Madison travel guide

Madison, United States

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Madison

Introduction

Madison is the capital of Wisconsin and the seat of Dane County, with a downtown set on an isthmus between Lakes Mendota and Monona. The city also takes in Lake Wingra, so water is rarely far from view wherever you find yourself in the center.

Founded in 1836 and named for President James Madison, the city anchors a metropolitan area that spreads well beyond the isthmus. Its position as the state capital shapes the downtown, giving you government buildings, university life, and lakefront all within a compact core.

Before you go

Madison sits on an isthmus between five lakes — Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa — and its mix of state capital, university, restaurants, theater, live music, and shopping gives it more than you might expect from a Midwestern city of its size. The population is a melting pot of professionals, students, families, musicians, and others, with a nightlife of pubs and live music and the creative, educated feel of a college town that still keeps a small-town character. Outside the city, the countryside turns hilly and scenic, with larger fields, depending on which direction you travel. Plan around the seasons: summers are warm and humid, with heat waves that can push the humidity and heat index high and keep nights uncomfortably warm, while winters are often very cold and spring and fall are temperate. Before you go, note that Madison is generally safe, but South Madison has a higher crime rate than the rest of the city, and it's best to avoid isolated bike paths and alleys at night, along with Allied Drive, Badger Road, South Park Street south of Regent Street, Britta Drive, Britta Parkway, Helene Parkway in the Dunn's Marsh Neighborhood, and Troy Drive on the North Side. Emergency markers are posted around the UW campus and its Lakeshore Path. Police enforcement tightens sharply during the Halloween and Mifflin Street Block Party weekends, when underage drinking, open containers in public, and public urination draw arrests — out-of-towners make up a significant share of those arrested. Drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists should all watch for each other, especially downtown and around campus, where red-light running, mid-block crossing, and mopeds and scooters on sidewalks are common. If you plan to use the lakes, bring footwear that resists sharp objects because of invasive zebra mussels, and avoid the water during summer algal blooms, which can produce toxins and a noticeable odor; in winter Mendota, Monona, and Wingra freeze over for walking and ice fishing, but never walk near power plants, where warm water discharge keeps the ice unsafe.

Getting there

Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) sits northeast of downtown, about 15 minutes from the Capitol and the university by car or taxi. It has daily flights to hubs including Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Minneapolis, and Denver, plus nonstop service to cities such as Atlanta, Newark, New York City, and Washington, D.C.

By car, I-39/I-90/I-94 runs along the eastern edge of the city. Milwaukee is just over an hour away on I-94, Chicago O'Hare about 2 hr 15 min on I-90 (downtown Chicago another 30–45 minutes depending on traffic), and Minneapolis/Saint Paul roughly four hours on the combined I-90/I-94. Intercity buses serve Madison as well: VanGalder runs from Chicago O'Hare to the UW campus, stopping on Langdon Street just west of Lake Street across from the Pyle Center, and also operates Amtrak's Thruway bus connection from Chicago. Badger Bus makes multiple daily trips between Madison and Milwaukee, with stops in both downtowns and at Milwaukee's Mitchell International Airport, and will stop at Johnson Creek on demand with advance online tickets. Megabus offers low-cost service from Chicago, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis–Saint Paul, using two Madison stops: Langdon Street by the Pyle Center and the Dutch Mill Park & Ride on the northeast side; the Langdon Street stop is the better choice if you're staying in central Madison without a car. Greyhound connects from Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and Chicago. By rail, Amtrak's Empire Builder serves Columbus, a 30-minute drive north of Madison, with eastbound service to Milwaukee and Chicago and westbound service to Minneapolis.

Getting around

Much of Madison is reachable on the Metro bus system, though coverage thins and travel times stretch the further you get from the isthmus — for regular travel outside the center, a car is practically a necessity. The compact isthmus itself is well suited to walking, and Madison has consistently been rated among America's most bicycle-friendly cities, with a city-maintained map of bike paths. Uber and Lyft both operate here, and while you're rarely far from a cab downtown, taxis run on an appointment-only basis, so call at least 15–20 minutes ahead and allow more time in busy periods or bad weather; booking 24 hours out is advisable for airport runs.

On-street parking on the isthmus is scarce and permit-controlled, though parking garages are sprinkled throughout the area, and street parking further out is plentiful and free. On the UW campus, most lots require permits issued annually to university employees, with only a few offering public parking — read the signs at lot entrances and believe them, since enforcement is vigilant around the clock. The Beltline is the usual route for crossing from one end of the city to the other. If you're traveling on a fall Saturday, check whether the Badgers have a home game: streets near Camp Randall Stadium back up badly before and after, on-street parking disappears, and campus lots fill unless you arrive early, so use caution at intersections. Traffic during the game itself is usually light, making that the time to move around downtown.

Where to stay

Most of Madison's hotels cluster around the Capitol Square, the UW campus and the near west side, putting you within walking distance of State Street, the museums and the lakeshore. On Capitol Square itself you'll find the Best Western Premier Park Hotel, the only hotel on the square, with a pool, free valet parking and a free airport and campus shuttle. A block away are the Concourse Hotel, handy for the Overture Center for the Performing Arts, and the Hilton Madison, set on the shore of Lake Monona with an indoor pool overlooking the water and an executive floor with panoramic views. Near campus, the Best Western InnTowner sits in a quiet neighbourhood beside the UW and VA hospitals, a short drive from State Street, while the Doubletree is a block from the Kohl Center. The Edgewater is the luxury option on Lake Mendota at the top of Langdon Street, and the Graduate and the Sheraton round out the downtown and John Nolen Drive choices, the latter within walking distance of the Alliant Energy Exposition Center.

If you'd rather base yourself outside the centre, the west side has a cluster of chain hotels in the growing business district near Greenway Station Shopping Center, several with indoor pools, whirlpools and included breakfast; the Holiday Inn & Suites is home to Crawdaddy Cove Indoor Water Park, with passes included with your room. The Magnuson Grand sits near the interstates and welcomes pets. For a longer stay, Countryside Apartments provides short-term housing with one to three bedrooms.

Food & drink

Madison is a serious food city, with a restaurant scene whose diversity and competition rival places far larger. Take your time choosing — you could spend years here and still not see half of what's on offer. As befits Wisconsin, don't skip the frozen custard, with local chain Michael's a firm favorite among locals.

What to see and do

Madison's core is State Street, stretching from the Capitol Building west to the UW campus, and it's where you'll find unique shops, restaurants, bars, sidewalk cafes, coffee houses, museums, and street performers. The Overture Center anchors the street as home to the city's ballet, opera, symphony, repertory and children's theaters, plus galleries of local visual artists and a rooftop garden. Beyond downtown, each neighbourhood has its own character: Monroe Street is cute and colourful, with a flatbread pizza shop, an oriental rug outlet, a Belgian restaurant, and a home-brewing and winery supply store; Willy Street, the heart of the near-east side's free-spirited hippie neighbourhoods, holds co-ops, dive bars and head shops, with some of the city's best restaurants past the Yahara River where Williamson meets Atwood; East Johnson Street concentrates cheap, high-quality shops and cafés between Brearly and Blount; East Wash draws new bars and restaurants; and the Midvale neighbourhood offers parks, original Madison architecture, and the boutiques and local shops of Hilldale mall as a low-key alternative for dinner or shopping. For nature, the Memorial Union Terrace overlooks Lake Mendota, where you can sample Babcock Ice Cream made at Babcock Dairy Hall, sip local and regional beers, hear live music, or rent a boat. The Monona Terrace roof gives you views of downtown, the Capitol and Lake Monona, with weekly summer events including Dane Dances, rooftop concerts and free Tai Chi. The Henry Vilas Zoo houses many species along with a zoo train, carousel and children's play area, while Olbrich Botanical Gardens offers free outdoor gardens, ponds and the only Thai Pavilion in the continental United States, plus a conservatory of exotics and tropicals. The UW Arboretum is a man-made reserve of varied forests and plant species, good for bike rides, birdwatching, cross-country skiing and long walks. Among the museums, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum chronicles veterans' sacrifices from the Civil War onward, with full-size replicas of a Sopwith Camel and a P-51 Mustang and an authentic Huey helicopter; the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art spreads three floors of works with interactive exhibits and cell-phone tours; and the Chazen Museum of Art ranges from ancient sculpture to modern photography. The Capitol itself, modeled on the U.S. Capitol and finished in 1912, offers tours of the Senate, Assembly, Hearing Room and Governor's Cabinet Room, and an observation deck open Memorial Day to Labor Day. In summer, Concerts on the Square brings the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra to the Capitol grounds, where you spread a blanket and picnic; the Dane County Farmer's Market runs year-round, outdoors from April to November and indoors from November to April.

When to go

Madison has a typical Midwestern climate, so your timing depends on how you handle heat and cold. Summers are warm and humid, with heat waves that can push the heat index to uncomfortable levels and keep nights warm as well. Winters, by contrast, are often very cold.

Spring and fall are the most temperate seasons, offering milder conditions for exploring the city's neighbourhoods and lakeside areas.

Festivals & events

Madison's calendar has a few fixed points worth planning around. In May, the Mifflin Street Block Party takes over its downtown street, while August brings two very different gatherings: National Mustard Day and the Token Creek Chamber Music Festival.

Three days in Madison

Day one: Start your visit in Madison, Wisconsin, the seat of Dane County, and get your bearings around the lakes that shape the city. Lakes Mendota and Monona sit at the centre, with Lake Wingra to the south and Lakes Waubesa and Kegonsa further out. Founded and named for President James Madison, the city has a distinctly Midwestern feel, and much of its life happens outside. Plan your first day around the water and the streets near the UW campus, including the Lakeshore Path. Before heading out, note that South Madison takes in neighbourhoods such as Allied Drive, Badger Road, South Park Street, Regent Street, Britta Drive, Britta Parkway, Helene Parkway, Dunn and the Marsh Neighborhood, while Troy Drive lies on the North Side.

Day two: Give the day to the neighbourhoods away from the centre. Head to the North Side around Troy Drive, then work south through the Marsh Neighborhood and the streets off Britta Drive, Britta Parkway and Helene Parkway. Drivers should expect busy roads, and if you are relying on public transport or lifts, plan around the spread-out layout. Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) is the point of arrival and departure for most visitors, so allow time if your day two ends with a flight.

Day three: Use your last day to link the remaining lakes and the southern edge of the city. Lakes Wingra, Waubesa and Kegonsa lie beyond the central pair, and the streets of South Madison make a natural route between them. If your visit falls around Halloween or the Mifflin Street Block Party, expect larger crowds and more police and emergency presence, and plan your movements accordingly. Finish with a slow loop back toward the UW and the Lakeshore Path before you leave Madison.

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