An Invite to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW

It seemed fitting that our adventure-filled birthday extravaganza week should wrap up with a bang. And what better way than a tour of the White House, right? So that’s exactly what we did, courtesy of my generous relative Kyle (see background on Kyle HERE).

The tour was self-guided and took us about 45 minutes. We got to see 8 rooms, 1 corridor, 1 stairway and the entrance hall. There had been a 40 year ban on photos in the White House that was only lifted this summer, so I delighted in capturing as much as I could with my lens.

The East Room is the largest in the house. It is commonly used for receptions, ceremonies, press conferences and other events. Seven Presidents have also lain in state here.

You probably recognize the shot above from press conferences given at the White House. Dignitaries are also frequently photographed walking this path with the President.

Here’s one of the smaller rooms, called the Green Room, that is frequently used for receiving guests.

And here’s a shot looking toward the South lawn (which we toured last weekend). Fun fact: The White House has 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms and spans 6 levels. They can also host 140 people for a sit down dinner and 1000 for hors d’ ouvres.

Here’s a shot of the State Dining Room, where they would seat the 140 guests at 14 different round tables.

We exited out the North side or front of the house.

We captured a few shots in front of the house and were on our way! Such a cool experience. Thanks for the hook-up Kyle!

If you’re interested, you can check out more photos HERE.

Source: https://www.whitehouse.gov/about/inside-white-house%20