Madison ~ 6 must-do activities
Madison is the capital of Wisconsin, with about 270,000. It is very bike friendly, with several trails crossing the city. There are many cultural events, plenty of restaurants to choose from, and many free activities.
An obvious thing to do is to visit the capitol… but there is so much more to the city to explore!
View of downtown from the Capital City Trail.
Without further ado, here are my five must-do activities while in Madison:
Walk Up & Down State Street
Between the UW Campus and the Capitol, State Street is a busy street full of restaurants, cafes, shops and people! Check out the small store and where you might want to eat: you can weigh your options while walking the whole street to the Capitol, explore the Capitol Square and then walk back State Street and stop where you chose.
It is often busy with students and extra busy on game days! But there are several parking lots nearby which will give you easy access to this area of town.
There are some interesting old buildings and some more modern building to admire, and let’s not forget about the iconic Orpheum Theatre!
The Museum of Contemporary Art is located on State Street
Explore the Capitol Square
There are a few shops, cafes and restaurants around the capitol. You can see some more modern buildings (pictured here) and several museums (Children’s Museum, Historical Museum and Veterans Museum).
Mid-April to Mid-November (for exact dates, check online), you can find the farmers’ market here on Saturdays. Jazz at Five is a jazz festival where musicians play outdoors where State Street meets the Capitol Square on Wednesdays at 5 in August (check online for specific dates). It is a lively and beautiful place!
If you want to visit the Capitol, free tours are offered daily (except holidays). Check online for more info.
Check out Monona Terrace
Madison is an isthmus, meaning it is a city built between two lakes: Lake Mendota and Lake Monona.
Monona Terrace will allow you to get some elevation and see the lake from above. There is a nice fountain on the terrace, and you have a nice view of the capitol fro there.
Sometimes it is reserved for private events, such as weddings.
Visit the Museum of Contemporary Art
First of all, the building itself is beautiful. Second of all it’s free. Third of all, it’s right on State Street and isn’t very large.
It’s a perfect activity to take a break from the hustle and bustle of State Street! Don’t forget to go all the way to the top because the view from the terrace is spectacular.
The exhibitions change often, and there sometimes are private events that will close the terrace. Check their website before your visit to see what is shown and what the hours are the day of your visit.
“Blooming Butterflies” annual event at the Olbrich Botanical Garden.
Admire the Olbrich botanical Gardens
Located on Atwood Avenue, this is a great place to visit. Explore the indoor glass pyramid (the Bolz Conservatory) with its tropical plants, waterfall and birds… and carnivorous plants!
Meander the 16 acres outside, visiting the Rose Garden or the Perennial Garden (amongst other) and don’t forget to cross the river to visit the Thai Pavilion.
Take your time, and make sure to use all your senses: there’s so much to see but also smell and feel!
Eat Laotian Food
Depending on where you are visiting from, this might be a very exotic food, and believe me it’s delicious!
Lao Laan-Xang is located on Atwood Avenue on the West side of town, they have a large space inside with tables and booths, but also do take-out orders.
I tend to always get the squash curry, because it’s my favorite, but I’ve been happy with several other things I’ve tried there.
For a more info and a full menu, click here.
For more restaurant recommendations in Madison, click here.
Have you been to Madison? Did you do any of these activities, or are there other you’d recommend? Let me know in the comments below!