The White House

I wasn't able to grab a tour, but I was able to see it from the gates. It was a pretty neat sight--surprisingly small, though. From where I was standing, I was able to the presidential garden. Pretty cool.

As seen in many, many, many movies. However, seeing it in person is pretty rad. If you can get a tour, I highly recommend it. I toured it with my 8th grade class and it was one of the coolest experiences ever.

If you plan to visit the DC area, it's worth the effort to try and get a tour. Give yourself some time to email your local assembly reps. Usually their webpages will have a link to input your tour request dates. Try to give up to 6 months advance notice. I was able to secure a tour with only a month notice and it was a wonderful experience walking inside. No, you will not see a house full of super old relics or see President Obama waiting to greet you--the rooms have been redone in old timey style so while it is pretty to look it--it doesn't have the rich hostory you woud imagine them to have. The original painting of George Washington is still hanging and it was a treat to see--Dolly Madison saved it right before the British burned the White House in the War of 1812. The whole tour is full of eye candy and it's neat to walk through and say you've been inside Obama's pad ;)

Didn't manage to secure a tour but seeing it from the outside is pretty cool in itself. There are always different groups of protesters hanging around which makes for interesting conversation if you're willing to listen. Just hope it's not under construction or the president has to leave because things shut down and it's almost impossible to get around.

I was able to go on the tour. You get to see the East Wing of the White House. Mostly old furniture. The secret service personnel are very nice. No photography is allowed inside the White House. But you can take a photo after you exit and get the classic White House look in the background. My favorite part was seeing the rose garden from the other side (from inside instead of outside like they show on TV). That was unreal. The rest was pretty boring unless you are really into old furniture.

First night when I was visiting a friend there we happened to walk by on the way to somewhere and he casually pointed it out and my reaction was: "Oh, hey, no kidding, that's the White House, just sitting there across the lawn, how about that." Like others, I found it surprisingly modest, but surreal none-the-less. Made me feel more connected. I'm a fan!

Similar to Cullen, I wasn't able to get a tour but the view from the gates is still fairly breathtaking. To see the White House in person, after seeing it so often on TV and in movies, on the news, etc. is a really cool experience. Be prepared to fight off 8th graders to take a good picture

It is an amazing experience to be in the White House. The first time I went I was 8 and the significance was not lost on me. I did feel like it was smaller than I had previously thought.

Grateful to be able to tour 'our White House'.

We were unable to get a tour and the first day of our trip the roads around the White House were blocked off so we could not get that close.