Trip to DC
 

We are planning a trip to DC in October and was wondering what I need to buy tickets for in advance and also how to go on a White House Tour. Can you tour the capitol building also and how do I go about that?

Contact your state senator's office and ask for a tour of the capitol. They will schedule you. I would call now.
I am not sure about the white house. We were not able to visit because it was only a year after 9/11.
Smithsonians are all free. So, no tickets there.

We had better luck contacting US Congressman's local office (versus Senator).

We contacted our state senator, our congressman and the congressman from the ajoining district. One failed to reply to our request, one sceduled us tours at a time we couldn't accomodate (the tour started an hour before our plane landed) and one was able to get us tours when we wanted. We contacted the one who's tour times wouldn't fit our schedule to release the tickets for someone else to use.

The earlier you request a White House Tour the more likely you are to get one - I've been told 6 months. Our senator's office did get us a tour of the Capitol (with 1 month's notice) which was wonderful! I guess I'll try contacting our congressman's office next time.

I don't know how busy DC is in October since we were there in the summer. I purchased tickets online ahead of time for the Holocaust Museum, Washington Monument and the International Spy Museum. The first 2 are free but if you purchase them online there is a $1.50 handling charge per ticket (which was well worth it for us).

If you have time to go to the Washington National Cathedral, I highly recommend it! They only ask a donation for the tour, which is very good. It's a bit out of the way (we took a taxi) but it's incredible!

Sorry to jump in on this thread but we'll be in Washington DC around Sept.12 and have no info what foreigners(we're Belgians) require to visit either the White house or the Capitol.Paul

Tour of the White House are limited to larger groups Here's the website.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/tours/

You can also get a tour of the Capitol without contacting your member of Congress

http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/vis...s/plantrip.htm

Paul, you can get tickets for a tour of the Capitol on the day of your visit. http://www.aoc.gov/cc/visit/index.cfm

As for a tour of the White House, I couldn't find any info on tours for non-US citizens.

Thanks for the info.Will give it a try to visit the capitol.Paul

You need a group of 10 to reserve the White House tour. Some Congressional offices will put together groups of 10 from the people who request tours. Others insist that you put together your own group. My Congressman is not cooperative (probably because I live in the suburbs and putting together many groups is a hassle). Most of the people getting in are tour groups who prearrange.

Please, all of you, go visit the US Capitol. It is maybe 100 times more interesting than the White House ever was. The WH tour is about 20 minutes long when you get in and you see only a few of the public rooms. The Capitol is where the heart of this Nation beats. Go there. You won't be disappointed.