During my undergrad at UW-Madison, I never appreciated the college-town surrounded by nature environment. It took until I moved to a big city, Miami, to remember how lucky I was to spend 4 years in a small city with such big energy!

Now when I go back to Madison to visit, these are some of the top places on my list!

  • Lake Mendota
    • Picnic Point
    • The Terrace, Memorial Union
    • Kayak on Lake Mendota
  • The Capitol Square
    • The Old Fashioned: The best cheese curds
    • Paul’s Club and the Piano Lounge
    • The Farmer’s Market
  • The Arboretum
  • Babcock Dairy Store
  • State Street
    • Short Stack Eatery
    • Bassett Street Brunch Club
    • UW store
  • College-town bar scene
    • Sconnies
    • Monday’s
    • Wando’s
    • Nitty Gritty
  • Devil’s Lake

Lake Mendota

Picnic Point

A short hike from downtown, and a beautiful lakeside path leading to the trail head, picnic point is the perfect place for a morning run or evening bonfire with friends. I was lucky to spend my freshman year living less than a mile away from this trail! I and my friends would make the trek to have some s’mores, watch the sunset, and look out over the water at the rest of Madison.

The Terrace, Memorial Union

The one stop for tourists, studiers, partiers, family, and everyone in between! Memorial Union hosts multiple food options where you can either eat your burger or ice cream inside, or enjoy it with a nice pint (or pitcher) of beer outside on the patio overlooking Lake Mendota.

Kayak on Lake Mendota

A summertime favorite for students studying or working during the summer is kayaking at Lake Mendota or Lake Menona. There’s multiple rental options, but my go-to has always been UW’s equipment rental, located directly underneath the Memorial Union Terrace!

The Capitol Square

The Old Fashioned: The Best Cheese Curds

The capitol square is the place to check out when you are in Madison. The best food and drinks surround the square. I wouldn’t be a Wisconsiner, though, if I forgot to mention the Old Fashioned‘s cheese curds. You have to eat cheese curds when in Wisconsin, and where better than in a classic American restaurant eating, arguably, some of the best fried cheese curds Madison has to offer.

Paul’s Club & the Piano Bar

Best enjoyed with friends or family, I loved going to Paul’s club with my roommates after a long week. A newer find is the piano bar, where performers sing and play piano live to the audience’s requests!

The Farmer’s Market

Every Saturday, once it’s warm out, the Farmer’s market comes out along the square. Fresh cheese curds, flowers, delicious bread. A must visit.

The Arboretum

Looking for more nature? Despite being in the center of the Midwest, surrounded by nature, UW has gone a step further by preserving a vast amount of land known as the UW Arboretum. Tucked right into the heart of Madison, it’s no more than a 15 minute ride from most places in the city. I came here a lot my senior year, trying to remind myself there was more out there than exams and grad school applications!

Babcock Dairy Store

Looking to sample Wisconsin’s famous dairy? Perhaps you heard about the legendary UW ice cream flavors? Go to the Babcock Dairy store! This hidden gem is a place I still think about when I think of Madison. Grabbing a sandwich between classes, or a study break ice cream.

State Street

Right off the capitol square, State street is where everyone gravitates to in Madison. It has the food, the bars, the shopping, the study spots. It has it all. These a just a few of my favorite spots!

Short Stack Eatery

Famous for their pancakes, this breakfast joint is open 24 hours from Thursday-Sunday. A great spot for both breakfast and some late night food, but warning they don’t do reservations! So sometimes you might wait in quite the line.

Bassett Street Brunch Club

Every time I come back to Madison, I try to stop here at least once! Great food, great location, great vibes.

UW Store

I likely spent far too much money here, but the UW store has so many memories from picking out my first UW sweater to wear for a football match, to buying thank you souvenirs as I graduated.

Devil’s Lake

If you’re looking for an adventure slightly out of the city, Devil’s Lake state park is just an hour’s drive away. This is THE day-trip to do in Madison.

If you love the small-town feel, connecting with nature, while also being surrounded by a lively college spirit, Madison is the place for you. So many great memories are from these 4 years, and I didn’t even realize until I graduated!