Location: Madison
Top Things to do in Madison
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What to do and see in Madison, Wisconsin (WI): The Best Things to do Good for Big Groups
The sprawling University of Wisconsin sets the tone for this college town of cafes, bookstores, brewpubs, numerous restaurants (more per capita than anywhere else in the U.S.) and a good share of cultural and historical attractions. Stunning glacial waterways make the City of Lakes one of the more picturesque state capitals in the country. More than 250 parks offer residents and tourists plenty of recreational areas to choose from. If you visit the campus, be sure to try the famous Babcock Ice Cream at Memorial Union or Babcock Hall, before or after a visit to the Elvehjem Museum of Art's collection of Greek, Roman and Egyptian antiquities. And to really get into the college spirit, head over to State Street's eclectic range of ethnic restaurants. Be sure to try the mouth-watering bratwurst sandwich on a homemade bun at State Street Brats, a student favorite. At the end of State Street, the white granite, Roman Renaissance-style Capitol dominates the skyline and offers an observation platform for views of the city and lakes.
Restaurants in Madison
1. Madison Eats Food Tours
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 277 reviews
Enjoy a culinary experience through Madison, WI’s most unique and diverse foodie neighborhoods. Enjoy generous and delicious samples from favorite locally owned restaurants. Discover historic buildings, one-of-a-kind shops and meet chefs and producers! These tours are a fun and delicious way to discover Wisconsin’s capital city.
2. Trolley Pub Madison
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 172 reviews
Trolley Pub Madison is a pedal-powered, eco-friendly, pub-crawling trolley for up to 14 people at time. The Trolley Pub is powered by YOU and your fellow pedalers. It’s hard not to smile on the Trolley Pub!
3. Hop Head Tours
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 100 reviews
Since 2010, we have provided fun, safe & educational tour experiences. Based out of Madison and now expanded to Milwaukee. We are not a party bus or a pub crawl. We visit breweries, brewpubs, distilleries & wineries and related attractions.
4. Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,636 reviews
One of Madison's most popular attractions, this oasis of green includes a sunken garden, perennial garden, rose garden, rock garden, herb garden, wildflower garden and a tropical conservatory.
Reviewed By Valedia - McHenry, United States
Some friends and I try to meet up somewhere every fall. This year I read about and picked this spot as Madison is a halfway point for all. I was absolutely amazed at this gem - free parking, free access to the outdoor areas and only $2.00 to explore the indoor conservatory. The volunteers greeted us when we walked into the conservatory, and one went so far as to walk us around and point out all the different areas so that we wouldn't miss any of it. There is a gift shop that is stocked with seeds, bulbs, cards that can be planted, clothing and much, much more. The conservatory has lush plants, trees, ferns, a koi pond and other water features. After exploring inside we went out and walked all of the different paths and areas that were very well maintained, and a true sensory treat! Photography is a hobby of mine, and I came home with almost 60 pictures and could easily have taken more. We are looking forward to meeting up again in other seasons. If you are in the Madison area, do yourself a favor and take the time to enjoy this wonderful place!
5. Madison Food Explorers
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 93 reviews
Learn about Madison's history and culture on a unique and informative walking food tour with authentic Madisonians. Our Lake to Lake Tour features top Madison attractions like Frank Lloyd Wright's Monona Terrace and the State Capitol building, accompanied with food samples that are uniquely Wisconsin - artisan cheeses, brats, locally-brewed beer, and ice cream. You'll leave with a better understanding of Madison's farm-to-table culture. Tours start at 12:30 pm, rain or shine. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Happy Hour Tours with a Scandinavian twist also available on select Thursday evenings. Please see our calendar. Private tours by foot or bus may be arranged.
6. Memorial Union Terrace
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 698 reviews
Reviewed By Rita21_12 - Madison, United States
You have the view of the lake and can spend a relaxing time with friends enjoying the wide choice of foods available and the famous Babcock ice-cream and a nice breeze if the weather is on your side the day you visit
7. Escape This
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 80 reviews
We offer live room escape games that provide a unique & entertaining experience for families, friends and co-workers. Teams of players are "locked" in a themed room with only 60 minutes to use wit, creativity and teamwork to search for clues, solve puzzles and ultimately escape the room. It's smart fun that puts a new twist on team building, birthday parties, date nights and outings with friends.
Reviewed By 472terry - Verona, United States
We have been to a ton of escape rooms all over the country. There are many similarities and many things that make each experience unique. Escape This stands out as one of the best that we have done. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful from the moment we walked in the building. Our game Master was Matthew and he was wonderful at letting us dictate any help we wanted from him. On hindsight, we wished that we had asked for a little help earlier. This is a challenging room with a ton of puzzles to solve. Great room for a bigger group because there is a lot to accomplish. We did not escape and still had many steps to do. That was disappointing but we did feel successful with the things we did solve. I especially like the balance between relevant things in the room and distractions. The story made sense and the tasks were completely tied to the story. This is a top notch experience that I would highly recommend.
8. Capital City Food Tours
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 99 reviews
Explore the city of Madison through food that proves we are more than just beer, cheese, and brats (although we are experts at those too). Perfect for all types, our walking food tours appeal to your taste buds and your mind. Enjoy the afternoon or evening sampling local favorites and delving into the history and culture of the beautiful city we call home! Check our our website for all current tour availabilities, prices, and details.
9. Madison Children's Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 309 reviews
(Note: The museum is closed indefinitely, due to the pandemic. MCM will reopen sometime in 2021.) The Madison Children's Museum is an award-winning destination for fun family activities and hands-on learning! Visit our inventive city of Possible-opolis for ages 6 and up, and our four-season Rooftop Ramble, with animals and gardens. Kids under 5 have a place of their own in the Wildernest, a global village made with natural, local materials.There's always something new to do at Madison Children's Museum, where our mission is to connect children with their family, their community, and the world beyond through discovery learning and creative play.
Reviewed By EvergreenCOmom - Evergreen, United States
My 11, 8, and 5 year olds had a blast exploring this highly interactive and innovative children's museum. It's high candy for kids and adults alike from the moment you walk in and see the 5 and under Wildernest area on the lower level while looking straight up at the open staircase to see the older kid climbing play structure "thing" that you have to see to believe. Naturally, we went straight up to climb and slide. Great energy burner and the slide is steep/fast enough that kids don't get held up waiting to go. Next we made our way through the coops to cathedrals portion. I was fascinated! I had no idea about the history of Frank Lloyd Wright- I knew he was from Madison but I learned so much about his life and design ideas. There was everything from the types of blocks he played with as a child to a fun barn space for kids to try out building and chores to a functioning "studio" space where they can try to design a dog house with large interlocking puzzles pieces. So cool! I finally weaned my kids off this section because I was eager to check out the rooftop. For older kids the staircase is yet another helpful energy burner (up a few flights). The rooftop is beautiful and another creative place to explore, with interesting garden spaces and indoor lab space to check out beetles, turtles, and other small animals. There's also a chicken coop outside, plus a couple of small climbing structures and beautiful look out spots (especially fun for us out oft owners). The one last thing my daughter wanted to do was the giant hamster wheel back down by the climbing structure. It's a fun little novel thing to do but be prepared to wait a few minutes in line since it's open sporadically as staff are able to come and open it. I assume it's open more readily on weekends. And now a few logistics: I bought my tickets online ahead of time to see if it saved any time. For one adult & three kids it was just over $31, so not bad. It saved a few seconds when we walked in, but since there wasn't a separate line I was confused about how this would help on really crowded days. We were there on a June Tuesday afternoon. Parking was crazy easy since a street space opened up right outside the front door. I also saw multiple parking structures, so even on weekends I figure parking is not impossible. I saw that they allow you to bring food in to the cafe, which is super helpful. You can bring in food for the little ones just within the Wildernest, also helpful. Bathrooms and elevators were really easy to find once inside. I also appreciated that they had environmentally friendly features like high flow/low flow toilet flushers and hand dryers. Most of all, I appreciated the time and effort that clearly went into making this an amazing space for a wide variety of ages.
10. Lake Mendota
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 162 reviews
Ideal for boating in the summer, and ice skating or ice fishing in winter.
Reviewed By Hondo1RPCV
Went fishing there this past weekend and caught al sorts of great fish. Many boat ramps, very clear water (I saw my anchor in 8' of water).
