One thing I knew we wanted to do in Washington DC was touring the White House! Of course this is not something you can just walk up and do. It takes very specific advanced planning, security clearance, and sometimes, a little luck. Follow along as I break down how to tour the White House and what to expect on your tour!
How To Request A White House Tour
Well before your trip, you have to reach out to your Member of Congress. Requests have to be made no sooner than 3 months before your trip and no less than 21 days before. Tours fill up fast, so submit right at the 3 month mark and have flexibility in your tour date.
The process was pretty simple. Look up your Representative or Senator here. Most have a tour request form where you simply check the boxes of the tours you are interested in.
You enter the dates that you are interested in and they submit your information. You cannot change your dates once they are submitted to the White House. So make sure you are free to visit on any of these date. Check out our post on visiting Washington DC to learn about other amazing tour they can help you with.
You will receive an email confirming your request for touring the White House. This is not a ticket for the tour and does not guarantee you will receive a tour. Instead, this email provides a very important link. Click this link to provide additional information about each individual in your party. All of this information must be provided by the date listed.
Ultimately, you do not receive notification of your actual tour date until right before your tour. They said we would receive our notification 2-3 weeks prior to our tour date. But, we received ours closer to 1-1.5 weeks. This means I had to do some last minute scheduling changes for our itinerary. Again, there is no changing your tour date once it is assigned.
Important Details for Touring the White House
| Tour Dates | Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday |
| Tour Times | 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM (you will be assigned a specific tour time) |
| Requirements | A valid, government-issued photo ID is required for: (1) all US citizens ages 18 and older and (2) all foreign nationals (including children). Note: digital IDs were not accepted when we visited |
| Prohibited Items | This is a long list, but the highlights include NO: • bags of any kind (including fanny packs and clutches) • cameras with detachable lenses • food • liquids • strollers • video cameras |
So basically leave everything except a form of ID, money and your cell phone in your hotel. There are NO storage facilities available to store your things.
There are also no restrooms available, so have your kiddos go before you arrive.
Touring the White House:
Gathering in Line
After dropping everything off at our hotel, we made our way to the White House. Here, we joined a line for security screening. This line can sometimes be pretty long. Luckily, it moved pretty quickly and was mostly shaded.
The girls picked up their Junior Ranger books while in line. We later turned in the books at the White House Visitor Center (down the street).
Touring the White House East Wing:
East Wing Entrance
When entering the White House, you start in the East Wing. The East Wing was built in 1902. Since then, it has been the entrance to the White House for visitors and guests.
Our tour included the East Wing and several of the rooms we see on TV and movies. As you move down the ground floor the East Wing, you can look into the various rooms. The rooms are roped off, so you cannot enter into any of them. The tours are self-guided with informational plaques and Secret Service Agents available to answer questions.
Touring the White House East Wing:
Movie Theater
The Movie Theater was originally a cloakroom during the early 1900’s. Roosevelt converted it into a movie theater in 1942. During large White House events, the room reverts back to a coat-check room.
Touring the White House Residence Ground Floor:
Library
Originally serving as a laundry room, this room become a gentlemen’s waiting room in 1902. Then in 1935, it was turned into a library containing over 2,700 books relating to American life. This room has also been used for interviews and televised Presidential addresses.
Touring the White House Residence Ground Floor:
Vermeil Room
Vermeil is a French term meaning gilded silver. So no surprise, you will find displays of European and American gilded silver in the Vermeil Room.
Touring the White House Residence Ground Floor:
China Room
Each president purchases his own Presidential China – which costs a ton! The China Room has been an exhibition space for the Presidential China since 1917.
Touring the White House:
Secret Service Officers
There are Secret Service Officers in every room and each is a walking encyclopedia of history and facts. They are really open about answering questions and talking about how the first family lives. So we challenged the girls to ask at least one question in every room. Buttercup struck a conversation with the Secret Service Officer we met outside of the Movie Theater / China Room. This is the area where you will notice the partitions blocking to the West Wing.
She complimented the Secret Service Officer’s pin on his tie. So he gave both girls a matching pin. I didn’t notice anyone else handing them out, so it was pretty special!
Fun fact … working on the White House tour is a huge honor for the Secret Service Officers! They have to pass a big test and love to share their knowledge.
Moving to the State Floor
After the China Room, the self-guided tour continues on the State Floor. The carpet is rolled up on the State Floor. Right after the last tour, a crew comes through to quickly convert the area back for the family’s use. Apparently, it is pretty impressive how fast they can remove the ropes / signs and unroll the carpet!
Touring the White House State Floor:
East Room
State dinners, receptions, bill-signing ceremonies, and award presentations all take place in the East Room. This beautiful space is the largest room in the White House. It has seen its share of amazing moments – holding the wedding ceremonies for five presidential daughters. It has also seen its share monumental sad moments – being the location where seven presidents who died while in office were lain in state.
Touring the White House State Floor:
Green Room
Thomas Jefferson used the Green Room as a dining room. Then James Madison converted this room to a formal parlor. In 1825, this room became known as the “Green Drawing Room” due to the color of the fabrics. Fun fact … the walls of the Green Room are actually covered in fabric, not wallpaper!
Touring the White House State Floor:
Blue Room
This room has served as a formal parlor since 1817 and has been known as the Blue Room since it was decorated by Martin Van Buren in 1837. This special room holds the official Christmas tree each year and was the location where President Cleveland got married. Fun fact … the Blue Room was once covered in precious stones. But, there are no photos of it or samples remaining.
Touring the White House State Floor:
Red Room
The Red Room is another room covered in fabric, not wallpaper. It has been a parlor since the early 19th century when it was used by first ladies to receive guests. President Hayes took the oath of office in this room in 1877.
Touring the White House State Floor:
State Dining Room
As many as 140 people can dine in the State Dining Room for formal events. In 1802, Thomas Jefferson and Meriwether Lewis planned the Lewis and Clark Expedition here. Then in 1809, it was transformed into a State Dining Room. With the removal of a staircase in the Cross Hall, the State Dining Room was enlarged and redesigned in 1902.
Touring the White House State Floor:
Exiting Through the Entrance Hall
After the State Dining Room, you are routed to exit through the Entrance Hall. There are some pretty cool photo opportunities in this area
The Family Verdict
The White House was a highlight of our trip. Not something you do every time you visit Washington DC, but definitely something you need to do at least once. The girls loved it!
Make sure to check out our adventures at the Library of Congress, Washington Monument, Ford’s Theater, and the National Mall. Also, follow our complete adventures through Washington DC and at nearby Niagara Falls!
Follow along on our other amazing family travel adventures at www.adventureisinoursouls.com.
Recommended Supplies
Don’t miss out on these recommended supplies for your family adventure!
For Packing:
For the Airport / Airplane:
