The schedule and ticket rule
The fall tours are scheduled for Saturday, October 17, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday, October 18, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Admission is free, but the White House says every attendee—including children—needs a timed ticket.
The National Park Service will distribute tickets beginning at 8:30 a.m. each tour day from a tent outside the White House Visitor Center at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Distribution is first-come, first-served, so free does not mean guaranteed entry.
A small-bag day
The published limit is 18 by 13 by 7 inches, and the notice lists prohibited items. Visitors should check the official page shortly before travel rather than assuming normal museum-bag rules apply to the White House grounds.
Security screening and the timed ticket create two separate constraints. Arriving early enough to obtain a ticket does not eliminate the need to clear screening for the assigned entry period.
Weather can change the plan
The event is weather-dependent. Anyone traveling should use the official weather-status contact in the White House notice on the day of the tour and keep a backup plan.
The most useful sequence is simple: check weather, obtain one ticket per person, confirm the entry window and travel with a compliant bag. Buying a ‘ticket’ from an unofficial seller would contradict the free distribution process.
Sources and further reading
White House: 2026 Fall Garden Tours ↗