The president paused his motorcade two blocks from the White House, and after a brief moment emerged from “The Beast” with Dr Jill Biden.
Mr Biden then took his wife’s hand and along with the new first family, including son Hunter Biden and daughter Ashley Biden, walked onto the grounds of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
The president stopped to fist bump several members of the press, including NBC’s Al Roker, at the side of the parade route and gave the thumbs up to others who shouted questions at him.
He was then asked how if felt to be walking to the job he had aspired to his whole career.
“It feels like I’m going home,” Mr Biden told Mike Memoli of NBC News.
After entering the White House grounds, Mr Biden and Dr Biden paused on the steps of the building to wave and share a hug.
It is the first time that Mr Biden has returned to the White House since he and Barack Obama left at the end of their administration.
The president’s motorcade had not been expected to stop because of the heightened security arrangements surrounding his inauguration in the wake of the Capitol violence and an elevated threat level.
Moments after Mr Biden entered the White house, Vice President Kamala Harris also left her motorcade to walk hand-in-hand with husband Doug Emhoff along the parade route.
She was asked how becoming the first female vice president had felt and she replied, “You know.”
Ms Harris was then asked what her first job was going to be and shouted back, “Walking to work”.
