TOURS & EVENTS
White House Fall Garden Tours
The White House Gardens and Grounds Tours will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 17th, and from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 18th, 2009.
Visitors to the gardens will be able to view the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, Rose Garden, Children's Garden and the South Lawn of the White House.
The Kitchen Garden, a new addition to the South Lawn, will be viewable from a distance along the tour route. There will be a visual explanation to help educate tourists on the elements of the garden.
The tours are open to the public; however, a ticket is required for all attendees, including small children. The National Park Service will distribute free, timed tickets at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion located at 15th and E Streets on each tour day beginning at 8:00 a.m. Tickets will be distributed -- one ticket per person -- on a first-come, first-served basis.
Tours of the Residence will be closed on the dates of the Garden Tours.
Please note the following are prohibited on the White House grounds:
- Food and Beverages of any kind
- Duffel Bags/Suitcases/Backpacks
- Animals (except guide dogs)
- Aerosols of any kind Knives of any size
- Mace
- Smoking
- Real or Simulated Weapons/Ammunition
- Fireworks/Firecrackers
The U.S. Secret Service reserves the right to prohibit any other personal items.
Strollers, wheelchairs, and cameras are permitted.
In case of inclement weather, the Garden Tours will be cancelled. Please call the 24-hour information line at (202) 456-7041 to check on the status of the event.
White House Tours
Public tours of the White House are available. Requests must be submitted through one's Member of Congress and are accepted up to six months in advance. These self-guided tours are available from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Fridays, and 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturdays (excluding federal holidays). Tour hours will be extended when possible based on the official White House schedule. Tours are scheduled on a first come, first served basis. Requests can be submitted up to six months in advance and no less than 30 days in advance. You are encouraged to submit your request as early as possible since a limited number of tours are available. All White House tours are free of charge. For the most current tour information, please call the 24-hour line at 202-456-7041. Please note that White House tours may be subject to last minute cancellation.
If you wish to visit the White House and are a citizen of a foreign country, please contact your embassy in Washington, DC for assistance in submitting a tour request.
White House Visitor Center
All tours are significantly enhanced if visitors stop by the White House Visitor Center located at the southeast corner of 15th and E Streets, before or after their tour. The Center is open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and features many aspects of the White House, including its architecture, furnishings, first families, social events, and relations with the press and world leaders, as well as a thirty-minute video. Allow between 20 minutes to one hour to explore the exhibits. The White House Historical Association also sponsors a sales area. Please note that restrooms are available, but food service is not.
Mobility-Impaired / Wheelchairs
Visitors scheduled for tours who require the loan of a wheelchair should notify the officer at the Visitors Entrance upon arrival. Unfortunately, reservations are not possible. Visitors in wheelchairs, or with other mobility disabilities, use the same Visitors Entrance and are escorted by ramp from the entrance level to the Ground floor, and by the elevator from the Ground floor to the State floor.
Hearing-Impaired
Tours for hearing-impaired groups of ten or more may be requested through one’s Member of Congress. The Visitors Office TDD (telephone device for the deaf) is 202-456-2121.
Visually-Impaired
Tours for visually-impaired groups of ten or more may be requested through one’s Member of Congress. Guide animals are permitted in the White House.
General Tour 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.
Prohibited Items
Prohibited items include, but are not limited to, the following: handbags, book bags, backpacks, purses, food and beverages of any kind, strollers, cameras, video recorders or any type of recording device, tobacco products, personal grooming items (make-up, hair brush or comb, lip or hand lotions, etc.), any pointed objects (pens, knitting needles, etc.), aerosol containers, guns, ammunition, fireworks, electric stun guns, mace, martial arts weapons/devices, or knives of any size. The U.S. Secret Service reserves the right to prohibit any other personal items. Umbrellas, wallets and car keys are permitted. Cell phones and cell phones with built-in cameras are permitted, but will need to be turned off for the duration of your tour.
Please note that no storage facilities are available on or around the complex. Individuals who arrive with prohibited items will not be permitted to enter the White House.
Parking
The closest Metrorail 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). On-street parking is not available near the White House, and use of public transportation is strongly encouraged.
Restrooms/Public telephones
The nearest restrooms and public telephones to the White House are in the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion (the park area south of the White House) and in the White House Visitor Center. Restrooms or public telephones are not available at the White House.
