Some Things to Do In and Around Madison

Close to the Monona Terrace Convention Center

• Tour the Wisconsin State Capitol building
  Tours at 9, 10, 11am, and 1, 2, and 3pm Monday - Saturday, and 1, 2, and 3pm Sunday. Free.
• Go to the Farmers' Market
  Saturday mornings, 6am - noon, around the Capitol Square. The pastries at 25 N. Pinckney St. are great. A smaller version of the market is on Wednesdays 8am - 2pm along Martin Luther King Blvd.
• Relax at the University of Wisconsin Memorial Union Terrace
  800 Langdon St. Outdoor terrace and tables on the shore of Lake Mendota. Free, outdoor, live music Wednesday - Saturday 9pm-midnight and Friday 5-7pm. You need to show your conference badge to buy beer. Babcock Hall ice cream made at the University is sold inside the Union.
• Walk State Street
  "...a funky half-mile strip of food, music, craft and clothing shops running from the the university campus to the imposing state capitol building." -- New York Times. Free, outdoor folk music Saturdays 4-7pm at 452 State St.
• Take a Walk or Run
  
  • To Olin Park: Follow bike path along Lake Monona from the Monona Terrace, keeping the lake on your left. About 2 miles round-trip.
  • Around Lake Monona: Follow bike path signs; some path but much on city streets. About 20K.
  • To Picnic Point: Go down State St., turn right at Lake St. until you reach Lake Mendota, turn left and follow the lakeshore path past the Union to Picnic Point. About 10K round-trip. Very scenic path.
• Rent a Bicycle or Inline Skates
  Around Lake Monona (20K), to Picnic Point (10K, most scenic), to Olin Park (2 miles), or through the University Arboretum (10K). A map of city bike routes is available. Rental stores near the Monona Terrace:
  • Machinery Row Bicycles, 601 Williamson St., 442-5974. 1/4 mile from Monona Terrace. Bicycles: $20/day or $60/week. Tandems: $50/day or $150/week. Inline Skates: $10/day or $30/week.
  • Yellow Jersey Bicycles, 419 State St., 257-4737. Bicycles: $18/day or $55/week.
  • Williamson Bicycle Works, 640 West Washington Ave., 255-5292. Bicycles: $12/day or $50/week.
  • Budget Bicycle Center, 930 Regent St., 251-1663. Bicycles: Free with $75 deposit (Yellow Bikes Project).
• Rent a Canoe, Kayak, Sailboat, or Windsurfer
  • On Lake Mendota
    • University of Wisconsin Outdoor Rentals
      At the Memorial Union boat house, 800 Langdon St., 262-7351. Open 11am - sunset, hours vary with the season. Rent a canoe ($8.50/hour). Use of sailboats may also be available through the Hoofer Sailing Club. Go to http://www.hoofersailing.org/ for more information, or call 262-6897.
    • Watertrail Adventures, 614 E. Gorham St., 255-2958. Canoes and kayaks. $10/hour or $40/day.
  • On Lake Wingra
    • Wingra Canoe and Sailing, 824 Knickerbocker St., 233-5332. Canoes, kayaks, paddle boats, windsurfers.
• Take a Boat Cruise on Lake Monona or Lake Mendota
  
  • Betty Lou Lake Cruises, 246-3136. Fridays 4pm cocktail cruise, Saturdays 11:30am lunch cruise, Sundays 11:30am brunch cruise, and Sundays 6pm dinner cruise.
  • Pontoon boat rides on Lake Mendota, Tuesdays and Thursdays 5:30-7pm and 7:15-8:45pm, 1615 Sherman Ave., $3.
• Visit the University of Wisconsin Chazen Museum of Art, 800 University Ave.
• See also
  • The Isthmus Guide
  • Madisonsites.com
  • Other Madison attractions
  • Madison History

Nearby Madison

• Visit Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan buildings in Madison
  
  • F. L. Wright's Unitarian Meeting House (1947), 900 University Bay Dr.
  • F. L. Wright's Gilmore ("Airplane") House (1908), 120 Ely Place
  • L. Sullivan's Bradley House (1910), 106 N. Prospect Ave.
• Visit Taliesin: Frank Lloyd Wright's Home and Studio
  About a 45-minute drive west of Madison in Spring Green, Wisconsin. 608-588-7900
• See a play at the American Players Theater
  An outdoor stage in the woods performing mostly Shakespeare. Picnic area too. Spring Green, Wisconsin. 608-588-2361. About a 45-minute drive west of Madison.
• Visit the International Crane Foundation
  The one place in the world where you can see all 15 crane species. Baraboo, Wisconsin. 608-356-9462. About a 1-hour drive north of Madison.
• Canoe the Wisconsin River
  Half-day, full-day, and two-day self-guided trips are a beautiful way to see the countryside. No canoeing experience needed. General information and images on excursions is available on the web. Two convenient companies where you can rent canoes and who will pick you up downstream are Blackhawk River Runs, 608-643-6724, and Sauk-Praire Canoes, 608-643-6589, both on the river near Sauk City, Wisconsin, which is about a 30-minute drive from Madison.
• Go on a Hot Air Balloon Ride
  
  • Cattails to Clouds, 224-1100
  • Sky Aces, 827-9300
  • Token Creek Hot Air Balloons, 241-4000
• Hike or rock climb at Devil's Lake State Park
  Near Baraboo, Wisconsin. About 45 minutes north.
• See also
  • Madisonsites.com
  • Madison area attractions
  • Day trip ideas

For Kids

• Ice Cream
  • University of Wisconsin Babcock Hall Ice Cream may be purchased at the Memorial Union, 800 Langdon St., or, if you also want to see it being made (before noon), at the Babcock Hall Dairy Plant, 1605 Linden Dr. on the University of Wisconsin campus.
  • Michael's Frozen Custard, 2531 Monroe St. This store is very near the Lake Wingra canoe and kayak rental place (see above).
• Madison's Henry Vilas Zoo, 702 S. Randall St., 266-4732. Small, but has a children's zoo and is free.
• Madison Children's Museum, 100 State St., 256-6445. Small.
• University of Wisconsin Geology Museum, 1215 W. Dayton St., 262-2399. Free.
• Cave of the Mounds. A small cave near Blue Mounds, Wisconsin. 608-437-3038. Adults $12, children $6. About 45 minutes west of Madison.
• Circus World Museum, Baraboo, Wisconsin. 608-356-0800. About 45 minutes north of Madison. Original home of the Ringling Brothers Circus.
• Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Water parks, boat cruises, theme parks, mini-golf, etc. 800-223-3557 for information. About 1 hour north of Madison.