely be between the self-guided tour hours of 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. from Tuesday to Thursday, and 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday or Saturday. Luckily, the White House is near the centerpoint of DC public transportation, so ...

  14. White House tour schedule to resume in full in July; what to know

    White House tours are free, but require reservations. How do I get a tour of the White House? Tour requests must be made through a member of Congress between 21 to 90 days in advance.

  15. On the Day of Your Tour

    The nearest restrooms to the White House are located in the White House Visitor Center. Restrooms and public telephones are not available in the White House. Current Information. All visitors should call the 24-hour Visitors Office information line at 202-456-7041 to determine if any last minute changes have been made in the tour schedule.

  16. Inside the White House on a Public Tour

    We had a chance to go inside the White House! https://freetoursbyfoot.com/visit-the-white-house-tour/Any one can request tickets to visit the White House to ...

  17. A Tour of the White House

    This collection, "A Tour of the White House," offers an online tour of the Executive Mansion for those who may not have the opportunity to visit in person. To learn more, purchase our The White House: An Historic Guide. Take a Video Tour of the White House Take a 360 Tour of the White House. In 1961, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy resolved to ...

  18. How to Tour the WHITE HOUSE

    Find out how to make a White House tour reservation; learn which rooms you get to see when you visit; and a few other practical tips for your White House vis...

  19. Jill Biden casts Donald Trump as a threat to women as she opens a tour

    ATLANTA (AP) — First lady Jill Biden warned Friday that returning Donald Trump to the White House would threaten women who already have watched the former president's Supreme Court picks nix a federal right to abortion services.. Trump has "spent a lifetime tearing us down and devaluing our existence," she said in Atlanta, where she launched a multistate battleground tour to highlight ...

  20. 'Women put Joe Biden in the White House': Takeaways from First lady

    First lady Jill Biden made Waukesha her final stop on a tour to launch an effort to mobilize women voters. ... "Women put Joe Biden in the White House and women are going to do it again."

  21. White House Garden Tours

    White House Garden Tours for Fall 2023 will be held on October 14 and 15, 2023. Free timed tickets will be distributed from a tent outside the White House Visitor Center at 8:30am each day. All attendees, regardless of age, must have a ticket. Aerosols, ammunition, animals other than service/guide animals, backpacks and bags exceeding size ...

  22. "Wisconsin, you put us in the White House": First Lady Jill Biden ...

    "Four years ago Wisconsin, you put us in the White House," Biden said. Biden-Harris won Wisconsin by a thin margin in 2020, after former president Donald Trump won the state in 2016.

  23. Biden and Trump to both visit US-Mexico border the same day

    Biden will visit Brownsville, Texas, a White House official said, to meet with Border Patrol agents, law enforcement officials and local leaders. Trump, the front-runner to win the Republican ...

  24. Jill Biden Casts Donald Trump as a Threat to Women as She Opens a Tour

    Evan Vucci. First lady Jill Biden speaks to the National Governors Association during an event in the East Room of the White House, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in Washington.

  25. VP Harris meets privately with Alabama IVF patient in wake of state

    The White House meeting comes amid her tour promoting reproductive freedom. Vice President Kamala Harris met privately at the White House this week with an Alabama woman directly affected by the ...

  26. The White House and President's Park (U.S. National Park Service)

    The White House and its park grounds also serve as an iconic place for civil discourse. How to Tour the White House. Tours must be scheduled through your Congressperson or embassy. White House Visitor Center. Exhibits and artifacts tell the story of the White House as a symbol, stage, and home.

  27. Musk Has Visited the White House Only Once During Biden's Term

    Tesla Inc. Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk visited the White House for the first time during President Joe Biden's term in September, a contrast to his multiple trips under the previous two ...

  28. The White House Announces Public Tours Will Resume A Full Operating

    Consistent with prior practices, public White House tour requests must be submitted a minimum of 21 days in advance and no more than 90 days in advance of the requested tour date(s). Reservations ...

  29. 11 Times Celebs Lied During Or Faked Their Home Tours

    11 Times Celebs Faked Their Home Tours, From Little White Lies To Renting Another Celeb's Fancy House. Robbie Williams gave Cribs a tour of his gorgeous eight-bedroom manor house complete with ...