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DC Trip 2024➤

Our congressman came through with tickets to visit the White House in October of 2024. So my husband and I took a long weekend to visit Washington, DC. He hadn’t been to many of the sites, so we spent a few days visiting the various National Park Service units. We toured several memorials, monuments and other sites, including the White House.

The East Wing➤

Visitors can tour select public rooms of the White House in the East Wing and Residence. These rooms include the Vermeil Room, Library, China Room, Blue Room, Red Room, Green Room, and the State Dining Room. Guests also see the White House Kennedy Garden during the tour. The experience is self-guided and usually lasts 30 to 45 minutes. Along the route, Secret Service Officers stand ready to answer questions about history, art, and furnishings. They also explain each room’s current use. The tour entrance is at Sherman Park, at 15th Street NW and Alexander Hamilton Place NW. However, the West Wing, including the Oval Office, remains closed to the public.

The White House➤

The White House became the president’s residence in 1800 when John Adams moved in after the capital shifted to Washington, D.C. Over time, the neoclassical mansion changed and adapted. In 1814, the British set it on fire during the War of 1812. President Monroe returned to the rebuilt residence in 1817. Later, the West Wing was added, and President Theodore Roosevelt moved offices there in 1901. In 1909, President William Howard Taft expanded the West Wing and built the first Oval Office. By 1948, the wooden beams had weakened, so President Harry S. Truman ordered a major renovation. Workers dismantled the interior, rebuilt it with a steel frame, and added the Truman Balcony.

State Floor➤

After we toured the rooms on the ground floor, we climbed the stairs to the State Floor. The East Room, the largest room in the White House, was our first stop on the State Floor. Flooded with natural light, it has hosted countless receptions, press conferences, and ceremonies. The 1797 portrait of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart hangs in this room. It is the only object in today’s White House that was also in the original executive mansion. Dolly Madison rescued it from the fire during the War of 1812.

From the East Room, we moved through the series of colorful parlors—the Green, Blue, and Red Rooms. Each had its own character and style. The Green Room, with its softer shades and elegant décor once served as Thomas Jefferson’s dining room. The agent in this room pointed out the portrait of Benjamin Franklin. Painted by David Martin in 1767, this is the oldest painting in the White House collection.

The White House Christmas tree stands in the oval-shaped Blue Room during the holidays. This room is still furnished with pieces purchased by James Monroe after the White House was burned in 1814. The Red Room, John Adams’ breakfast room, still hosts small receptions today.

Our tour ended in the State Dining Room and Entrance Hall. The dining room, with its long table and rich wood details can seat up to 130 guests. The Entrance Hall, with its marble floors and grand piano, provided a stately conclusion to our visit.

2024 DC Trip Posts➤

• WWI Memorial
• The White House
• White House Tour Pt 1
• White House Tour Pt 2
• Lockkeeper’s House
• Martin Luther King Memorial
• FDR Memorial
• Jefferson Memorial
• Korean War Memorial
• Lincoln Memorial
• Constitution Gardens
• Washington Monument
• Mary McLeod Bethune Council House
• Rock Creek Park
• Supreme Court
• Capitol
• Library of Congress
• Theodore Roosevelt Island
• George Washington Parkway
• LBJ Memorial Grove
• Ford Theater
• Belmont-Paul
• Frederick Douglas

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Location: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC
Designation: National Heritage Site
Date designated/established: November 1, 1800
Date of my visit: October 24, 2024