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The Adventures of a Twin Mom

Motherhood and Travel Blog

November 14, 2019

White House Tour

I thought it was finally time to share about our tour of the White House!  Let me first say that we were incredibly honored to be invited to tour the White House and it was a once in a lifetime experience.  However, if I’m being completely honest, it was also a crazy experience for us!  For whatever reason, that day Camden and Ella were being a little “extra”.  They are two so they are always a little crazy but they were definitely on an entirely different level this day, haha!  I actually was really sick and they probably had a little bit of my bug too.  Enough about that…here is a little bit about our day visiting the White House and some tips if you were to go!

Our Experience

I honestly expected the staff to be a little stiff and unfriendly just because security is so critical at the White House. I was VERY wrong. The staff was so amazing…they were friendly, nice, and made us feel welcome and safe.  Camden at one point started yelling for no reason and one of the staff got down on his knees to talk to Camden, it was so kind.

We made it through security and then started walking into the White House…talk about goosebumps! It felt so surreal.

It’s a self-guided tour which worked out really well for us since we have young kids that have a short attention span.

One of the first things we walked through was a log hallway that houses portraits of former presidents and their families.

Then we walked past a window and I couldn’t help but notice the soccer net outside for Barron Trump, that was pretty cute to see!

Next, was Family Theater! I remember seeing pictures of Presidents and their families in here!

That’s when things started getting a little insane. Camden and Ella decided they wanted to sit on the floor, play with the White House pamphlet, or scream…

Next was the Vermeil Room.  They use this as a display room specifically for gilded silver or for a formal event as a ladies sitting room.

The China Room was next! This was awesome, this is where they display the White Houses’ collection of state china.

Next up was the East Room.  This room is beautiful and is the largest room in the White House! They use it for receptions, ceremonies, press conferences, and other events. It also displays the famous Portrait of George Washington.

Then we headed towards Cross Hall.  I didn’t see much information on this on the tour but Judd and I both knew it looked very familiar.  Turns out, it’s used a lot.  It’s actually where Obama gave the famous speech about the death of Osama bin Laden.

Next up…the Green Room. This was Thomas Jefferson’s dining room and now is used for receptions and ceremonies.  At this point in our tour, both Camden and Ella wanted to be carried which would have been fine but they both weigh 25 and 30 pounds and only wanted me to carry them.  My arms thought they were going to break by the end of the tour and I was super jealous of my husband (the kids wouldn’t let him hold them) so he got to enjoy it a little more than I did.  He did an amazing job taking pictures even of the crazy moments though! We love you, Judd!

Onto the Blue Room…This is a regularly used room now, the President uses it when he has guests.  The White House Christmas tree is placed here every year.

The kiddos might have been a little extra but they sure looked cute! 😉

The Red Room was next.  This is apparently the favorite room of many First Ladies.

We walked into the State Dining Room next. This looks bigger in pictures compared to in person.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s still big! It can hold 130 guests and is often used for formal dinners and luncheons.

One more family photo inside.

Then we headed outside to the White House lawn and driveway. We took way too many pictures here because I was determined to get a good family picture!  Thanks to all the people who took millions of pictures for us.

Camden and Ella ask to go back to the White House all the time now.  We just laugh every time…that’s not happening anytime soon, kiddos! 😉

Well we survived and won’t ever forget this exciting and crazy day!

I wanted to share some information that I learned that might help you while planning your future trip to the White House…

Getting Tickets/Tour Invitation

Public tour requests must be submitted through one’s Member of Congress.  These self-guided tours are available from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays (excluding federal holidays or unless otherwise noted).  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 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 very limited number of spaces are available. 

Good to Know

• There are no bathrooms! Make sure you go before you enter security.

• No food or drinks allowed!

• No bags are allowed, not even diaper bags or small purses.

• No strollers are allowed.

• Parking can be difficult, it’s hard to find street parking. We paid for valet parking at a hotel close by, The Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C. It wasn’t cheap but made the day less stressful. Make sure you figure this out prior to the day of your tour because DC traffic is CRAZY!

• Make sure you have a government issued ID with you.

• You can take pictures with your phone or small cameras but no video recorders are allowed.

Thank you to The White House Staff for having us (and not kicking us out), this is something we will never forget!  If you want to read more about our trip to D.C. and our stay at the amazing Georgetown Suites, check out this blog post.

29 Comments

Comments

  1. Stacie

    November 14, 2019 at 8:57 pm

    We were able to take a tour of the White House once, and it was an amazing experience. You can really feel the history.

    Reply
    • Brianna

      November 15, 2019 at 8:51 pm

      I’m so glad you got to experience it too! So amazing, right?

      Reply
  2. Heather

    November 14, 2019 at 9:11 pm

    It would be a lifelong memory to visit the White House. So many presidents and diplomats have stepped through those doors!

    Reply
    • Blairvillanueva

      November 16, 2019 at 6:44 am

      Visiting the White House would be an awesome experience, and a must for every Americans. Glad you had an amazing time.

      Reply
  3. GiGi Eats

    November 14, 2019 at 10:36 pm

    Oh my goodness. Blast from the past. I did this back when I was like 11 years old. So A LONG TIME AGO – lol! I need to do it again! Refresh my memory!

    Reply
    • Brianna

      November 15, 2019 at 8:55 pm

      You sure do, girlfriend!! I’m sure it looks exactly the same but you probably remember it differently!

      Reply
  4. Cindy Ambrose

    November 14, 2019 at 11:15 pm

    This brought back wonderful memories for me. Marty and I took our family many years ago and then I took my kids from Stivers. I will always be in awe of this historic venue. Your pictures were perfect and your kids, of course, always make my heart happy!!!

    Reply
    • Brianna

      November 15, 2019 at 8:54 pm

      Aww, thanks Cindy!! It was a great experience for sure! I hope to go back again, when the kids are older that is. 😉

      Reply
  5. joy

    November 14, 2019 at 11:19 pm

    what an amazing opportunity. i would love to be able to visit the white house. and that’s so great about the security officer getting down on your son’s level at the beginning. such cute family pics.

    Joy at The Joyous Living

    Reply
    • Brianna

      November 15, 2019 at 8:54 pm

      Thanks! It sure was! I was so thankful how kind the staff treated us!!

      Reply
  6. Heather

    November 15, 2019 at 2:29 am

    I loved following along on your white house trip! I want to take the girls one day! Hopefully we get to go inside too.

    Reply
    • Brianna

      November 15, 2019 at 8:53 pm

      Thanks, Heather! Your girls are the perfect age for it, I hope you get to go! Enjoy your bday trip!! <3

      Reply
  7. Matt Taylor

    November 15, 2019 at 3:03 am

    Very cool tour! I have been to DC a few times but have never gone on the White House tour. Looks like your family had a great time!

    Reply
    • Brianna

      November 15, 2019 at 8:52 pm

      Thanks! We sure did! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Ntensibe Edgar Michael

    November 15, 2019 at 1:24 pm

    Yyyyyooooo….you got to visit the White House? You beat me to it! I wanna visit this place….save for the part where food and drinks aren’t allowed in.

    Reply
    • Brianna

      November 15, 2019 at 8:52 pm

      I hope you get to someday! It was a great experience!

      Reply
  9. Mary Edwards

    November 15, 2019 at 3:01 pm

    How fun and super educational for the kids. I’ve never been inside. The last time we went to DC (over the summer) the front was under construction…
    Can’t wait to get a peek inside

    Reply
    • Brianna

      November 15, 2019 at 8:51 pm

      I hope you get to go back! It’s such a great experience! DC is such a great city to visit!

      Reply
  10. katrina Kroeplin

    November 15, 2019 at 10:13 pm

    i haven’t been there but i would love to do a tour. im sure the little ones will appreciate it one day when they are older. looks awesome

    Reply
  11. Angela Milnes

    November 15, 2019 at 10:19 pm

    I would just love a trip to DC. There are so many iconic things to visit there.

    Reply
  12. Autumn

    November 16, 2019 at 6:05 am

    I thought the current administration had put a stop or at least a limit on touring the White House. Looks like you all had an interesting time there.

    Reply
  13. Emman Damian

    November 16, 2019 at 8:34 am

    I really want to see the white house. I haven’t been there. It must have been a good experience.

    Reply
  14. Melanie

    November 16, 2019 at 3:17 pm

    Sounds like you had a lovely family fun filled adventure for sure x

    Reply
  15. Sonia Zwennes

    November 16, 2019 at 5:02 pm

    Ah so precious and beautiful! I really enjoyed the pictures and detailed information, I must say so encouraging and plan on taking my family summer 2020. Please what hotel did you use for the parking of your car and any hotels you recommend. Thanks so much

    Reply
    • Brianna

      November 17, 2019 at 12:04 pm

      Thank you so much! We parked at the The Willard InterContinental Washington, D.C for the White House tour! Perfect place to park, not cheap but makes things a lot easier! We stayed at the Georgetown Suites in Georgetown and LOVED it! Beautiful area and the hotel rooms have plenty of room. I wrote about it here https://adventuresofatwinmom.com/2019/09/19/the-most-charming-of-them-all-georgetown-d-c-trip/🙂

      Reply
  16. Super Busy Mum

    November 18, 2019 at 5:57 am

    What an incredible place to be able to visit. Very cool!

    Reply
  17. Annemarie LeBlanc

    November 18, 2019 at 5:41 pm

    That is one awesome experience. I would really love to have a tour of the White House! Hopefully someday when I get to visit my cousin, she’d take me there!

    Reply
  18. Franca Whyte

    December 23, 2019 at 11:54 am

    Wow… It’s been a while since a came across such an accurate and relevant post. Excellent post from a genius.

    Reply
  19. www.findwritingservice.com/blog/impeccable-coursework-writing-service-from-expert-writers

    March 4, 2020 at 1:33 pm

    When I saw the first picture, I didn’t think that it was White House. Now, I understand, that you are very lucky to visit that place. It might be quite interesting there.

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Brianna! I'm a wife, mom of twin toddlers, a blogger, and a world traveler. Welcome to a small piece of our perfect chaos!

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Do you have a favorite age? I loved 6-10 months an Do you have a favorite age? I loved 6-10 months and now 4! 4 is by far the easiest for us and it’s honestly pretty magical! Newborn twins and twin toddlers was a wild ride!! I’m forever thankful to be their mommy!!
My kitchen is finally done, so excited to share it My kitchen is finally done, so excited to share it with y’all soon! But first…I wanted to share probably my favorite thing in our kitchen, my new farmhouse sink from @american_standard. 😍 Sharing all about why we decided to get a farmhouse sink on today’s blog post.  # gifted #americanstandard
My two little superheroes and their little sidekic My two little superheroes and their little sidekick are always there to save the day! 🦸🦸‍♀️🐕 Our sweet dog, London is a huge part of our family and we always want to make sure we do everything we can to keep her healthy.  After speaking to her veterinarian, we decided to switch to @SupremeSourcePet and London loves it.  We appreciate that it’s 100% balanced nutrition for all stages of her life and it contains a superfood blend of organic USDA certified seaweed, fruits, and veggies.  #PoweredByNutrition #SupremeSource #sponsored
We all need a place in our homes that is our own.. We all need a place in our homes that is our own....this is mine! My office is my happy place! My sweet husband built the accent wall. 🥰 I 💗 how it turned out!
This is 4! We celebrated Camden and Ella’s birth This is 4! We celebrated Camden and Ella’s birthday last week with a FOURever Sweet/Candy Land themed party. Sharing all the details on today’s blog post (link in profile).
Happy 4th Birthday, Camden and Ella!! These past 4 Happy 4th Birthday, Camden and Ella!! These past 4 years have flown by.  I’m so proud of the little humans you are becoming! We love you across the ocean and back!
Water-bugs just like their mama! 👩‍👧‍👦Going through our photos from our trip to @greatwolflodge. I miss it already! #GreatWolfLodge #Hosted #PawPledge
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Splashing the day away with my favorites! We’re Splashing the day away with my favorites! We’re having the best time at @GreatWolfLodge! We come here every winter to escape the winter blues for a few days. You can follow along in my stories. #hosted  #GreatWolfLodge #PawPledge

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Do you have a favorite age? I loved 6-10 months an Do you have a favorite age? I loved 6-10 months and now 4! 4 is by far the easiest for us and it’s honestly pretty magical! Newborn twins and twin toddlers was a wild ride!! I’m forever thankful to be their mommy!!
My kitchen is finally done, so excited to share it My kitchen is finally done, so excited to share it with y’all soon! But first…I wanted to share probably my favorite thing in our kitchen, my new farmhouse sink from @american_standard. 😍 Sharing all about why we decided to get a farmhouse sink on today’s blog post.  # gifted #americanstandard
My two little superheroes and their little sidekic My two little superheroes and their little sidekick are always there to save the day! 🦸🦸‍♀️🐕 Our sweet dog, London is a huge part of our family and we always want to make sure we do everything we can to keep her healthy.  After speaking to her veterinarian, we decided to switch to @SupremeSourcePet and London loves it.  We appreciate that it’s 100% balanced nutrition for all stages of her life and it contains a superfood blend of organic USDA certified seaweed, fruits, and veggies.  #PoweredByNutrition #SupremeSource #sponsored
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Water-bugs just like their mama! 👩‍👧‍👦Going through our photos from our trip to @greatwolflodge. I miss it already! #GreatWolfLodge #Hosted #PawPledge
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