Madison

Madison, the capital of Wisconsin, is situated on an isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. As the anchor of the Greater Madison Area, it is home to the University of Wisconsin — Madison, one of the premier universities in the United States. It is a vibrant city known for its natural beauty, vibrant cultural scene, and academic excellence. Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities such as hiking, biking, and exploring the city's many museums and art galleries. The city is also known for its diverse and delicious food options.

Districts

 * Isthmus &mdash; Madison's downtown area, home to museums, shopping, dining, and great lake views along with diverse neighborhoods
 * North &mdash; Primarily residential with minimal shopping areas, large public natural areas
 * South Central &mdash; Home to vast public natural areas, such as the UW Arboretum and Olin-Turville Park, and the Alliant Energy Center/Dane County Coliseum
 * West &mdash; Unique shopping and dining, retail chains, interesting attractions, quaint neighborhoods
 * East &mdash; Similar to the West with unique shopping and dining, retail chains, interesting attractions, quaint neighborhoods

Understand
Madison is a fairly large city in south central Wisconsin. One of only two cities in North America on an isthmus (the other is Seattle), Madison is defined by its five lakes: Mendota, Monona, Wingra, Waubesa, and Kegonsa. Through a combination of factors, including the state capital and the University of Wisconsin–Madison, the city has more to offer than might be expected from a metropolitan area of about 500,000. Madison has many excellent restaurants, an active theater community, a great music scene, and good shopping. Madison is also minutes away from a beautiful rural countryside featuring larger fields and a more scenic and hilly terrain, depending on which direction one travels outside of the city.

National groups and magazines rank Madison highly for being a very bike-friendly city, a great place to raise a family, having a healthy and fit population, and an overall high quality of life. Madison is a melting pot of the Midwest. You'll find professionals, students, families, hippies, musicians and everything in between. It has a vibrant nightlife scene with lots of live music and pubs. It shares many qualities of other well-known college towns like Berkeley and Austin&mdash;a creative and educated population&mdash;but retains a small-town feel.

Madison's weather is typical of the Midwest: warm and humid in summer, often very cold in winter, and temperate spring and fall conditions.

By car

 * I-39/I-90/I-94 runs along the eastern edge of Madison.
 * Just over an hour to get to Milwaukee on I-94.
 * 2 hr 15 min to get to Chicago O'Hare Airport on I-90. Downtown Chicago is 30-45 minutes further, depending on traffic.
 * Four hours on the combined I-90/I-94 will take you to Minneapolis/Saint Paul.

By bus

 * From Milwaukee the Badger Bus; ; runs multiple trips per day between Madison and Milwaukee.  Has multiple stops, including downtown, in both cities; makes stops at Mitchell Int'l. Airport in Milwaukee.  Will also stop at Johnson Creek on demand (tickets must be purchased in advance online).
 * Megabus. Low-cost bus company that offers service to Madison from Chicago (several times daily), Milwaukee (4 times daily), and Minneapolis-Saint Paul (4 times daily). Fares can be as little as $1 each way if ordered far enough in advance. Megabus serves two stops in Madison, one on Langdon Street just west of Lake Street, across from the Pyle Center on the University of Wisconsin campus, and another at the bus shelter at the Dutch Mill Park & Ride, located on the northeast side of the US Route 12/18 and US Route 51 intersection. The stop at the Memorial Union is more centrally located, and a much better stop to get off at if you'll be staying in central Madison without a car. Also, none of the services to Milwaukee nor the daytime services to Minneapolis-Saint Paul stop at Dutch Mill.
 * Greyhound. Service from Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and Chicago.
 * Greyhound. Service from Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and Chicago.

By rail

 * Via Columbus, Amtrak travels east to Milwaukee and Chicago and west to Minneapolis on the Empire Builder route. Columbus is a 30-minute drive north of Madison.
 * Amtrak also connects to Madison from Chicago via Thruway bus, operated by VanGalder.

By bus
You can get around much of Madison on the Metro bus system ($2 single trip, $5 day ticket). Coverage becomes spotty and travel times extensive as you get further away from the isthmus, so a car is practically a necessity for regular travel outside the city center.

By car
On-street parking in the center of Madison — the isthmus — tends to be scarce (and permits, issued annually, are required), but a number of parking garages are sprinkled throughout the area. Street parking further from the center is plentiful and free. A map of parking garages, rates, and parking regulations in the downtown area can be found at the City of Madison parking page. For most lots on the University of Wisconsin campus permits, issued annually only to university employees, are required. There are a few lots that offer public parking. Full details on parking lots, rates and regulations on the UW campus can be found here. The best advice for parking on the UW campus is to read signs at lot entrances and believe what they say (UW parking enforcement is highly vigilant and on duty 24 hours a day). If you are driving from one end of the city to another, the Beltline is a commonly used route.

Football games can pose significant challenges to those traveling in the downtown area by car or bus. If you're traveling on a Sunday in the fall, it is always worth checking if and when the Badgers are playing a home game. Before and after home games, expect most streets near Camp Randall Stadium to be backed up, with traffic moving at a snail's pace. On-street parking in the area will likely be unavailable, and parking lots around campus will likely be filled to capacity unless you arrive early. Use extreme caution at intersections. Expect pedestrians to be drunk both before and after the game: it's not unusual to find people from college students to retirees stumbling to the game as early as 9AM. On the other hand, traffic during a football game is usually very light, and if you need to go somewhere downtown on game day, that's the time to do it.

By taxi
Uber and Lyft are both available in Madison. There are also several cab companies and when downtown there is never a taxi far from sight. That said, taxis operate on an appointment-only basis, so be sure to call at least 15-20 minutes before you need a ride (allow for more time during busy periods or inclement weather). With most of the cab companies you can also make a reservation for a specific time by calling at least 24 hours in advance - this is highly advisable if you are going to take a cab to the airport.

By bike
Madison has consistently been rated among America's most bicycle-friendly cities, and the city maintains a map of Madison's bike paths.

Local flavor

 * Midvale Neighborhood A handful of closely-connected neighborhoods off of Midvale Blvd on Madison's near- to middle-west side. Beautiful parks and some original Madison architecture. Check out Hilldale mall, which includes many small boutiques and local shops and restaurants. Hilldale is a more low-key alternative to State Street or Monroe Street for dinner out or shopping.
 * East Johnson Street This up-and-coming neighborhood contains a small selection of cheap, high-quality shops and cafés that will give the average Madison hipster wet dreams. Everything of interest is concentrated between Brearly and Blount streets.
 * Midvale Neighborhood A handful of closely-connected neighborhoods off of Midvale Blvd on Madison's near- to middle-west side. Beautiful parks and some original Madison architecture. Check out Hilldale mall, which includes many small boutiques and local shops and restaurants. Hilldale is a more low-key alternative to State Street or Monroe Street for dinner out or shopping.
 * East Johnson Street This up-and-coming neighborhood contains a small selection of cheap, high-quality shops and cafés that will give the average Madison hipster wet dreams. Everything of interest is concentrated between Brearly and Blount streets.
 * Midvale Neighborhood A handful of closely-connected neighborhoods off of Midvale Blvd on Madison's near- to middle-west side. Beautiful parks and some original Madison architecture. Check out Hilldale mall, which includes many small boutiques and local shops and restaurants. Hilldale is a more low-key alternative to State Street or Monroe Street for dinner out or shopping.
 * East Johnson Street This up-and-coming neighborhood contains a small selection of cheap, high-quality shops and cafés that will give the average Madison hipster wet dreams. Everything of interest is concentrated between Brearly and Blount streets.
 * East Johnson Street This up-and-coming neighborhood contains a small selection of cheap, high-quality shops and cafés that will give the average Madison hipster wet dreams. Everything of interest is concentrated between Brearly and Blount streets.

Learn




Work
The largest employers are the Wisconsin state government and the University of Wisconsin. Additionally, there are a growing number of hi-tech employers and jobs, particularly in the biotechnology field. Madison has a very low unemployment rate compared to the national average.

Eat
Madison is said to have the highest number of restaurants per capita in the entire United States. The sheer diversity of and intense competition among Madison's restaurants is enough to put any city of similar size to shame (as well as many larger cities!), making Madison one of the best cities in the country to be a foodie. Take your time to make a selection; you could spend years in Madison without seeing half of what the restaurant scene has to offer.

As Madison is in Wisconsin, don't miss the frozen custard, with local chain Michael's being a firm favorite among locals for this sweet treat.

Budget

 * Food carts, Library Mall (at the end of State St, away from the Capitol). Look out for food carts, some of Madison's best sources for a quick bite, clustered at the end of State Street near Memorial Library and on/near Capitol Square.

Bars, brewpubs, and burgers
Madison is well known for upholding the Wisconsin "supper club" tradition, offering a variety of German-inspired establishments that serve top-notch American food during the day, convert into bars late at night, and give you an absolutely unrivaled selection of beer regardless of whether it's 10AM or 1AM.



Telephone
Madison's telephone area code is 608. This telephone code covers much of Southwestern and South Central Wisconsin. The area code must be dialed before all phone numbers in the district.

Internet
Many businesses will offer Wi-Fi. Computers are available at locations of the Madison Public Library.

Stay safe
Overall, Madison is a very safe city. However, as with all cities, be cautious at all times and pay attention to your surroundings. The downtown area is well populated and fairly well lit. South Madison is considered to be the "bad" part of town, and has a higher crime rate than the rest of the city. The areas that are recommended to avoid at night are isolated bike paths/alleys, Allied Drive, Badger Road, South Park Street (South of Regent Street) and also Britta Drive, Britta Parkway and Helene Parkway in the Dunn's Marsh Neighborhood, as well as Troy Drive on Madison's North Side. Bright red emergency markers are posted around the University of Wisconsin campus and its Lakeshore Path; press the button and the police should show up very quickly.

The Madison police are generally lax on drinking and rowdiness. However, they significantly step up enforcement during the weekends of Halloween and the Mifflin Street Block Party, and have even brought in riot police to disperse nonviolent crowds. Hundreds of arrests are made every year during these two events. The police will not hesitate to arrest you for extremely minor offenses - the most common being underage drinking, open containers in public, and public urination. Do not urinate in public under any circumstances (the police check alleys and corners for this specifically), and if you're underage, don't get obscenely drunk and call any attention to yourself. During Mifflin, make sure you drink only on private property; the police will immediately arrest anyone who attempts to walk down the sidewalk or cross the street with an open container. Out-of-towners make up a significant portion of the arrested every year, and the city responds by clamping down on the students — don't ruin Madison for the rest of us! Crimes do occur during the Mifflin Block Party. Robberies, assaults and sexual assaults have also occurred in past years. It's still a good idea to be careful around Mifflin during the party.

A tip to motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists: each should always be on the look out for the other two. This is especially true downtown and in the area of the UW campus. Cars racing through red lights as they change, pedestrians crossing streets in the middle of the block with traffic present, and bicycles running red lights and weaving in and out of traffic are all commonplace, along with a number of other similar behaviors. Also, pedestrians on and near the UW campus should always be on the look out for students driving mopeds and scooters on sidewalks; even though this is illegal in the City of Madison it is quite common.

Newspaper

 * The Cap Times (free, published Wednesday) is a liberal weekly paper focused on politics and local commerce and change.
 * Isthmus (free) is a weekly paper focused on local news and events.
 * Wisconsin State Journal is a daily paper offering local, national, and international news.

Go next

 * Prairie du Sac hosts the annual Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw every Labor Day Weekend.
 * Spring Green is home to a pair of architectural wonders: the House on the Rock, one of the weirdest museums you'll ever see, and Taliesin, the family home and architectural school founded by famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It's about 45 minutes west of Madison.
 * Stoughton is famous for its Syttende Mai festival commemorating the Norwegian Constitution Day on May 17. Also home to Victorian Holiday in December the Stoughton Fair in July.
 * New Glarus. A quaint slice of Switzerland in Wisconsin, originally settled by Swiss immigrants from the canton of Glarus. Come here to see the Swiss-inspired buildings of the village center, and to try some local Swiss-German cuisine. Also known for the New Glarus Brewing Company, whose beer is only sold within the state of Wisconsin, and for the cheesemaking industry in the surrounding region as a result of the inhabitants' Swiss heritage.
 * Prairie du Sac hosts the annual Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw every Labor Day Weekend.
 * Spring Green is home to a pair of architectural wonders: the House on the Rock, one of the weirdest museums you'll ever see, and Taliesin, the family home and architectural school founded by famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It's about 45 minutes west of Madison.
 * Stoughton is famous for its Syttende Mai festival commemorating the Norwegian Constitution Day on May 17. Also home to Victorian Holiday in December the Stoughton Fair in July.
 * New Glarus. A quaint slice of Switzerland in Wisconsin, originally settled by Swiss immigrants from the canton of Glarus. Come here to see the Swiss-inspired buildings of the village center, and to try some local Swiss-German cuisine. Also known for the New Glarus Brewing Company, whose beer is only sold within the state of Wisconsin, and for the cheesemaking industry in the surrounding region as a result of the inhabitants' Swiss heritage.
 * New Glarus. A quaint slice of Switzerland in Wisconsin, originally settled by Swiss immigrants from the canton of Glarus. Come here to see the Swiss-inspired buildings of the village center, and to try some local Swiss-German cuisine. Also known for the New Glarus Brewing Company, whose beer is only sold within the state of Wisconsin, and for the cheesemaking industry in the surrounding region as a result of the inhabitants' Swiss heritage.
 * New Glarus. A quaint slice of Switzerland in Wisconsin, originally settled by Swiss immigrants from the canton of Glarus. Come here to see the Swiss-inspired buildings of the village center, and to try some local Swiss-German cuisine. Also known for the New Glarus Brewing Company, whose beer is only sold within the state of Wisconsin, and for the cheesemaking industry in the surrounding region as a result of the inhabitants' Swiss heritage.
 * New Glarus. A quaint slice of Switzerland in Wisconsin, originally settled by Swiss immigrants from the canton of Glarus. Come here to see the Swiss-inspired buildings of the village center, and to try some local Swiss-German cuisine. Also known for the New Glarus Brewing Company, whose beer is only sold within the state of Wisconsin, and for the cheesemaking industry in the surrounding region as a result of the inhabitants' Swiss heritage.
 * New Glarus. A quaint slice of Switzerland in Wisconsin, originally settled by Swiss immigrants from the canton of Glarus. Come here to see the Swiss-inspired buildings of the village center, and to try some local Swiss-German cuisine. Also known for the New Glarus Brewing Company, whose beer is only sold within the state of Wisconsin, and for the cheesemaking industry in the surrounding region as a result of the inhabitants' Swiss heritage.