Madison, Wisconsin

A state capital and college town on an isthmus between two lakes, with the State Capitol, a farmers' market and lakeside terraces; nearby are Frank Lloyd Wright's World Heritage–listed Taliesin and the quirky House on the Rock.

Madison is the capital of Wisconsin and home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The city center sits on a narrow isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, with the white dome of the State Capitol crowning its highest point and streets radiating out to link the city with the lakeshores. Sightseeing centers on three areas: around Capitol Square you'll find the State Capitol, the Saturday farmers' market, the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and the Wisconsin Veterans Museum; State Street, the pedestrian mall connecting the square to campus, is lined with cafés, bars and bookstores; and at its western end, the UW campus offers the Memorial Union Terrace on the lake, Bascom Hill, the Chazen Museum of Art and the Lakeshore Path leading to Picnic Point. On the east side are Olbrich Botanical Gardens and its Thai Pavilion; to the southwest are the UW Arboretum and the free Henry Vilas Zoo. For day trips, head about 60 km west to Spring Green to visit Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright's World Heritage–listed home, and the quirky House on the Rock, or go south to the Swiss immigrant town of New Glarus and Cave of the Mounds. The best time to visit is May–Oct: summer means boating on the lakes, beers on the terrace and concerts, while autumn brings fall colors on campus and electric college football game days; winters are bitterly cold and snowy, and the frozen lakes are used for ice fishing. Getting there: Dane County Regional Airport has flights to hubs such as Chicago and Minneapolis, and buses from Chicago take about 2.5–3 hours. In town, buses and bike share are convenient, but you'll need a car for the surrounding sights. Plan on 2–3 days.

Top sights

Wisconsin State Capitol – A state capitol with a white granite dome, standing at the highest point of the isthmus. Guided tours are free. In summer you can climb to…
Dane County Farmers' Market – One of the largest producer-only farmers' markets in the United States. It circles the Capitol Square on Saturdays. Don't miss the cheese c…
Memorial Union Terrace – A university terrace on the shore of Lake Mendota, with colourful sun chairs, beer, and ice cream. Watching the sunset over the lake is one…
Taliesin – Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio, a World Heritage Site. Its Prairie-style architecture blends into the hills of the Wisconsin River va…
State Street – A pedestrian street linking the State Capitol and the university campus, lined with restaurants, bars, bookshops, and street performers. It…
Monona Terrace – A lakeside convention center conceived by Frank Lloyd Wright and not built until decades later. Its rooftop garden overlooks Lake Monona an…
Olbrich Botanical Gardens – A free botanical garden on the shores of Lake Monona, best known for its golden Thai pavilion and rose garden, with a tropical conservatory…
Picnic Point & Lakeshore Path – A narrow peninsula reaching into Lake Mendota, with a wooded trail to the tip where you can look back at the State Capitol and campus acros…
Bascom Hill – The University of Wisconsin's iconic hillside lawn, topped by Bascom Hall and a seated Lincoln statue, with a view down State Street to the…
Chazen Museum of Art – The University of Wisconsin's free art museum, with a collection of more than 20,000 works from ancient times to the present, ranking among…
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art – A free contemporary art museum at the intersection of State Street, designed with glass by Cesar Pelli, with a rooftop sculpture garden ove…
Overture Center for the Arts – A performing arts center on State Street and the main venue for Broadway tours, symphony concerts, opera, and ballet.
Wisconsin Veterans Museum – A free military museum beside Capitol Square, telling the story of Wisconsin's service from the Civil War to the present through period sce…
Henry Vilas Zoo – One of the few free-admission zoos in the United States, with polar bears, lions, and red pandas, and a top choice for families with childr…
UW–Madison Arboretum – The world's earliest ecological restoration prairie test site, with a lilac garden and dozens of kilometers of trails, good for hiking and…
First Unitarian Society Meeting House – A Frank Lloyd Wright chapel in the shape of 'praying hands', its triangular roof rising like hands pressed together in prayer. It is a Nati…
Camp Randall Stadium – Home of the Wisconsin Badgers football team, seating about 76,000, where the whole stadium's jump to 'Jump Around' after the third quarter…
Madison Children's Museum – An eco-themed children's museum beside Capitol Square, with a rooftop chicken coop and garden, suited to children under ten.
National Mustard Museum – A quirky museum in Middleton with thousands of mustards from around the world, and free tastings.
House on the Rock – A fantastical cluster of buildings perched on a giant rock, with the Infinity Room jutting out over the valley and the world's largest indo…
Cave of the Mounds – A National Natural Landmark limestone cave with richly colored formations. The guided tour takes about an hour, making it good for families.
Mount Horeb – A Norwegian immigrant town whose main street is lined with dozens of carved wooden trolls, earning it the nickname “Troll Capital of the Wo…
New Glarus – A town founded by Swiss immigrants and known as “America’s Little Switzerland,” with chalet-style shops, Swiss food, and the famous New Gla…

Where to eat

The Old Fashioned – A Wisconsin-style tavern beside the State Capitol Square. Beer-battered cheese curds and the brandy Old Fashioned cockt…
Mickey's Dairy Bar – A retro breakfast diner that opened in 1947, across from Camp Randall Stadium. The giant Scrambler is legendary.
Lao Laan Xang – A family-run Lao restaurant since the 1980s. Its coconut curry squash has introduced many Madisonians to Lao food.
Paul's Pelmeni – A small downtown shop serving only two kinds of Russian dumplings, potato and beef. Its curry powder with sour cream is…
Sardine – A French bistro in a historic machinery building on the shore of Lake Mendota. Mussels with fries and the weekend brunc…

Itineraries

Frank Lloyd Wright: Chicago to Taliesin – Follow the footsteps of Frank Lloyd Wright, from his Oak Park Studio to Taliesin in Wisconsin.