From Wikitravel

Situated on the isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, Madison [1] is the capital of Wisconsin and is in the south central part of the state.

[edit] Understand

Madison is a vibrant small city in south-central Wisconsin. The only city in North America that is situated on an isthmus, besides Seattle, Madison is defined by its four lakes: Mendota, Monona, Waubesa, and Kegonsa. Through a combination of factors, including the state capital and the [2] University of Wisconsin–Madison, the city has more to offer than might be expected from a metropolitan area of about 500,000. There are many excellent restaurants, an active theater community, lots of music, and good shopping, yet Madison is just minutes from the beautiful rural countryside.

National groups and magazines rank Madison highly for many things: a very bike-friendly city, a great place to raise a family, a healthy and fit population, and an overall excellent place to live. 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 bigger cities like Berkeley and Austin—a creative and educated population—but retains a small-town feel.

Madison's weather is typical of the Midwest: warm and humid in summer, often very cold in winter, and temperate spring and fall conditions.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By Air

• Dane County Regional Airport,MSN, [3]. Located northeast of downtown Madison, it is just a 15 minute ride to the Capitol and the University. There are many daily flights to nearby hubs including Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, and Denver. Nonstop service is also offered to many cities, including Cincinnati, Newark, Washington DC, and St. Louis.
  • American Airlines, flying as American Connection.
  • American Eagle.
  • Continental Express.
  • Delta, flying as Comair.
  • Midwest Airlines.
  • Midwest Connection.
  • Northwest, flying as Mesaba, Pinnacle, and Northwest.
  • United Express.

[edit] By Car

• I-39/I-90/I-94 runs by the eastern edge of Madison.
  • Just over an hour to get to Milwaukee on I-94.
  • Two hours and fifteen minutes 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.

[edit] By Bus

• From Chicago the VanGalder Bus can take you from Downtown Union Station, O'Hare, or Midway Airports to Memorial Union on the campus of the University of Wisconsin. Tickets are $26 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.

• From Milwaukee the Badger Bus runs multiple trips per day between Madison and Milwaukee, as well as stops in between.

• Megabus, [4]. Low-cost bus company that offers twice-daily service to Madison from Chicago and Minneapolis. Fares can be as little as $1 each way if ordered far enough in advance. Buses stop at the bus shelter at the Dutch Mill Park & Ride, located on the northeast side of the US Route 12/18 and US Route 51 intersection.

[edit] Get around

• By bus. You can get around much of Madison on the Metro bus system.
• By car. On-street parking in the center of Madison - the isthmus - tends to be scarce, however 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.
• By taxi. There are a variety of cab companies and when downtown there is never a taxi far from sight. That said, the taxis refuse to pick people up without an appointment, so be sure to call 15-20 minutes before you need a ride.
• By bike. Madison has consistently been rated as among America's most bicycle-friendly cities. Map of Madison's bike paths [5]

[edit][add listing] See

• Wisconsin State Capitol, the current State Capitol Building, modeled after the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., was finished in 1912 after the previous Capitol Building burnt down. Its dome is one of the largest in the world in terms of volume. The mural under the dome is actually hanging from the top. Tours leave many times a day, always at the top of the hour at certain hours and tour the Senate, Assembly, Hearing Room, and Governor's Cabinet Room. There is also an observation deck 90 feet up open Memorial Day to Labor Day
• Olbrich Botanical Gardens are free, except for the $1 Observatory price. The gardens have many ponds and greens, as well as the only Thai Pavilion in the continental United States.
• Henry Vilas Zoo, is one of the few free zoos left in the country, with many animals and animal houses
• Governor's Mansion, the mansion of the current governor, Jim Doyle, is along Lake Mendota and tours are offered most afternoons
• 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 the bustle in Madison and is a must visit. You will find unique shops, restaurants, bars, sidewalk cafes, museums, street performers and lots of smiling faces.
• The Memorial Union, 800 Langdon Street, [6]. A lovely terrace which overlooks beautiful Lake Mendota. Beer, soft drinks, and fast food are available. Be sure to sample the Babcock Ice Cream. This renowned ice cream is made at Babcock Dairy Hall, and profits help fund the UW-Madison dairy program. In addition, the Memorial Union is one of very few campus unions to serve beer. They have a wide variety including local and regional brews that are a wonderful compliment to the music and company on the terrace or in the Rathskeller.
• Monona Terrace, 1 John Nolen Dr, [7]. 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 also weekly events during the summer, including Dane Dances, concerts on the rooftop, and free Tai Chi [8]
• Overture Center, 501 State St, [9]. Besides being the venue for some fabulous shows, the newly constructed building is gorgeous and well worth the stop to look around as one meanders down State street.
• The Madison Family Theatre Company, [10]. Featuring great plays and musicals appropriate for the whole family.
• Madison Repertory Theatre, [11].
• Token Creek Chamber Music Festival, [12]. An annual festival held every August featuring great classical music in an intimate, rural setting.
• Dr. Evermore's Forevertron. An impressive junkyard sculpture garden, about 20 miles north of town. Fantastical animals, futuristic devices and creepy bugs all made out of rusting scrap metal.
• Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA), [13]. Small art museum on state street, with an incredible rooftop garden and the building itself is impressive enough to merit a stop.

[edit][add listing] Do

• Tour the state capitol, [14]. A lovely building in the middle of Madison.
• Olbrich Botanical Gardens, 3300 Atwood Avenue, [15]. A lovely place to visit.
• UW Madison Geology Museum, 1215 West Dayton Street, [16].
• Wisconsin Veterans Museum, 30 W. Mifflin Street , [17]. Located downtown on the Capital Square.
• Farmer's market, Capitol Square, Downtown on Saturday Mornings. Local produce, bread and cheeses. Runs April-November outdoors, moving indoors to Monona Terrace (through December) and the Madison Senior Center (January-March).

[edit][add listing] Buy

• La Bella Vita, 7466 Hubbard Ave., ☎ 608-831-3303, [18]. Online store and gallery in historic downtown Middleton, WI liberates the soul & tantalizes the senses with a distinctive array of fine craft, art jewelry, unique gifts, home accents, sculpture, and wall decor. edit

• The State Street Pedestrian Mall, [19]. Stretching from the University of Wisconsin campus to the State Capital this is a great place to walk, shop, and eat. Just catch a bus if your legs get tired, because State Street is not just for pedestrians.
• The Dane County Farmer's Market, [20]. An outdoor market open Satudays from April through November, around the capital square. It's enormous and fantastic: more local produce than you can imagine. (Very Crowded, but a great view with genuine farmers!) There is also an indoor market in the Monona Terrace during the colder part of the year.
• East Towne Mall, [21]. A standard shopping mall on the east side of Madison, not far from I-39/I-90/I-94.
• West Towne Mall, [22]. A standard shopping mall on the west side of Madison.
• Madcity Music Exchange,. An independent music store featuring a very large selection of new and used vinyl records. A diverse selection of new and used CDs are also on hand for a healthy sized non-vinyl inventory. Located at the nexus of John Nolen Drive, Blair St. and the start of the unique "Willy St." neighborhood at 600 Williamson Street.

[edit] Learn

• University of Wisconsin-Madison, [23]. Located in the center of town the university has been in operation since 1848, and more than 41,000 students are enrolled each year.
• Edgewood College, [24]. Located on Lake Wingra near the UW-Madison Arboretum, Edgewood College is a small, Catholic, liberal arts college.
• Madison Area Technical College, [25]. MATC has several campuses in Madison and surrounding communities and offers a variety of two-year programs as well as non-credit courses.

[edit] Work

The largest employers are the Wisconsin government and the University of Wisconsin. Additionally, there is a growing number of hi-tech employers and jobs, particularly in the bio-tech field. Madison has very low unemployment compared to the national average.

[edit][add listing] Eat

• Michelangelo's Coffee House, 114 State St, 251-5299. 7AM-11PM daily. Sandwiches, pastries, coffee and other drinks make up the menu at this comfy downtown meeting and reading spot.

• L'Etoile, [26]. Nationally-acclaimed restaurant, considered by some to be the best restaurant in town; focuses on locally grown ingredients, often found at the Farmer's Market. While pricey, it is worth it. Make reservations in advance.

• Harvest Restaurant, [27]. Located right next door to L'Etoile, it is nearly as good and more likely to offer a reservation on the same day.

• Madison Sourdough Bread Company, [28]. Excellent, fresh sourdough bread can be found here. Try their baguette--it is artisanal bread at its best. It can be found at some local grocery stores, including Willy Street Co-op.

• Ella's Deli, 2902 East Washington. A great place to take kids, and adults will have fun too. The entire restaurant is decorated with animated toys, and about half of the tables have glass tops that allow you to look at interesting things, including a running model train, a baseball card collection, and much more. Their ice cream is excellent, their pastrami is unbeatable, and it's all kosher. Sandwich sizes are often smaller than one would expect from a kosher-style deli.

• Mickies Dairy Bar, 1511 Monroe Street, (608) 256-9476. A classic diner close to the University, and right across from the football stadium. It has excellent food and arguably the best shakes in town. If you think you can eat a lot, try the scrambler.

• Weary Traveler, 1201 Williamson Street, (608) 442-6207. A great local bar/restaurant that's consisently packed with friendly locals from the Willy St Neighborhood. Don't forget to try their speciality: the Bad Breath Burger.

• Nam's Noodles, 1336 Regent Street, (608) 287-0475. Excellent Vietnamese and Chinese food and is located close to the University. Very good pho and their "Nam's Fried Rice" is outstanding. Sit-down or take-out, no delivery. It's hard to find a bad item on the menu.

• Greenbush Bakery, 1305 Regent Street, (608) 257-1151. Excellent doughnuts, which just happen to be kosher.

• Vientiane Palace, 151 W Gorham Street, (608) 255-2848. Just off of State Street, the best Lao-Thai food in town. Great curries and noodle dishes.

• Ian's Pizza, 319 N Frances Street and 115 State Street, (608) 257-0597 [29]. 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.

• Tornado Steak House, 116 S Hamilton St, (608) 256-3570 [30]. American steak from the state with cows. Also excellent cocktails. Not cheap, but good value.

• Bluephies, 2701 Monroe St, (608) 231-3663, Great food and service. Some interesting dishes. The Salmon BLT is hard to beat!

• Mediterranean Cafe, 625 State Street. This narrow room is a Madison gem and a favorite with the university crowd. Great food - stop in for lunch! It will be busy, but it moves fast. Cheap prices, but only accepts cash.

• The Carts, Library Mall (at the end of State St., away from the Capitol). A list of restaurants in Madison misses one of the best food sources we have - the carts. They are around all Spring/Summer/Fall. Buraka, Jamerica, Zen Sushi are excellent; don't miss Loose Juice smoothies! $5-6 lunch with a view of the lake within 2 minutes walk.

• The Avenue Bar, 1128 E Washington Ave. Frequent favorite on the local "fish fry" scene, with excellent deep fried cod and a new special each night of the week. The bar's not bad either, and if you stop by on a Monday night, you'll hear live polka music.

• Greenbush Bar, 914 Regent St., (608) 257-2874. In a town of many great pizza places, this is one of the best thin-crispy-crust pizzas you'll find. It's located in the basement of the Italian Workman's Club building in what was Greenbush, Madison's (sadly) long-gone Italian district.

• The Esquire Club, 1025 N Sherman Ave., (608) 249-0193. Another fabulous all-you-care-to-eat Friday fish fry place with a great Wisconsin supper-club atmosphere. Very busy on Friday nights, so you may want to make a reservation and/or plan to hang out in the bar for a while.

• The Old Fashioned, 23 N Pinckney St., (608) 310-4545. Right on the Square, with a great view of the Capitol, this newer favorite 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 nearby performance nearby. Only one imported beer. Busy, but well worth it. They also have a great Saturday brunch.

• Roman Candle Pizza, 1054 Williamson St., (608) 258-2000. [31] There's plenty of good pizza in this town, but the Pizza-by-the-slice here is out of this world. Pair it with their roasted red pepper soup and you can't go wrong.

[edit][add listing] Drink

• Great Dane Brew Pub, 123 E Doty Street, 357 Price Place (next to Hilldale Mall on the near west side) and 2980 Cahill Main (near the intersection of Fish Hatchery and PD in Fitchburg)[32]. 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.

• Angelic Brewing Company, 323 W. Johnson St, (608) 257-2707, [33]. Makes their own beer and has good food.

• JT Whitney's Pub & Brewery - 674 S. Whitney Way (Westside near several hotels) 608-274-1776. On premise brewing. I enjoyed the Rauch Beer and the brat special. http://www.jtwhitneys.com/

• Ancora Coffee Roaster, [34]. With four locations around town, they have excellent coffee. Try the fabulous white coffee.

• Escape Java Joint, 916 Williamson Street [35]. Located in the Willy Street neighborhood, just outside of downtown. Free wireless internet access and lots of seating if you need to settle in for a bit.

• Victor Allen's Coffee, [36]. Several locations around town; another popular local coffee roaster.

• Steep & Brew Coffee, [37]. Two Madison locations, including one on State Street. Excellent selection of delicious coffees and teas.

• Village Bar, 3901 Mineral Point Road, across the street from the Glenway Golf Course. This friendly neighborhood bar dates back over 65 years when Westmorland was a village outside the City of Madison. The fried summer sausage sandwiches are great.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Downtown/Campus

• Best Western Inn on the Park, 22 S Carroll Street, (608) 257-8811, [38]. Nicer hotel, located directly on the Capitol Square. Has a pool.

• Best Western InnTowner and The Highland Club, [39]. Located on the near west side of the UW campus in a quiet neighborhood, directly 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, [40] won Best Western's "Best of the Best" design award for its renovation .

• Concourse Hotel, 1 W. Dayton St., (800) 356-8293, [41]. Larger, nicer hotel located one block from the Capitol Square and one block from the Overture Center from the Performing Arts.

• Dahlmann Campus Inn, 601 Langdon St., (800) 589-6285, [42]. Located on Historic Langdon Street, at the edge of the University of Wisconsin, The Dahlmann Campus Inn & Chancellor's Club embraces a luxurious European Décor, and is the embodiment of understated elegance and personalized service.

• Doubletree Madison, [43]. Formerly the Howard Johnson, this smaller hotel is located very close to the University (one block from the Kohl Center!) and not too far from the Capitol. Free wireless Internet access.

• Edgewater Hotel, 666 Wisconsin Avenue, (608) 661-6582, [44]. Luxury hotel located directly 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.

• Hilton Madison, 9 East Wilson Street, (608) 255-5100, [45]. A newer, larger hotel connected to the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, located two blocks from the Capitol. Overlooks Lake Monona.

[edit] Suburbs

• Baymont Inn & Suites Madison West, [46]. Situated in the Madison, WI growing West side business district. Old Sauk Business Park and nearby University Research Park. Free high speed internet, breakfast and more. (608) 831-7711. 8102 Excelsior Dr., Madison WI 53717. Kids stay free and will enjoy the huge indoor pool, whirlpool and game room.

• Comfort Suites Madison West Hotel, [47]. Gold award winning all suite hotel. Free breakfast, cocktails, indoor pool, whirlpool and oversized suites. Two story suites and whirlpool suites available. Walking distance to Greenway Station Shopping Center. (608) 836-3033. 1253 John Q Hammons Dr., Madison WI 53717.

• Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Madison West and home to Crawdaddy Cove Indoor Water Park, [48]. Ideal for family fun. Water Park passes are included with your room and Kids Eat Free Program offered by Holiday Inn. Located on Madison's West Side nearby shopping Greenway Station and West Towne Mall and dining. (608) 826-0500. 1109 Fourier Dr., Madison WI 53717.

• GrandStay-Madison, 5317 High Crossing Blvd, (608) 241-2500/(877) 388-STAY [49]

• Microtel Inn & Suites Madison, [50], 2139 E. Springs Drive. Tel: (608) 242-9000. A Great Room at a Great Price.

[edit] Bed and Breakfasts/Specialty Lodging

• Arbor House, 3402 Monroe Street, (608) 238-2981, [51]. A specialty inn with an environmental emphasis in its sustainable construction, renewable resources, native gardens, natural linens and fresh food; located on the near west side, directly across the street from the UW Arboretum.

• Mansion Hill Inn, 424 N. Pinckney Street, (800) 798-9070, [52]. Madison's only AAA Four Diamond property, this Victorian bed and breakfast is located about five blocks up the street from the Capitol and ten blocks from the university.

• HI-Madison Hostel, 141 S Butler St, (608) 441-0144, [53]. Part of Hostelling International, this small hostel is located two blocks to the east of the Capitol Square. Closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

• Countryside Apartments, 2801 Coventry Trail, (608) 271-0101 [54]. Short-term housing in apartments with one to three bedrooms. They also provide rental cars.

[edit] Stay safe

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. The only areas that are recommended to avoid at night are isolated bike paths/alleys, Allied Drive, Badger Road, and Park Street.

[edit] Get out

• Devil's Lake, [55]. The most popular of Wisconsin's state parks, Devil's Lake is about an hour northwest of Madison, south of Baraboo. It includes miles of hiking trails, some of them on bluffs of morraine overlooking the lake. The lake itself was created by the leading edge of the Wisconsin glacier, about 10,000 years ago, which also diverted the course of the Wisconsin River. The park has two pleasant beaches, and you can hike, bike, boat, swim, climb, hunt, or fish. It can be a bit crowded in the summer.

• Mustard Museum, [56]. Located in Mount Horeb, about twenty miles west of Madison, they sell over 800 varieties of mustard, all of which you can sample. They have more than 4,100 varities on display. Stop at the Grumpy Troll brewpub for a beer.

• Spring Green is home to a pair of architectural wonders: the House on the Rock, one of the weirdest museums you'll ever see, and Taliesin, the family home and architectural school founded by famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It's about 45 minutes west of Madison.

• Cedar Grove Cheese, [57]. A fun dairy about 30 miles west of Madison. Not only are they one of the oldest dairies in the area, but they make excellent cheese and they purify their own water using a Living Machine.

• Prairie Du Sac hosts the annual Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw every Labor Day Weekend.

• New Glarus Brewing Company, [58]. An excellent brewery only 45 minutes from Madison in the very quaint Swiss town of New Glarus [59]

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!