White House North Lawn & Lafayette Square

For a surprisingly close view of the White House, head over to the North Lawn and Lafayette Square. Pennsylvania Ave is a pedestrian-only area where you can stand at the double fence and peer in at the North lawn of the White House. For an even better view, step back a few meters and check out the White House from Lafayette Square. There is tons of action here, with street musicians, activists, and tourists flocking day and night. You can people-watch and also check out the five large statues, the central one of President Andrew Jackson (very similar to the one in Jackson Square, New Orleans), and the four outer statues of foreign Revolutionary War heroes: Rochambeau, Lafayette, Kosciuszko, and von Steuben. Lafayette was very helpful to the Americans during their Revolutionary War and that is why the park is named after him. 

There are plenty of benches in the shade of long allees of trees where you can relax and absorb the atmosphere.
This area is a great place to protest since the president and his family can't avoid but see the goings on outside from their second-floor dining room. 
The North Lawn is where a presidential viewing stand is set up after the president's inauguration, so they can watch the parade which proceeds from the Capitol.
See the circular pool at the North lawn planted with tulips in spring, red geraniums in summer, and chrysanthemums in fall.
The White House was first lived in by the second president, John Adams, in 1800.
To visit the White House, you must make reservations with your congressperson months ahead. 
Nearby, only a three minute walk to the west, make sure you check out Renwick Gallery, a free Smithsonian museum in a gorgeous building. It has special exhibits that can be absolutely marvelous, like the Burning Man Exhibit, with artwork straight out of the desert and the Burning Man Festival. I loved this museum so much!
Or you could walk nine minutes south to the White House Visitor Center to watch a video with quotes by people who have lived in the White House, and then walk four minutes across to the South Lawn (past the guard house) to stand by the National Christmas Tree and see the curved portico of the White House from a distance.

Directions

Lafayette Square is located across pedestrian-only Pennsylvania Ave from the White House, at Pennsylvania Ave NW and 16th Street NW.

Click on map for interactive view