White House tours
The best White House tours
The free official tour through Congress, guided walks past the north and south lawns, Lafayette Square stories and the White House Visitor Center. Here is how to see the White House, with honest advice on getting inside at all, tours that only show the outside, and how much walking they take.
See our 5 picks
You can tour the White House for free, but only by asking your Member of Congress 7 to 90 days ahead.
No tour sold online goes inside. The paid tours are guided walks outside.
The best of those is a 2.5-hour walk past the White House and down the Mall, from €47. The free White House Visitor Center is nearby.
Our 5 picks for White House walking tours
None of these tours goes inside the White House: they are guided walks outside. All five have free cancellation. Tours with few or no reviews come last, marked.
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from €47 per person Our top pick 2 h 30 min 4.2 (414) reviews on GetYourGuide
White House, National Mall and Lincoln Memorial walk
A 2.5-hour walk with a local guide. You see the White House from the north and south sides, then walk the Mall to the Lincoln Memorial. Entry to the White House is not included. Not for people with back or mobility problems.
Best for A first visit
Check availability: White House, National Mall and Lincoln Memorial walk on GetYourGuide -
from €31 per person 2 hours 4.5 (20) reviews on GetYourGuide
"Hidden Halls of Power" Lafayette Square walk
A 2-hour walk around Lafayette Square, next to the White House. The guide tells stories of plots, cover-ups and White House security. You do not enter any building. Not for people who cannot walk more than a mile.
Best for Story lovers
Check availability: "Hidden Halls of Power" Lafayette Square walk on GetYourGuide - from €172 per person
2 to 3 hours
Private White House walk
2–3 hours 5.0 (1) reviews on GetYourGuide
Private downtown and White House walk
Few reviews so far (1). A private 2- or 3-hour walk with your own guide in English, German, Spanish or French. The 3-hour option adds the National Mall. Entry tickets are not included.
Best for Your own guide, in your language
Check availability: Private downtown and White House walk on GetYourGuide - from €45 per person
Less walking
White House by golf cart
2 hours New, no reviews yet
White House and monuments golf cart tour
New on GetYourGuide: no reviews yet. A 2-hour small-group ride in an open golf cart past the White House, the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Water is included.
Best for Less walking
Check availability: White House and monuments golf cart tour on GetYourGuide - from €446 per group up to 6
Private, 3 hours
Capitol to White House
3 hours New, no reviews yet
Capitol Hill to White House private walk
New on GetYourGuide: no reviews yet. A private 3-hour walk from Capitol Hill along the Mall. It ends in Lafayette Square by the White House.
Best for A private group, end to end
Check availability: Capitol Hill to White House private walk on GetYourGuide
White House walking tours compared
| Tour | From | Duration | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White House, National Mall and Lincoln Memorial walk | €47 per person | 2 h 30 min | A first visit | The most-reviewed White House walk, with 414 reviews. |
| "Hidden Halls of Power" Lafayette Square walk | €31 per person | 2 hours | Story lovers | The cheapest walk here, from €31, and the most stories. |
| Private downtown and White House walk | €172 per person | 2–3 hours | Your own guide, in your language | The only pick with a guide in four languages. |
| White House and monuments golf cart tour | €45 per person | 2 hours | Less walking | The only pick where you ride instead of walk. |
| Capitol Hill to White House private walk | €446 per group up to 6 | 3 hours | A private group, end to end | Both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue's story in one walk. |
White House, National Mall and Lincoln Memorial walk
€47 per person2 h 30 min 4.2 (414)
Details
- Who it suits
- A first visit
- Why we picked it
- The most-reviewed White House walk, with 414 reviews.
"Hidden Halls of Power" Lafayette Square walk
€31 per person2 hours 4.5 (20)
Details
- Who it suits
- Story lovers
- Why we picked it
- The cheapest walk here, from €31, and the most stories.
Private downtown and White House walk
€172 per person2–3 hours 5.0 (1)
Details
- Who it suits
- Your own guide, in your language
- Why we picked it
- The only pick with a guide in four languages.
White House and monuments golf cart tour
€45 per person2 hoursNew, no reviews yet
Details
- Who it suits
- Less walking
- Why we picked it
- The only pick where you ride instead of walk.
Capitol Hill to White House private walk
€446 per group up to 63 hoursNew, no reviews yet
Details
- Who it suits
- A private group, end to end
- Why we picked it
- Both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue's story in one walk.
- Group size: the two private walks are just your group; the Capitol Hill walk takes up to 6.
- None of the 5 includes hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point.
- All 5 offer free cancellation.
- Goes inside: No for all 5.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
Can you go inside the White House?
- Free
- official tour
- 7–90 days
- request ahead
Yes, but only on the free official tour. You request it through your Member of Congress.
No paid tour can take you inside. The tours on this page are walks outside.
All White House tours are free. They cover the State Floor rooms.
How to request a White House tour
Ask your Member of Congress for a tour, 7 to 90 days before your visit. Their office sends the request.
Every guest then sends their details through an RSVP link before the visit.
If your request does not come through, a tour of the Capitol is free and much easier to book.
Your odds of getting a White House tour
The White House publishes no odds. Ask as early as you can, at 90 days, and have a plan B.
For foreign visitors, the pages we read on whitehouse.gov name no embassy route.
What the official tour covers and when it runs
The tour covers the State Floor rooms, and you walk it on your own.
Tours run Tuesday to Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. On Friday and Saturday they run 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
There are generally no tours on federal holidays. The schedule can change at short notice.
Rules: ID and what to bring
Bring a valid government photo ID. Foreign visitors of all ages need a passport or similar ID; a US driver's license is not accepted for them.
The official pages we read list no dress code and no list of banned items. Check your confirmation for the latest rules.
No valid ID or no RSVP details means no tour.
Seeing the White House from outside: guided walks and the Visitor Center
The easy way to see the White House is from outside. The guided walks show you the north and south sides.
The White House Visitor Center is free, at 1450 Pennsylvania Ave NW. It is open 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, says a National Park Service summary; check before you go.
The top walk continues down the National Mall to the Lincoln Memorial.
The Metro gets you downtown without a car.
Before you book a White House walk
Request the free tour first
Ask your Member of Congress 90 days ahead. Book a walk only as plan B.
Know it stays outside
No paid tour enters the White House. Every pick here is a walk outside.
Check the walking
The top walk and the Lafayette Square walk are not for people with mobility problems.
Bring a passport if you are not a US citizen
Foreign visitors need a passport or similar ID for the official tour.
Find the start
The top walk meets at St. John's Church, Lafayette Square. The Lafayette walk meets at the Andrew Jackson statue.
Cancel if plans change
All five tours have free cancellation. Check the exact deadline on each listing.
Questions about White House tours
Can a regular person still tour the White House?
How do I book a White House tour?
Can you meet the president on a White House tour?
What disqualifies you from a White House tour?
More White House tours, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
See every tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.
Browse all on GetYourGuideMore government sights in DC
Sources (5), facts checked on 25 October 2026
Written by the Things to Do in Washington DC editorial team.