Madison, WI Road Trips

Madison is a fairly large city in south central Wisconsin. One of only two cities in North America on an isthmus (the other is Seattle), Madison is defined by its five lakes: Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa. Through a combination of factors, including the state capital and the University of Wisconsin–Madison, the city has more to offer than might be expected from a metropolitan area of about 500,000. Madison has many excellent restaurants, an active theater community, a great music scene, and good shopping. Madison is also minutes away from a beautiful rural countryside featuring larger fields and a more scenic and hilly terrain, depending on which direction one travels outside of the city. National groups and magazines rank Madison highly for being a very bike-friendly city, a great place to raise a family, having a healthy and fit population, and an overall high quality of life. Madison is a melting pot of the Midwest. You'll find professionals, students, families, hippies, musicians and everything in between. It has a vibrant nightlife scene with lots of live music and pubs. It shares many qualities of other well-known college towns like Berkeley and Austin—a creative and educated population—but retains a small-town feel. 1 Madison Welcome Center, 21 N Park St, ☏ +1 608-262-4636. M-F 9AM-4:30PM. 2 Downtown Visitor Center, 452 State St, ☏ +1 608-255-1008, [email protected]. January–May 11AM-2PM.

1 The Memorial Union Terrace, 800 Langdon St, ☏ +1 608-265-3000. A lovely terrace which overlooks beautiful Lake Mendota. Be sure to sample Babcock Ice Cream, made locally at Babcock Dairy Hall, whose profits help fund the UW-Madison dairy program. The Memorial Union also features a wide variety of local and regional beers — perfect for sipping (Union membership or University affiliation required to buy alcoholic beverages, but one-day guest passes can be obtained) while listening to live music, or enjoying the view with friends. Boat rentals are also available for the more active crowd. 2 Monona Terrace, 1 John Nolen Dr, ☏ +1 608-261-4000, fax: +1 608-261-4049, [email protected]. Daily 8AM-5PM. From the roof of Monona Terrace, one can see views of downtown Madison, including the Capitol and a panoramic view of Lake Monona. There are weekly events during the summer, including Dane Dances, concerts on the rooftop, and free Tai Chi. State Street. The core of the city is State Street, which extends from the Capitol Building west to the UW campus. This is the center of activity in Madison and is a must-visit. You will find unique shops, restaurants, bars, sidewalk cafes, coffee houses, museums, and an array of street performers. State Street is well-known for its yearly Halloween celebration, called "Freakfest". Maxwell Street Days is held on State Street the third weekend of July each year. (updated Oct 2021) Monroe Street. Cute, colorful, and catering to near-west yuppies.

1 Overture Center, 501 State St, ☏ +1 608-258-4177. This venue is home to Madison's most prominent performing arts organizations, including the Madison Ballet, Opera, Symphony, Repertory Theater, and Children's Theater. The facilities also include the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, and galleries housing work by local visual artists. The building is gorgeous — the rooftop garden is particularly impressive — and well worth a stop as you meander down State street. Private tours are available. Token Creek Chamber Music Festival. An annual festival held every August featuring great classical music in an intimate, rural setting. Great Taste of the Midwest, 1156 Olin-Turville Ct. This beer festival, put on by the Madison Homebrewers and Tasters Guild, is one of the biggest in the nation, with over one hundred brewpubs and microbreweries in attendance, and over 5,000 guests. The number of tickets is limited, and the popularity of this event means that they typically sell out within days. Concerts on the Square. This very popular weekly summer concert series by the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra is held on the grounds of the State Capitol. Attendees sit on the lawn around the building, and most people bring a blanket to spread on the ground and picnic foods to eat. Free. 2 Mifflin Street Block Party. A massive student-run block party held on the first Saturday of every May. Several blocks of West Mifflin Street are cordoned off for drinking, music, and food in what is one of the largest public gatherings in the country.

Madison is said to have the highest number of restaurants per capita in the entire United States. The sheer diversity of and intense competition among Madison's restaurants is enough to put any city of similar size to shame (as well as many larger cities!), making Madison one of the best cities in the country to be a foodie. Take your time to make a selection; you could spend years in Madison without seeing half of what the restaurant scene has to offer. As Madison is in Wisconsin, don't miss the frozen custard, with local chain Michael's being a firm favorite among locals for this sweet treat. Food carts, Library Mall (at the end of State St, away from the Capitol). Look out for food carts, some of Madison's best sources for a quick bite, clustered at the end of State Street near Memorial Library and on/near Capitol Square. 1 Nam's Noodles, 1336 Regent St, ☏ +1 608-287-0475. Excellent Chinese food close to the university. Their "Nam's Fried Rice" is outstanding. Sit-down or take-out, no delivery. 2 Ian's Pizza, 319 N Frances St, ☏ +1 608-257-0597. And 115 State St. Campus favorite with a gourmet twist. Excellent New York-sized pizza by the slice, featuring old standards like pepperoni and new variations like mac and cheese (don't knock it until you've tried it — it's the top seller!), Black Bean Feta Avocado and Steak 'n' Fries. Daily and monthly specials served by the most charming staff in town. 3 Mediterranean Cafe, 625 State St, ☏ +1 608-251-8510. This narrow room is a Madison gem and a favorite with the university crowd.

Madison is well known for upholding the Wisconsin "supper club" tradition, offering a variety of German-inspired establishments that serve top-notch American food during the day, convert into bars late at night, and give you an absolutely unrivaled selection of beer regardless of whether it's 10AM or 1AM. 1 The Old Fashioned, 23 N Pinckney St, ☏ +1 608-310-4545. Right on the Square, with a great view of the Capitol, it serves supper club fare with a slightly upscale bent in a warm, lively atmosphere. From deep-fried cheese curds to artisanal cheese plates, from pickled eggs to Nueske's bacon and natural-casing bratwurst, this is the perfect place to go before a performance nearby. Busy, but well worth it. The Old Fashioned also has one of the largest beer menus you will ever see. Do not miss the fried cheese curds - they are widely regarded as the best in town. They also have a great Saturday brunch. 2 The Essen Haus, 514 E Wilson St, ☏ +1 608-255-4674. Great beer, great atmosphere — and the perfect example of the thriving German culture in Madison. With live Oompah music nightly, you'll be drinking all of your beer from a boot from now on! Great Dane Brew Pub (3 locations). A very large selection of hand-crafted microbrews and excellent food, including fresh-baked pretzels and several vegetarian selections; each location has similar menus with subtle tweaks and different atmospheres. 3 Great Dane Brew Pub, 123 E Doty St (Downtown). (updated Apr 2022) 4 Great Dane Brew Pub, 357 Price Pl (next to Hilldale Mall on the near-west side).

1 Best Western Premier Park Hotel, 22 S Carroll St, ☏ +1 608-285-8000. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. The only hotel on Capitol Square. Pool, free valet parking, free wi-fi, free airport and campus shuttle. 2 Best Western InnTowner and the Highland Club. Located on the near west side of the UW campus in a quiet neighborhood, next to the UW/VA Hospitals and just a short drive from State Street. Free wireless high-speed Internet and shuttle. Its concierge-level floor, the Highland Club won Best Western's "Best of the Best" design award for its renovation. 3 Concourse Hotel, 1 W Dayton St, toll-free: +1-800-356-8293. Larger, nicer hotel one block from the Capitol Square and one block from the Overture Center for the Performing Arts. 4 Graduate Madison, 601 Langdon St, ☏ +1 608-257-4391, [email protected]. 5 Doubletree Madison, 525 W Johnson St, ☏ +1 608-251-5511. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Formerly the Howard Johnson, this smaller hotel is very close to the University (one block from the Kohl Center) and not too far from the Capitol. Free wireless Internet access. 6 Edgewater Hotel, 1001 Wisconsin Pl, ☏ +1 608-535-8200. Luxury hotel on Lake Mendota at the beginning of Langdon Street, this hotel is about eight blocks from the university. Be sure to sit out on the pier during the summer. 7 Hilton Madison, 9 E Wilson St, ☏ +1 608-255-5100. Complementing Madison's historic charm, this 14-story, 236-room hotel is named the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center headquarters.

1 Dane County Regional Airport (MSN IATA). Northeast of downtown Madison, 15 minutes to the Capitol and the university by car or taxi. There are daily flights to nearby hubs including Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Minneapolis, and Denver. Nonstop service is also offered to cities like Atlanta, Newark, New York City, and Washington, D.C.. I-39/I-90/I-94 runs along the eastern edge of Madison. Just over an hour to get to Milwaukee on I-94. 2 hr 15 min to get to Chicago O'Hare Airport on I-90. Downtown Chicago is 30-45 minutes further, depending on traffic. Four hours on the combined I-90/I-94 will take you to Minneapolis/Saint Paul. VanGalder Bus. From Chicago O'Hare Airport to the University of Wisconsin campus; the stop is on Langdon Street just west of Lake Street, across from the Pyle Center. Tickets are $30.50 for a one-way trip and they can be bought from the bus drivers for exact change, or with credit cards, check or cash at the Memorial Union Travel Center. (updated Jul 2019) From Milwaukee the Badger Bus; ☏ +1-877-292-8259; runs multiple trips per day between Madison and Milwaukee. Has multiple stops, including downtown, in both cities; makes stops at Mitchell Int'l. Airport in Milwaukee. Will also stop at Johnson Creek on demand (tickets must be purchased in advance online). Megabus. Low-cost bus company that offers service to Madison from Chicago (several times daily), Milwaukee (4 times daily), and Minneapolis-Saint Paul (4 times daily). Fares can be as little as $1 each way if ordered far enough in advance.

You can get around much of Madison on the Metro bus system ($2 single trip, $5 day ticket). Coverage becomes spotty and travel times extensive as you get further away from the isthmus, so a car is practically a necessity for regular travel outside the city center. On-street parking in the center of Madison — the isthmus — tends to be scarce (and permits, issued annually, are required), but a number of parking garages are sprinkled throughout the area. Street parking further from the center is plentiful and free. A map of parking garages, rates, and parking regulations in the downtown area can be found at the City of Madison parking page. For most lots on the University of Wisconsin campus permits, issued annually only to university employees, are required. There are a few lots that offer public parking. Full details on parking lots, rates and regulations on the UW campus can be found here. The best advice for parking on the UW campus is to read signs at lot entrances and believe what they say (UW parking enforcement is highly vigilant and on duty 24 hours a day). If you are driving from one end of the city to another, the Beltline is a commonly used route. Football games can pose significant challenges to those traveling in the downtown area by car or bus. If you're traveling on a Saturday in the fall, it is always worth checking if and when the Badgers are playing a home game. Before and after home games, expect most streets near Camp Randall Stadium to be backed up, with traffic moving at a snail's pace.

Overall, Madison is a very safe city. However, as with all cities, be cautious at all times and pay attention to your surroundings. The downtown area is well populated and fairly well lit. South Madison is considered to be the "bad" part of town, and has a higher crime rate than the rest of the city. The areas that are recommended to avoid at night are isolated bike paths/alleys, Allied Drive, Badger Road, South Park Street (South of Regent Street) and also Britta Drive, Britta Parkway and Helene Parkway in the Dunn's Marsh Neighborhood, as well as Troy Drive on Madison's North Side. Bright red emergency markers are posted around the University of Wisconsin campus and its Lakeshore Path; press the button and the police should show up very quickly. The Madison police are generally lax on drinking and rowdiness. However, they significantly step up enforcement during the weekends of Halloween and the Mifflin Street Block Party, and have even brought in riot police to disperse nonviolent crowds. Hundreds of arrests are made every year during these two events. The police will not hesitate to arrest you for extremely minor offenses - the most common being underage drinking, open containers in public, and public urination. Do not urinate in public under any circumstances (the police check alleys and corners for this specifically), and if you're underage, don't get obscenely drunk and call any attention to yourself.