Anyone been on the White House tour with small children?

[ClarabelleCowFan]

DH got us tickets for the white house tour in May - we are too excited - BUT I see on the list of prohibited items that we can't bring in any type of purses, backpacks or strollers. DS2 is not fully potty trained yet so we usually have a small bag with diapers, wipes, diaper cream, etc... with us. Has anyone taken in a diaper bag or any type on the tour?

How long is the tour? Are there rest rooms/changing tables close by?

We originally thought we would take the train down but with nowhere to leave the stroller and diaper bag, camera and purse I guess we will now have to drive and park so we can store all of this until after the tour. Any good tips for parking in the area?

 

[crazyme5kids]

We went when my one son was, oh I guess around 15 months old. I don't remember how long it was, but I don't think it was more than an hour long. As for the stroller, I'm pretty sure we left it in an area designated for personal belongings. It was years ago, so things are a little fuzzy.

 

[leagirl12]

Check out Union Stations's website...click on the tourism link at the top and there is something listed there about baggage storage and lockers. There is a phone number there...maybe call and see if they will hold the stroller.

On our visit last week we were going to use the lockers at Union and just go back for our things but decided at the last minute just to drive in to DC.

I got alot of my info on the DC forum over on TripAdvisor. Lots of helpfull informative people over there.


Have fun!!!!!

 

[Momto8]

We went about 5 years ago and about the only thing they will let you bring is an umbrella (it was raining when we went). No purses, bags, etc. At least that's the way it was when we were there. You have to empty everything out of your pockets when you go through security too. There were no restrooms nearby either that I can remember. My BIL had to use a restroom before our assigned time and had to walk about a block or so to find one.

I would say the tour lasted maybe an hour but it's hard to remember for sure. You had to fill out more paperwork when you got there even though we did the paperwork through our Congressman, and then had to wait about an hour before we were allowed in. So maybe it was about 2 to 2 1/2 hours total that we were there.

We took the train there and then had to go back to our hotel afterward to get our purses, camera, etc., and then came back to the city for touring for the rest of the day. I think we did the Capitol tour that afternoon.

I was not aware of any place where you could keep personal belongings either but we did not have a stroller, so I wasn't looking for a place to store one. We went in through the East wing and exited through the front of the White House, so you don't come out the same place where you enter.

Hope this helps.

 

[buckler]

We took a tour this summer and were behind a family with an infant. They had nothing with them for diaper changes because they could not bring a diaper bag in with them. They planned to find a drug store somewhere afterward to get diapers. I mentioned that they should have double diapered the baby so they would have a spare.

They turned away anyone with any sort of bag so don't even try to bring a small diaper bag. The only option some people had was to leave one person of their party outside with cameras, purses, bags etc.

I believe the only things you can take in are a wallet, keys and a cell phone (that's what I limited myself to). They don't pat you down to search for other items but you have to go through a metal detector.

Edited to add these links to similar discussions.
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/97950.page
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-405950.html

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

wow this is interesting lol.
So what do you do with your purse, leave them in the car? We were going to stop on our way back from Disney in Aug for a tour, but now I am rethinking it. Would the tour keep a 5 yr old interested? Sorry to thread jack.
Is there anything else we could do there?

 

[Momto8]

wow this is interesting lol.
So what do you do with your purse, leave them in the car? We were going to stop on our way back from Disney in Aug for a tour, but now I am rethinking it. Would the tour keep a 5 yr old interested? Sorry to thread jack.
Is there anything else we could do there?

We left our purses, camera, etc., at the hotel because we took the train there (didn't have a rental car) and then went back after our tour to get them. Also you cannot just stop and do a tour. You have to request it through your Congressman. Just go to their website and they will have a form to submit for the tour, but I remember we couldn't contact him more than 2 or 3 months prior to our visit. It took us a couple of weeks before we heard back from them and then they either sent or faxed us the paperwork to fill out for a background check. Even if you pass the check, there is no guarantee they can get you in for a tour as the White House might not be offering tours on the day you're there. They also limit the amount of people through. If they are able to get you in, then you will be given an assigned date/time for your tour. Ours was 8:30 in the morning.

I think going to one of the Smithsonian Museums would be better for your 5 year old. They are free and there is so much to see there. JMHO

 

[buckler]

The tour does not have a tour guide, although there is a person in each room that can answer questions. You line up and slowly move through the White House. You see a number of rooms from the outside of the room (doorway roped off) and you walk through a few others (with portions of the room roped off). There are stairs at one point in the tour. We saw rooms in the East Wing: the yellow room, the green room, a red room, 1 or 2 china rooms, the East room. There may have been a few others.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Thanks so much for the information. I am trying to talk DH into driving down the nite before so we can just leave our stuff in the room and then go back for it. Our tour time is 9:30am and was set up through the Army - we are looking forward to going.

Since there is no metal detector we may be allowed to carry in a diaper and small travel pack of wipes in a pocket.

 

[karenos]

Make sure you check your kid's pockets too! We went this past November and my DD (11) had mistakenly left her camera in her pocket and they wouldn't let us in with the camera - so I stayed outside with the camera while the rest of my family did the tour. But I must add while I was waiting for them they moved the line for the tour b/c the President was going to the Hill (although none of the guards or docents would admit it for security purposes, we read about it later that day in the paper).

karenos

 

[Mkrop]

wow how timely DH just submitted our paperwork to try and do this.

My kids are older but I had no idea about purses and cameras. Thanks!

 

[mzzbuzzlightyear]

We take the train from Trenton NJ to Washington, and on return, just check our bags at Union Station. We each had a regular rolling carry on. You could probably check the stroller and carry diaper and wipees in a ziplock bag. This is very convenient.

June