White House, District of Columbia, United States
4.0 (8.168 reviews) Spent 1-2 hours Ranking #70 in Washington DC Government Buildings
Bucket list - the people’s house!
One of America's most recognizable historical and political symbols is also the home and office of the President of the United States.
Address
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington DC, DC 20500
Mobile
Website
http://www.nps.gov/whho/index.htm
Current local date and time now
Thursday, May 09, 2024, 7:03
User Ratings
4.0 based on (8.168 reviews)
Excellent
45%
Good
31%
Satisfactory
19%
Poor
3%
Terrible
2%
Reviews
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5Stacy 5:00 PM Jan 31, 2020
I Went to the Big (White) House!
First and foremost, you cannot just walk up to the White House and request a tour. These tours must be planned in advance and require background checks. The request can be made up to three months in advance and in as little as 21 days in advance. I recommend submitting the request 90 days in advance if you know you will be going to D.C. and want to tour the White House. The request is submitted through your Congressman. This tour is self-guided with Security and Secret Service in every room to answer questions. The gift shop is small and has a limited variety of souvenirs. You only have one opportunity to visit as it's at the beginning of the tour. (I bought my souvenirs at White House Gift Shop located across the street from the side you exit the White House.) The areas of the East Wing you can tour are the Blue Room, Red Room, and Green Room; the State Dining Room; and the China Room. Photos are permitted with the specified camera types. The Security process is a maze of sorts. I do not say this as a criticism but as someone who was unsure of what to do or where to go. There is a building nearby called the White House Visitor Center but this is NOT where you go if you have a scheduled tour time. The entrance is very unassuming but detailed instructions are provided in your tour confirmation email. Overall, this is a great experience but not one to be had more than once.
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5Molly S 5:00 PM Sep 5, 2022
Loved it!!
My daughter and I were lucky enough to score tickets to the White House through a polictical friend and we were not disappointed!! Visitors cannot bring any kind of purse or backpack inside so be prepared to only bring your phone and printed pass with. We went through sercurity and had our pass authorized at least twice. This was a self guided tour, but the secret service agents did tell us a little about every room. We were able to see the Green, Blue and Red rooms, the State Dining and Ball rooms, the China room and Library. We found the tour very informative and it was my favorite thing of everything we did in D.C. I could feel the history of all the great men and woman that have lived there. Highly recommended.
