Top Things to Do in Madison, Wisconsin
This university-anchored city gets an extra dose of sophistication from its role as state capital. Lakes and a famous market encourage outdoor fun. Check out our picks for what to do, where to eat and where to stay in Madison.
Do
Capital City Food Tours Consume calories and burn 'em on a three-hour, 1½-mile tour that covers five stops. Guides chat about Madison's history while guests sample sweets, savories and suds. capitalcityfoodtours.com
Capitol It's a straight shot from Monona Terrace on Lake Monona to the state Capitol. Free guided tours highlight architecture and art-mosaics, stained glass and murals. tours.wisconsin.gov
Chazen Museum of Art The building is a work of art. Galleries display African, Asian and 21st-century international works at this museum on the University of Wisconsin campus. chazen.wisc.edu
Dane County Farmers Market At the nation's largest producer-only market, more than 150 vendors sell produce, flowers, cheeses and meats around Capitol Square on Saturdays, April through November. dcfm.org
Lake Monona See it from a Betty Lou motor yacht during a champagne brunch cruise or from a bike on trails that wind around lakes Monona and Mendota. dnr.wi.gov
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art The airy building near the Capitol houses more than 5,500 pieces of modern and contemporary art, some shown in a rooftop garden. mmoca.org
Madison Trust for Historic Preservation Walking Tours Tours of areas such as Mansion Hill West focus on the city's history and architecture. madisonpreservation.org
Monona Terrace Tours and an exhibit address the controversy around the building of this Frank Lloyd Wright-designed convention center on Lake Monona. mononaterrace.com
Monroe Street Indie shops and restaurants line a 1½-mile stretch west of downtown. monroestreetmadison.com
National Mustard Museum Exhibits and video make a quirky yet classy homage to ketchup's counterpart, 6 miles west of Madison in Middleton. mustardmuseum.com
Olbrich Botanical Gardens The 16 acres encompass a rose garden, conservatory, sunken garden, and Thai pavilion and garden. olbrich.org
State Street This area bustles with more than 370 shops, galleries, restaurants and nightclubs. visitdowntownmadison.com
University of Wisconsin Arboretum These 1,200 acres feature prairie, savannah, marsh and deciduous forest, plus 20-plus miles of trails. uwarboretum.org
Wisconsin Historical Museum Stand in a replica 1,000-year-old home, walk into a lead mine or climb in a tractor cab as you explore exhibits detailing state history. historicalmuseum.wisconsinhistory.org
Wisconsin Veterans Museum Engaging exhibits tug on emotions while telling stories of combat and life back home through letters, poetry, photographs, artifacts and lifelike vignettes. wisvetsmuseum.com
Eat
Babcock Hall Dairy Store The public face of the UW's food sciences program, this parlor sells campus-made ice cream. babcockhalldairystore.wisc.edu
Brasserie V Highland Spring Farm beef and onion straws fill the V burger at this European-style restaurant focusing on rustic French food and Belgian beers. brasseriev.com
Dotty's Dumpling's Dowry Dotty's claim to be the world hamburger headquarters gets lots of support from the char-grilled, out-of-this-world burgers. dottydumplingsdowry.com
Estrellon Enjoy a leisurely parade of tapas from James Beard Award-winning chef Tory Miller. Then cap the evening with a Basque cake that seems to change flavors and textures with every bite. estrellonrestaurant.com
Fuegos-Steak+Tapas+Vegan The Latin-inspired menu caters to carnivores with bone-in ribeye and to vegans with dishes like chile relleno in orange ancho sauce. fuegosmadison.com
Glass Nickel While you're noshing on the best-selling Fetalicious pizza, with its tender mushrooms, fresh spinach, tomatoes and crumbled feta, sip a hearty Scottish ale or peppery Cabernet and enjoy the restaurant's Bohemian-chic decor. glassnickelpizza.com
Graze Taste the region's food bounty in seasonal dishes, such as pan-seared gnocchi with squash, kale, goat cheese, apples and cider. grazemadison.com
Harvest The menu follows the seasons at this upscale favorite. Check the website for themed monthly Sunday dinners. harvest-restaurant.com
Heritage Tavern Pork stars here (the chef breeds his own heritage hogs), right down to the vintage boar-theme dinnerware. The braised pork and tuna platter includes pork shoulder, tuna sashimi and headcheese. heritagetavern.com
Ian's Pizza This eatery on State Street cemented its reputation selling pizza by the slice (and opened satellite shops in Chicago's Wrigleyville neighborhood and in Milwaukee). Patrons gobble up its top-selling mac 'n' cheese pizza. ianspizza.com
L'Etoile Fine dining about as fine as it gets. A seasonal asparagus canapé with Murphy's Farm cottage cheese, pumpkin seed oil and pepitas made us swoon. letoile-restaurant.com
Marigold Kitchen The Capitol Square area breakfast and lunch spot dishes platters of brioche French toast and blueberry pancakes with orange almond butter. marigoldkitchen.com
Merchant Restaurant Like its cocktails crafted by bartenders, Merchant mixes the best of food and fun: It's a restaurant, bar, grocer and night club. merchantmadison.com
Mickey's Tavern Follow locals to this slightly worn gem. In a 1902 flatiron building, Mickey's features a retro bar, living room-style dining areas and a spacious patio. Mickey's Tavern Facebook page
Monty's Blue Plate Diner An updated diner serves breakfast all day and vegetarian options that go way beyond a tofu burger. montysblueplatediner.com
Quivey's Grove Housed in structures from the mid-1800s, this restaurant on the city's outskirts is an elegant celebration of Wisconsin. (608) 273-4900; quiveysgrove.com
RED The glam sushi restaurant serves seasonal craft cocktails along with favorites like the Badger Roll (crab, shrimp, tuna and cream cheese). red-madison.com
Sprecher's Grill and Pub Wisconsin-inspired fare (a burger with sauerkraut, sauerbraten over spaetzle) pairs with the popular fire-brewed beers and sodas. sprecherspub.com
Short Stack Eatery Exquisite blueberry pancakes and a bloody mary full of fresh veggies are just two reasons to visit. Plus, it's open overnight on Saturdays. shortstackeats.com
Sunroom Cafe The brunch has a range of omelets and scramblers, plus whole wheat pancakes to keep Madison's granola reputation intact. sunroomcafe.com
Supper clubs Head to one for Friday night's old-school meal of fried fish. We recommend Avenue Bar and Grill, The Old Fashioned Tavern, Toby's or Tornado Steakhouse. avenueclubmadison.com, theoldfashioned.com, tobyssupperclub.com, tornadosteakhouse.com
Taiwan Little Eats Taiwanese street food comes to State Street with sweet potato fries dusted in plum powder and popcorn chicken over rice. Wash it down with an iced matcha or taro milk tea. taiwanlittleeats.com
Weary Traveler Freehouse Bob's Bad Breath Burger (made with garlic, onions and cream cheese) is wickedly tasty. wearytravelerfreehouse.com
Working Draft Beer Company The new brewery specializes in IPAs and lagers with flavors like Peachin' to the Choir. Communal seating and board games encourage lingering with friends. workingdraftbeer.com
Stay
AC Hotel Madison Downtown A central location and sleek European-influenced design attract guests to the 165-room lodging. Floor-to-ceiling windows at Eno Vino Wine Bar and Bistro on the 10th floor afford panoramic city views. achotels.marriott.com
Best Western Inn on the Park Capitol Square Perks at this convenient downtown hotel include sizeable, clean rooms and free parking. innonthepark.net
The Edgewater The hotel pier gives guests easy access to Lake Mendota (and the occasional pop-up pier party). Four dining options within the 200-room hotel up the lake-luxe ante. theedgewater.com
Graduate Madison Canoes hanging from the lobby ceiling and cheery plaid furniture reflect the Wisconsin-influenced decor. Fried cheese curds and beer brats continue the theme at the rooftop restaurant, Camp Trippalindee. graduatehotels.com/madison
HotelRED Comfort and chic blend in the 48 guest rooms at a boutique hotel across the street from the Wisconsin Badgers' Camp Randall Stadium. hotelred.com
Hyatt Place Madison/Downtown Between lakes Mendota and Monona, this hotel puts much of Madison in walking distance. madisondowntown.place.hyatt.com
Mansion Hill Inn The German Romanesque Revival building's 10 rooms feature plush linens; some have marble fireplaces. mansionhillinn.com
The Speckled Hen Inn At this modern home in a bucolic setting, you'll dine on a breakfast of eggs from the inn's chickens and herbs grown on its 50 acres. speckledheninn.com
For more information: Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau visitmadison.com