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Memorial Union (campus student union, but open to everyone)
Best place to be on a sunny, warm day in Madison. Situated right on Lake Mendota, with a huge terrace to have a soda, beer, lunch or dinner, ice cream, read, see a band, watch the sailboats cruise by or people watch.
Free movies on wed(?), lectures, travel center, music, ice cream made on campus, etc...
Two cafeterias and Babcock ice cream right here to get food and go out on the terrace on the lake to eat. It's right next to the Red Gym, a huge old gym that looks like a castle sort of which is used for offices now. There's a little art gallery on the 2nd or 3rd floor of the Memorial Union that's pretty cool too. The Lakeshore path starts at the Union next to the lake, and goes along the lake for about 4 miles out to Picnic Point. Very walkable or bring/rent a bike and go out there. Real nice out there.
Friday afternoon, friday evening & saturday evenings there's music. In the summer it's on the terrace, in the winter inside. Free. In the summer this is great. I've seen the Indigo Girls here among others. Leave a Comment Address: 800 Langdon StPhone: 265-3000Directions: From State St walk to the end, thru the Library Mall, past the fountain, and you'll see it on the lake next to the Huge Red Gym.Website: http://www.union.wisc.edu/
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We've got one of the biggest markets in the country, meets saturday from late April until first weekend in Nov. Have everything from apples to pumpkins to flowers and of course cheese.
Takes place around the Capitol. Smaller one on wednesdays on Martin Luther King Blvd, and smaller ones yet at various locations around town. Prices are ok, about the same or higher than other spots but most of it is fresher and locally produced.
I suggest getting there before 8am or after noon, really crowded otherwise, and it takes forever to get around it. If you get there betwen 8 & noon, don't be in a hurry, otherwise you'll be frustrated.
In addition to the market, it's spreading down State St with vendors selling jewelry, art, coffee carts galore, and other things.
On the other hand it's so sad markets like this are few and far between. I've been to so many in Paris, Montreal, and all over Europe. I wish we could have more like this, it would be so much healthier, even if 98% of the city does drive a car to it, unilke the rest of the world (and this one wouldn't be so dman crowded! :) ) Leave a Comment
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The people of Thailand gave the U of Wisconsin a gift of a Thai Pavilion, the only one now in the US. It's mainly a little pavilion in a natural setting, in a Thai tropical gaden, with water gardens. Very peaceful.
The cool thing about the struture is it has no nails. It's built so it just fits together naturally. It's been stadning for years.
You get to it by going thru a tropical garden made to resemble something in Thailand. Leave a Comment Address: 3330 Atwood AveDirections: You get to it by going thru the Ohlbrich Gardens, then walking out into the gardens, and keep walking back and to the right. Cross the river and you'll find it.Website: http://www.olbrich.org/
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State Capitol tours.
M-F 9am, 10, 11, 1pm, 2pm. Free, meet at the desk.
Gorgeous outside and even moreso inside. Go in, wander around, don't worry if you get lost--I still do.
You can also go up to the top of the Capitol, and outside. You can walk around the top and view the city--no charge. There's a little 'museum' of old photos, designs of the capitol, and how it was made, a history of Madison right below where you ascend to the top of the building and go to the belvedere. Leave a Comment
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 east side of the terrace,
looking out over lake by Tom_In_Madison, 2 more photos
Otis Redding was scheduled to play in a little bar in madison on the evening of Dec 10, 1967. (Scheduled to open for him was a new group made up of near-area residents, The Grim Reapers, later renamed to Cheap Trick).
His small plane carrying him, and a few members of the Bar-Kays backing him up crashed into the freezing cold water of Lake Monona, the lake that makes the south end of the isthmus Madison lies on. It went under and didn't surface. There was 1 survivor, trumpet player Ray McCauley.
3 days prior his only #1 single, "(Sitting on) the Dock of the Bay" was recorded. Leave a Comment Directions: From the capitol, walk 2 blocks south towards the Convention Center. When you get to it, walk up the walkway on the left to the top. On top, stay to the left, toward the east. It's about 3 feet off the railing, behind a little place to sit and some trees.
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 From the east on a cold
February day. by Tom_In_Madison, 2 more photos
New convention center designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Nice location, futuristic looking or something like that. Lots of photos inside too of Wright and his buildings, homes, etc. Some think the orange carpet is a bit ugly though, but he wanted that orange color....Bike path around Lake Monona (13 mile trip) goes right outside.
On top of the center is a real nice, huge terrace area for relaxing, free group tai chi in the summer, great place for a quiet lunch, great view of the lake, free concerts on fridays after work, and a plaque memorializing Otis Redding (Sitting on the Dock of the Bay), see other tip about it.
Michael Feldman's "Whad'ya Know" on National Public Radio is taped here almost every saturday--tix are $8, show up at 9am on saturday for the 10am show, or get them in advance. http://www.notmuch.com/ Leave a Comment Address: 1 John Nolen DrDirections: 2 blocks south of the Capitol. They have parking, but it's easier walking there from the Capitol or State St.Website: http://www.mononaterrace.com/
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For better or worse, Madison has the largest attended halloween party in the Midwest. It's great fun until about 11pm. For the last 3 years we've had what might be called riots at 'closing time'. If you go, leave before the pepper spray comes out. If you want to riot, please don't come--Stay away.
So about 100,000 people throughout the night pack the main steet, State St, on the saturday before Halloween. Most of them come in costume, and there's some very elaborate costumes. No alcohol is allowed, but there are many bars on State St. Fines are heavy if you byob. It really is great fun to see all the people, most of them sober, and all the wild costumes.
At about 11 pm for the last 3 years things change. A different element come out. People, mostly students, from all over the country come to this, and some come to make trouble. They aren't costumed (first tip-off), and are usually a bit drunk (2nd tipoff). Bonfires pop up. When it becomes too crowded, when they don't listen to the police, when they don't disperse the police will shut it down. If you don't leave, you will be pepper-sprayed, guaranteed. It stings real bad. If you don't leave, you will be arrested, so just don't be there then.
But otherwise, this really is great fun. Book your hotel early. Some of the costumes are x-rated.
Things are always changing in regard to this unsanctioned event. They really are trying to stop this, and I really hope they do. The police costs alone top a half million dollars. Who knows what will happen next year. Leave a Comment Directions: State Street, downtown Madison
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 blankets holding a spot by Tom_In_Madison
6 times on wed evenings in Mid June to early Aug. Madison Symphony Orchestra or a portion thereof does free concerts on the Capitol lawn. People put blankets out, bring (or buy there) picnic lunches, drink wine and listen to, or at least pretend to listen to the music. They all seem to enjoy it.
I'd suggest getting there by 4, putting down a blanket. You can still hear it if you get there later, but it's nicer to see the musicians too.
Rules: Don't dump alcohol on the lawn. Don't put your blanket out before 3pm-though some people start puytting them out by 1pm Leave a Comment
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 From the outside, greenhouse
on the left. by Tom_In_Madison, 2 more photos
There's a Thai House next door given to us by the country of Thailand....It's real nice, bright colors and put together without the use of nails, just interlocking pieces. Pretty cool. Leave a Comment Address: 3330 Atwood AvePhone: 608-246-4550Directions: East Side of Madison, near Olbrich Park.Website: http://www.olbrich.org/
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Art fair on the Square
the 2nd weekend in July.
Around the Capitol (do you sense a pattern here?? ;) ) are about 200 little stalls with artists from all over the country. Bands at the 4 corners, plenty of fried cheese curds, brats and beer and more 'upscale' cusine. Supposedly over 180,000 people attend this.
If that's not enough art, just one block over is the Art Fair OFF the Square. Another 150 or so artists from Wisconsin selling their stuff in little stalls. Cusine is pretty much the same.
I'd suggest getting there after 3pm saturday, or after 2pm sunday. Less crowded.
mmm.....fried cheese curds. Yep, it might be Madison, but it's still Wisconsin--sort of. Leave a Comment
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