White House & West National Mall Driving Tour (Self-guided GPS Audio Tour), Washington DC
Places: 49 POIs
Distance: 2.45 mi
Duration: 2h:27m
GPS-guided narration through
Your Smartphone
Tour #1641
About this English self-guided 2h:27m walking tour in Washington, DC
Hi, and welcome to the UCPlaces Self-guided GPS audio walking tour of the White House and West National Mall!
The UCPlaces app will take care of the navigation and tell you interesting stories along the route according to your location. All you need is your phone (with GPS / location services activated)!
Today I'm going to take you on a tour that starts at the corner of 15th Street Northwest and Pennsylvania Avenue. From there I'm going to take you to the White House and then all around the west side of the National Mall.
I'm going to share some cool historical stories they don't teach you about in school, and even let you in on some fun Washington, DC secrets. I know, this all sounds too good to be true and you feel like pinching yourself to make sure you're not dreaming, but let me assure you, this is really happening.
Let's get started! Meet me at the White House Gifts store. Again, it is at the corner of 15th Street Southwest and Pennsylvania Avenue. There are a few parking garages around there plus even some street parking, if you are lucky. See ya soon!
- 1For the best experience, begin at the tour's recommended starting point and follow the stops in order.
- 2Want to start somewhere else? Simply use Start At on the tour screen, before tapping Start Tour, to begin from any stop.
- 3Need to detour or skip a stop along the way? Tap Tour Assistant (
![UCPlaces AI Bot Icon]()
) to use Force Play, Skip, and Back, for full flexibility.
) to use Force Play, Skip, and Back, for full flexibility.
Route Preview
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Places (POIs) visited during this tour
Place #1
![Map Pin]()
Recommended Starting Point
Distance: 0.29mi
, Attraction : Gift Shop
1492 New York Ave NW, Washington, DC 20005, USA
White House Gifts
Ok, let's get started! This store here at the corner called White House Gifts is a great place to get some souvenirs of your visit here in Washington, DC. They have a little bit of everything in there, and if you spend more than $50, you can get your picture taken at their replica of the oval office. How about that? Get in there and buy some trinkets and then crossover 15th Street to get to Pennsylvania Avenue. We are headed toward the White House.
Place #2
![Map Pin]()
Distance: 0.00mi
, Attraction : Statue
1503-1505 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005, USA
Albert Gallatin Statue
I'd like to introduce you to Albert Gallatin. That's the man depicted in the statue on your left. Swedish by birth, he emigrated to America in 1780 at just 19 years old. Fifteen years later he found himself elected to the House of Representatives and constantly fighting with the independent minded, stubborn, passionate Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, whose statue is on the other side of this building. Gallatin succeeded Hamilton as Secretary of the Treasury, and served under President Thomas Jefferson, and President James Madison. Under the two presidents, Gallatin served as Secretary for just under thirteen years, which is the longest term to date of any Secretary in the Department's history. In his final year, before he retired, Gallatin went to Russia to represent the United States in the peace conference with England and France settling hostilities. As a result, the Treaty of Ghent was signed December 24, 1814, thus ending the war of 1812 between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Now that's how to retire on a high note. Ok, keep heading west toward the White House.
Tour itinerary stops | Additional places you'll see on this self-guided tour
Place 1
White House Gifts
Place 2
Albert Gallatin Statue
Place 3
Freedman's Bank
Place 4
General Marquis Lafayette Statue
Place 5
The White House
Place 6
Rochambeau Statue
Place 7
The Blair House
Place 8
The Renwick Gallery
Place 9
Eisenhower Executive Office Building
Place 10
Office of the United States Trade Representative
Place 11
First Infantry Division Monument
Place 12
Corcoran School of the Arts & Design
Place 13
National Christmas Tree
Place 14
American Red Cross-National Headquarters
Place 15
DAR Constitution Hall
Place 16
Organization of American States
Place 17
Directions
Place 18
Lockkeepers House
Place 19
National Mall
Place 20
WWII Memorial
Place 21
Directions
Place 22
John Paul Jones Memorial
Place 23
Tidal Basin 1
Place 24
Tidal Basin 2
Place 25
Tidal Basin 3
Place 26
Japanese Lantern Statue
Place 27
Washington DC War Memorial
Place 28
Directions
Place 29
Martin Luther King Jr Memorial
Place 30
West Potomac Park
Place 31
Directions
Place 32
Directions
Place 33
Korean War Veterans Memorial
Place 34
Korean War Memorial Pool of Remembrance
Place 35
Directions
Place 36
Lincoln Memorial
Place 37
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Place 38
Directions
Place 39
Vietnam Women’s Memorial/Three Soldiers Memorial
Place 40
Directions
Place 41
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall
Place 42
Directions
Place 43
Directions
Place 44
Constitution Gardens
Place 45
Directions
Place 46
Constitution Gardens Pond
Place 47
Directions
Place 48
Signer Island
Place 49
The End
Click below for full access to this tour
Have any questions about this tour? Or a general travel / self-guided tours question? That's completely natural
+ How long does this tour take?
Most travelers complete this tour in approximately 2 to 3 hours, depending on pace, time spent at each stop, and optional detours. Having said that, please remember that self-guided tours are extremly flexible (you can start, pause, continue anytime) and everyone has their own pace.
+ What does this tour include?
This self-guided walking tour includes 49 stops, covering top attractions such as White House Gifts, Albert Gallatin Statue, Freedman's Bank, General Marquis Lafayette Statue, The White House.
+ Where does the tour start?
The tour starts at White House Gifts (Address: 1492 New York Ave NW, Washington, DC 20005, USA). You can begin the tour there or join from any stop along the route.
+ What type of tour is this?
This is a self-guided walking tour designed to be completed on foot through walkable areas and city highlights.
+ Can I do this tour at my own pace?
Yes, this is a self-guided walking tour, so you can start anytime and explore at your own pace. You can pause, skip stops, or spend more time at places that interest you. You can even split it into multiple days. Explore however feels right for you.
+ Is this a walkable tour?
Yes, this tour is fully walkable and designed to follow a comfortable route through pedestrian-friendly areas.
+ Do I need anything in order to take the tour?
There is one thing that you need - A mobile phone (with the UCPlaces app installed and active location services, and a cellular data plan with a decent signal for downloading the tour) and comfortable walking shoes! But here are some recommendations for a great experience: 1. Make sure your phone is fully charged and bring a mobile charger/battery. 2. Bring earphones for the best experience. 3. Bring a bottle of water and dress appropriately according to the weather forecast.
+ How will I navigate from point to point during the tour?
The tour uses GPS-based navigation through the UCPlaces app, with automatic audio playback and step-by-step directions between stops. Just follow the route (cross streets carefully using crosswalks) and listen to the audio guide. Use the resume feature to continue the from where you recently stopped (or closed the app). Easily skip or go back to stops.
+ Is this tour suitable for families or groups?
Yes, self-guided tours are ideal for families and small groups, allowing everyone to explore comfortably without being tied to a fixed schedule.
+ What makes a self-guided tour better than a guided tour?
Self-guided tours are more flexible, affordable, and personalized. You can avoid crowds, choose your pace, and focus on the stops that interest you most.
+ I installed the app and it's now asking for GPS and media access permissions, why?
The app is your tour-guide, it needs to know where you are located on the map to be able to trigger the points of interest. It also needs access to audio and media files to provide you with this experience.
+ What happens if there are unexpected roadblocks or navigation issues?
We have been working hard to deliver a great experience. Though you may run into unexpected obstacles (the world is constantly changing), our app has multiple features and mechanisms in place to help you overcome them, including: AI assistance, force play an audio if you can't reach the stop, skip or return to stops, automatic rerouting and more.
+ Can I take the tour in my language?
Though all of our tours are primarily in English, many tours are muyltilingual (including: Spanish, German, Portuguese, French, Japanese, Hebrew, French, Arabic and more...). The tour language options depend on the specific tour - You can easily check which languages are available in the tour screen!