Madison is Wisconsin’s capital and a lively college town built on an isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, home to the University of Wisconsin and a landmark domed State Capitol. Visitors come for the Dane County Farmers Market circling the Capitol Square, the lush Olbrich Botanical Gardens, and the University of Wisconsin Arboretum’s miles of prairie and woodland trails.
The Chazen Museum of Art, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, and historic State Street connect campus to downtown with shops and restaurants. Summer brings water sports and the Memorial Union Terrace’s lakeside concerts, while fall means Badger football and vivid foliage.
The best time to visit is May through November, when mild weather suits the lakes and 250-plus city parks; winters turn cold and snowy. Rent a bike to explore the Capitol City Trail, one of the easiest ways to see the lakes up close.
