Things to Do DC

You can visit the White House gardens this fall. Here's how to get a (free) ticket

The White House's 2023 Fall Garden Tours are coming up the weekend of Oct. 14-15, but all visitors will need to get free timed tickets from the visitors' center

Who wouldn't like to enjoy an autumn afternoon from the gardens of the White House?

That will soon be possible after President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden announced the dates for the traditional walks through the South Lawn of the executive mansion.

The White House's Fall Garden Tours will be offered Saturday, Oct. 14 and Sunday, Oct. 15, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. both days, the White House said in a news release.

Thayma Sanchez
The White House is opening its gardens and South Grounds to the public for its twice-annual garden tour Oct. 14-15.

The tours are free and open to the public, but timed tickets are required for all attendees, regardless of age.

Unlike some other White House events, you won't be able to enter an online lottery ahead of time for these tickets. Instead, the National Park Service will distribute tickets on a first-come, first-served basis outside the White House Visitor Center (1450 Pennsylvania Avenue NW) starting at 8:30 a.m. on both days of the tours.

One ticket will be distributed to each person who comes to the visitor center, the White House said.

Once you get your ticket, head to the entry point on 15th Street NW between E Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW, near the Boy Scout Memorial, according to the White House. If you need the ADA entrance, you can find it at 15th Street NW and Alexander Hamilton Place NW.

Guided walks through the White House gardens take place twice each year, in spring and fall. Learn more about them here.

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