Frequently Asked Questions
Travel - Tourism
Questions
- How can I visit the White House?
- How do I obtain travel information about the United States?
- What are some of the main attractions in the United States?
- What is the weather like in the United States?
- What kind of accommodation is available in the United States?
- What public transportation is available in the United States?
- What time is it in the United States?
- Where can I find maps of the United States?
Answers
How can I visit the White House?
U.S. citizens
Public tours of the White House are available for groups of ten (10) or more people. Requests must be submitted by American citizens through their Member of Congress
and are accepted up to six months in advance. These self-guided
tours are available from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday through
Saturday (excluding federal holidays), and are scheduled on a first-come,
first-served basis approximately one month in advance of the requested
date. Please submit your request as early as possible since
a limited number of tours are available. All White House tours are free
of charge. For the most current tour information, please call
the 24-hour line at [0011 1] 202-456-7041. White House tours may
be subject to last minute cancellation.
Australian citizens
The Embassy of Australia in Washington, D.C., does not assist in setting up White House tours for Australian citizens: "We know that the White House Visitors Office and the Pentagon Tour office in Washington DC often suggest to non-United States citizens that they may request a tour through their embassies. While we'd like to help, we regret we are unable. [...] we get dozens of requests for tours every day. It's just not feasible for us to apply Australian Government resources to facilitate tours of national buildings in the United States by private individuals."
How do I obtain travel information about the United States?
If you are planning a trip to the United States and you have access to the internet, we suggest you search for the specific locations you wish to visit. All states, big cities, and well-known tourist attractions have their own websites.
Your local public library may offer access to the internet or you may ask a librarian to help you find books about the area you would like to visit.
- For visitors to the United States
- Health information for travellers to the USA
- International travel information (U.S. Dept. of State)
- International visitation in the U.S.(Office of Travel & Tourism Industries)
- See America
- Servsafe: alcohol service regulations by state
- Travel advice for the USA (Smartraveller)
- Travel & tourism sites for the 50 states & U.S. territories
- Travelers' health information
- Visiting the USA (Voice of America)
What are some of the main attractions in the United States?
Some websites you may find useful:
- America's byways
- Battlefields & military parks preserved in the National Park System
- Civil War Preservation Trust
- National historic route 66
- National Park Service: find a park by state
- National register of historic places travel itineraries
- National Wildlife Refuge System
- Recreation areas by state
- Travel & tourism sites for the 50 states & U.S. territories
- U.S. Distance Calculator
- Washington D.C.
- World Heritage sites in the U.S.
What is the the weather like in the United States?
Some websites you may find useful:
- Intellicast
- National Weather Service
- Weather channel
- Weather underground
- World climate
- World weather information service
What kind of accommodation can I find in the United States?
Some websites you may find useful:
What public transportation is available in the United States?
You can drive, fly, ride a bus, or take a train.
Some websites you may find useful:
- Air Safe.com
- Airline contact information
- Airport maps
- Airport webcam locator & web site directory
- Amtrak train network
- Distance calculator
- FAA flight delay information
- Flat seats
- Greyhound bus network
- Local & state transit links
- Seat expert
- Seat guru
- Traffic cameras
What time is it in the United States?
The continental United States is divided into four times zones: Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific. Alaska and Hawaii are each in their own time zone. The continental states observe daylight savings time during the summer months.
Some websites you may find useful:
Where can I find maps of the United States?
Some websites you may find useful:
Contact Information
If your question is not here, please contact us:
- Postal Address
-
U.S. Reference Service
Public Affairs Section
U.S. Embassy
Canberra, ACT 2600
Australia - Phone
- (02) 6214-5874 (then press 4)
- usrsaustralia@state.gov
Note: Please do not send visa questions to the USRS mailbox. Visa questions should be directed to amvisa@state.gov.
Last update: Friday, 14 August 2009 GMT+1000



