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Madison Farmer's Market - © Mark Sadowski

Fun and Learning in Madison

If you are planning on arriving early, or extending your stay, or you plan to bring your family, general tourism information is available at www.visitmadison.com. Some highlights of the area include:

• The Aldo Leopold Foundation
• Cave of the Mounds- National Natural Landmark
• Henry Vilas Zoo
• International Crane Foundation
• Madison Trust for Historic Preservation Walking Tours
• Madison Museum of Contemporary Art
• Nature Net
• Olbrich Botanical Gardens
• Taliesin Preservation
• Treinen Farm

Things to Do and See

Near west side

• UW Arboretum - 1260 acres of forest and prairie along the southern shore of Lake Wingra. Wonderful visitor center, hiking trails and bird watching.
• Zoo - Madison’s free (yes, free!) zoo right next to Lake Wingra and the UW Arboretum entrance.
• Monroe St. - This street in a historic Madison neighborhood features over one mile of locally owned specialty shops, cafes, restaurants and more. Try Ancora Coffee or Michael’s Frozen Custard for a local treat!

Like what you see above, make it a day trip! Buses 5 and 13 will get you close to the zoo and Arboretum entrances. Buses 3 and 19 will take you down Monroe St.

East Side

• Olbrich Botanical Gardens - Offers a spectacular tropical conservatory as well as 16 acres of outdoor gardens and a stunning Thai Pavilion. Admission is free. Take bus 3 from Capitol.
• Williamson Street - Madison eccletic shopping street affectionately referred to as Willy Street by locals. Features many restaurants, cafes, locally owned shops and the Willy Street Coop. Try Jolly Bob’s for a great cocktail and Jamaican cooking or the Weary Traveler bar for a good beer and live music.

Downtown

• Capitol - Beautiful state capitol building features only granite dome in United States. Admission is free. Tours are available.
• State Street - Pedestrian (except for buses and bikes) shopping street that runs from the Capitol to the foot of the UW-Madison campus. Many restaurants, bars, and shopping opportunities.
• Overture Center for the Arts - World-class visual and performing arts facility with multiple theaters and the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art.

UW Campus

• Memorial Union - Summers at the Memorial Union Terrace on the shores of Lake Mendota are one of the main reasons Madisonians are able to get through the long winters. Features UW-Madison’s Babcock Ice Cream, the Rathskeller (old German style beer hall) and the purest taste of student life.
• Lakeshore Path and Picnic Point - The nearly mile-long peninsula along Lake Mendota’s south shore is among Madison’s most distinctive features. One of Madison’s best walks involves starting at the Memorial Union Terrace, following the lake shore path to the tip of Picnic Point. Too tired to go back? The free 80 bus (runs about every 15 minutes during the day) will pick you up at the base of picnic point and take you back to the Memorial Union with a great tour of the campus on your way back.

Around Madison

• Devil’s Lake State Park - Situated 40 miles northwest of Madison along the Ice Age Trail, the 10,000 acre State Park offers views from 500 foot cliffs and miles of hiking and mountain bike trails.
• International Crane Foundation - The one place in the world where you can see all 15 crane species. Baraboo, Wisconsin. 608-356-9462. About a 1-hour drive north of Madison.

Good Eating

Madison has a plethora of great restaurants. Three sister restaurants (Café Soleil, Harvest and L’Etoile, 21-25 N. Pinckney St) support sustainable farms by using local and organic ingredients. Visit the Madison Originals web site for a listing of locally owned restaurants

More Madison Information

Here are some more sites where you can get information about Madison and the UW

• Greater Madison Convention and Visitor’s Bureau - Provides many guides, maps, itinerary suggestions and a calendar of events.
• City of Madison - The official City of Madison website provides a section on recreation and tourism.
• Visitor and Information Programs - UW-Madison sponsors a visitor web site that includes campus maps, walking tour information and much more.
• UW-Madison Campus Slide Show - A campus slide show of images of this beautiful campus is also available on-line.