The White House

The White House, Washington D.C.

The White House has been the home and primary office of every US President since John Adams moved in during 1800, when the paint was still damp and the building was not yet complete. At 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, it is simultaneously one of the most recognisable addresses in the world and a surprisingly difficult place to visit. The building is also meaningfully smaller in person than photographs suggest; the low roof and neoclassical columns read differently at street scale than from the air.

Visiting

Public tours exist but require more advance planning than most visitors anticipate. The process: contact your US Congressman or Senator to arrange access (international visitors need to go through their home country’s US embassy or consulate, or through an American contact). Request must be submitted at least 21 days in advance, security screening is required, and tours can be cancelled without notice based on White House scheduling.

The self-guided tour, when available, covers portions of the State Floor: the East Room, State Dining Room, Red Room, Blue Room, and Green Room. It does not include private residential areas or the Oval Office. Photography is permitted in most areas.

The White House Visitor Center at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue is open to anyone without advance booking. It provides context on the building’s history and architecture through well-designed exhibits, and it is free. If you cannot arrange a tour, this is worth the 45 minutes.

The National Mall

The area connects directly to the Mall, a 3-mile green running east to the Capitol. All Smithsonian Institution museums along the Mall are free.

The Lincoln Memorial at the west end is about a mile from the White House and worth the walk. The Lincoln statue inside the colonnade, the inscribed Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural on the interior walls, and the Reflecting Pool view back toward the Washington Monument constitute one of the more affecting civic spaces in any democracy. Go at dusk; the light on the memorial is better and the crowds are thinner.

The National Museum of American History holds the original Star-Spangled Banner (the flag from the Battle of Baltimore that inspired the anthem), Julia Child’s kitchen, and an extensive collection of American cultural objects. The National Air and Space Museum is mid-renovation but its main hall, with the original Wright Brothers Flyer and the Apollo 11 command module, remains.

The National Gallery of Art East and West Wings are both world-class: the East Wing for modern and contemporary, the West Wing for Old Masters. Both free.

Eating

The Penn Quarter neighbourhood east of the White House has the best restaurant concentration in the immediate area. Jaleo (José Andrés’ Spanish tapas) is reliably excellent at around $30-45 per person for a substantial meal.

Ben’s Chili Bowl on U Street NW has been serving chili dogs and half-smokes since 1958. The half-smoke, a pork and beef sausage smothered in spiced chili, costs about $8. It is a genuine Washington institution and one of the cheapest satisfying meals in the city.

Getting Around

The DC Metro is efficient; a day pass costs $13. Smithsonian station on the Blue/Orange/Silver lines puts you directly on the Mall. Capital Bikeshare dock stations are throughout the central area and cost $10 for a day pass, appropriate for the flat Mall terrain.

Where to Stay

Downtown near the White House runs $250-400 per night for mid-range rooms. Georgetown, 15 minutes’ walk west, has more character at slightly lower prices. Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan, accessible by Metro, have more neighbourhood life and better restaurant density.