A Go West Getaway to Madison, Wisconsin

Madison, Wisconsin, has the benefit of being home not only to Wisconsin’s state government but also a Big Ten university -- and that combination gives the city of 230,000 a real vibrancy. Madison is always showing up on various “best places to live” lists, and  it makes a wonderful spot for a weekend getaway, too. Plus, it’s just a couple hours’ drive from much of the Fox Valley. We’re lucky to have family and friends there, and everytime we visit, we find something new to experience. 

Before you plan your trip, it will help to understand a bit about how Madison is set up. It is home to five lakes, with Lake Mendota and Lake Monona flanking both sides of downtown, resulting in downtown being located on an “isthmus.” (That’s a word you never thought you’d use after 8th grade geography, right?)  The university campus is less than a mile away from the Wisconsin State Capitol, and the State Street pedestrian mall links the two, resulting in a downtown area that is lively and full of restaurants, bars and boutiques.

A view of the famous colorful tables and chairs on the Memorial Terrace at the University of Wisconsin. Photo by Greg Timm on Flickr.

WHAT TO DO

Depending on what day you arrive, you might want to make your first stop the Welcome Center (21 N. Park St., 608-262-4636), located on the university’s campus. There, you can pick up maps, guides and see if there are any special events you’ll want to check out. The center closes at 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, and is unfortuantely closed on weekends.

While on campus, you can stop by the Student Union to check out the lively, scenic Memorial Union Terrace overlooking Lake Mendota. You can grab a snack in the union and rest a bit in one of the terrace’s famous colorful sunburst chairs -- make sure to bring the camera to take a photo of your kids in the oversized version.

Also on campus is the Babcock Hall Dairy Store (1605 Linden Drive, 608-262-3045). This dairy and store has an observation window where kids can watch ice cream and cheese being made and packaged. Visit the dairy store after for yummy treats. It is open til 5:30 p.m. on weekdays and from 11 a.m to 4 p.m on Saturday, but closed on Sundays. (The food is also available in the union and Wisconsin House of Cheese on State Street.) 

The Madison Children’s Museum (100 N. Hamilton St., 608-256-6445) is located downtown, across the street from the State Capitol. It’s honestly worth a trip to Madison just to check out this museum. It was named one of Parents magazine’s “!0 Best Children’s Museums” for 2011. My daughter and I spent an afternoon there on a recent trip to Madison and only saw about half of the exhibits. The art studio was especially impressive, and we spent a lot of time in the “Wildernest” designed especially for children from birth through age 5.    

Given the number of lakes in the area, it’s no surprise that a lot of the fun in Madison has to do with being on or near water. 

One hidden gem is the pontoon rides offered by the Madison School and Community Recreation (the public recreation provider for the city.) If you have a group of five or less, you can use the “drop-in” hours to take a ride with a volunteer pontoon driver. Larger groups have to reserve a boat. Call 608-204-4581 for more information.

It is worth considering a Sunday stayover just for the free shows put on by the Mad-City Ski Team. The shows are held most Sunday evenings in the summer on Lake Monona; bring a pizza or a picnic and a blanket to stake out a seat right on the lake’s edge. 

If you’re up for some walking, Picnic Point is a nearly mile-long peninsula along Lake Mendota’s southern shore. It’s part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Lakeshore Nature Preserve, and the preserve’s website is full of suggested itineraries for walking and biking in the area.The website, www.lakeshorepreserve.wisc.edu also has maps of where you can park to access the various natural areas.

If you plan to be in Madison on Saturday morning, make sure to rise and shine early in order to hit the Dane County Farmer’s Market. There, you’ll find a riot of produce and flowers and specialty products from more than 100 vendors. The market gets very crowded later in the day, so the earlier you can get there, the better. It is held every Saturday, year round, and on Wednesdays in the summer. In the spring, summer and early fall, the market is held on the square around the state Capitol. It moves inside for the colder months; checkwww.dcfm.org for the location and hours for the day you’ll be in town. During a visit in June, I wished I had brought a cooler with me to bring home some of the more perishable items. Because the market can get so crowded, it’s not a great spot for strollers or antsy children. However, if you have a spouse or friend with you, they can easily keep the kids entertained running around the lawn of the Capitol while you browse the market. Or send them off to the Madison Children's Museum, also on the square.

A flower vendor at the Dane County Farmer's Market. Photo by beautifulcataya on Flickr.

The nearly 100-year-old Capitol is definitely worth a peek inside, either with a free tour or on your own. In the summer, the building’s observation deck provides great views of the city and the lakes in all directions.

Henry Vilas Zoo (702 S. Randall Ave., 608-266-4732) is free and open nearly every day (except for a few major holidays) from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It has an especially good otter viewing area ... and who doesn’t love otters? There are plenty of picnic areas and parks just outside the zoo grounds, if you want to make a picnic from the items you picked up at the farmer’s market. In terms of size and scope, this zoo falls between Cosley Zoo in Wheaton and Brookfield Zoo, just to give you an idea of what to expect. 

If you and your kids like miniature golf, you might want to plan an outing to Vitense Golfland (5501 W. Beltline Highway at Whitney Way, 608-271-1411), which features both indoor and outdoor courses. (At the “Lambeau Field’ hole you can score a touchdown and do a “Lambeau Leap,” of course.)

WHERE TO EAT

When it comes to restaurants, Madison offers plenty of family-friendly options.

The Great Dane (123 E. Doty Street, 608-284-0000) is a popular brew pub located downtown. Its menu is heavy on two of my favs -- cheese and bratwurst. They also promise nearly more selections on tap than any other brewpub in the country.

The Old Fashioned (23 N. Pinckney St., 608-310-4545) is also located downtown, on the square. It features lots of cheese -- cheese curds, cheese soup, cheese plates. Brats, burgers, lots of beer options. Often quite crowded, but definitely worth the wait.  

Hubbard Avenue Diner (7445 Hubbard Ave., Middleton, 608-831-6800) is located in the western suburb of Middleton. My highly-placed source recommends the chicken pot pie, served with warm homemade applesauce and a chocolate milkshake. If you don’t have room for pie at the restaurant, make sure to get some to-go. The same restaurant group owns a number of eateries in the Madison area. Similar to the Hubbard Avenue Diner is the Market Street Diner and Bakery (110 Market Street, Sun Prairie, 608-825-3377) located in the eastern suburb of Sun Prairie.

Ella’s Deli and Ice Cream Parlor (2902 East Washington, 608-241-5291) is more famous for its circus-like atmosphere than its food, which includes deli favorites like matzo ball soup and corned beef sandwiches. (The reuben I had there was tasty but sorta pricy.) This zany restaurant is packed to the gills with animated displays, model trains, mazes, dioramas and games. In the spring, summer and fall, kids can take a ride on the restored carousel outdoors. It’s also a good spot if you’re looking for a late-night ice cream treat; the restaurant is open until 10 p.m. during the week and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

A "this little piggy" sculpture inside Ella's Deli. We warned you it was a zany place. Photo by chronographia on Flickr.

At Brennan’s Market (several locations, including 5533 University Ave., 608-233-2777)  you can sample various types of fruit, wine and cheeses, including an assortment of world championship cheeses.

If you’re looking for a cheap, delicious breakfast that will fill you up for hours, try Bagels Forever (2947 University Ave., 608-231-2427). I promise it’s worth it to sort through the somewhat exhaustive combinations of bagels, cheese and protein sources available to you.  

The motto of Michael’s Frozen Custard (four locations) is “bigger burgers, better custard” and it serves both in bright, fun, fast-casual style restaurants that were once abandoned gas stations. 

Madison is often reputed to have more restaurants per capita than any other city in the United States. While you can find a lot of debate about that on the web, rest assured you'll have plenty of great dining options during your visit. 

Editor’s Note: This story was written with the help of my friend Maureen, who has lived in Madison with her kids for years, and my sister-in-law Angela, who makes sure we see all the sights when we visit!