Things to do in Madison, WI: a local's list

Downtown and the Capitol

• Wisconsin State Capitol. Free guided tours run every day (Monday to Saturday at 9, 10 and 11 a.m. and 1, 2 and 3 p.m.; Sunday at 1, 2 and 3 p.m.), with no tours on a few major holidays. The outdoor observation deck is open from mid-April through December.
• Dane County Farmers' Market. The big Saturday market circles the Capitol Square from April into mid-November, starting at 6:15 a.m.; come early, since vendors sell out. In late fall it moves indoors to Monona Terrace for holiday markets, then to the Garver Feed Mill on Saturday mornings from January into April. No pets except service animals.
• Monona Terrace. Frank Lloyd Wright's convention center on Lake Monona has a rooftop garden open to the public most of the day and evening, with some of the best lake views downtown. Guided tours run Thursday through Saturday at 1 p.m. by advance reservation ($5 adults, $3 students 5 to 17).
• Wisconsin Veterans Museum. Free, on the Capitol Square, open Tuesday through Saturday (plus Sunday afternoons in spring and summer).
• Overture Center for the Arts hosts Broadway tours, the symphony and more, and offers a free public tour one Saturday a month.

Free museums, gardens and the zoo

• Henry Vilas Zoo is free, open every day from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking is free too, but the 3-hour limit is strictly enforced. The carousel and train run April through October.
• Olbrich Botanical Gardens on Lake Monona: the outdoor gardens are free and open daily. The tropical Bolz Conservatory charges a small fee, with free times on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
• Chazen Museum of Art on the UW campus: "Always free," open daily.
• Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA), downtown: free admission, open Wednesday through Sunday.
• UW Arboretum: free to visit, with miles of trails through prairie, woods and wetlands. No pets.

Campus and the lakes

• Memorial Union Terrace. The famous sunburst chairs on Lake Mendota go out each spring. Anyone can visit with a $1 day membership, and the Terrace is the place to be on a summer evening.
• Paddling. Outdoor UW at Memorial Union rents kayaks and canoes to the public starting in May; reservations are recommended.
• Babcock Dairy Store. UW's own ice cream, about 20 flavors, at 1605 Linden Drive. It's cashless.
• City beaches. Madison has 14 public beaches on Lakes Mendota, Monona and Wingra, typically open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. No lifeguards are on duty at the swim-rope beaches, so keep an eye on kids.
• Badgers games at Camp Randall Stadium (football) and the Kohl Center (basketball and men's hockey) are a Madison tradition.

With kids

• Madison Children's Museum, just off the Capitol Square: admission is $18 for adults and children, with free Thursday nights from 4 to 8 p.m. It's open Wednesday through Sunday during the school year.
• The free zoo, the Capitol tour and the Arboretum's trails are all easy, low-cost outings.
• In winter, rent a sled at Elver Park's lit sledding hill for a couple of dollars an hour.

By bike

Madison is a big biking city. The paved Capital City State Trail runs across the city past Monona Terrace and connects to the Southwest Commuter Path; riders 16 and older need a state trail pass on the Capital Springs section. No bike? BCycle bike share runs from mid-March to mid-December, 24 hours a day, starting at $8 for 30 minutes.

In winter

• Ice skating. Tenney Park's frozen lagoon is the classic spot when it's cold enough, with skate rentals at the pavilion; other city rinks open as the weather allows. Check the city's rink status before you go.
• Cross-country skiing at Elver Park, with lighted trails into the evening (a ski permit is required).
• Indoor options stay open all winter: the Capitol, Chazen, MMoCA, the Veterans Museum, the Children's Museum and the zoo's indoor exhibits.

Coming later: the new Wisconsin History Center, replacing the old Wisconsin Historical Museum on the Capitol Square, is scheduled to open in early 2028.