Wisconsin · United States
Madison travel guide
Madison is a city in Wisconsin, United States, home to about 270,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- MSN8 km · Dane County Regional Truax Field
- Currency
- USDUnited States dollar
- Time zone
- America/Chicago
- Language
- Carolinian, Chamorro, Hawaiian
About
About Madison
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is the second-most populous city in the state (after Milwaukee), with a population of 269,840 at the 2020 census.
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.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Madison
See
- The Memorial Union Terrace
- Monona Terrace
- State Street
- Monroe Street
- Willy Street
- East Washington Avenue
- Henry Vilas Zoo
- Olbrich Botanical Gardens
- UW Arboretum
- Wisconsin State Capitol
- Governor's Mansion
- Wisconsin Veterans Museum
Do
- Overture Center
- Token Creek Chamber Music Festival
- Great Taste of the Midwest
- Concerts on the Square
- Mifflin Street Block Party
- Taste of Madison
- Dane County Farmer's Market
- Ironman Wisconsin Triathlon
- Wisconsin Badgers
- Art Fair On The Square
- Art Fair Off The Square
- Madison Mallards
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Madison
Madison has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C; June is the wettest, with about 129 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Madison: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Dane County Regional Truax Field (MSN), about 8.2 km from the city centre in a straight line; Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD, 101 km) and General Mitchell International Airport (MKE, 122 km) are also within reach.
Getting around
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. 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.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
MSN · Dane County Regional Truax Field
RFD · Chicago Rockford International Airport
MKE · General Mitchell International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Madison
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.
Drink
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.
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.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Madison: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Madison?
Madison has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C; June is the wettest, with about 129 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Madison?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Dane County Regional Truax Field (MSN), about 8.2 km from the city centre in a straight line; Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD, 101 km) and General Mitchell International Airport (MKE, 122 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Madison?
United States dollar (USD).
Nearby
Destinations near Madison
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.