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Things to do in Maple Bluff, WI: Lake Mendota parks, the Governor's Residence and the holiday parade

Maple Bluff is a residential village of about 1,400 people on the east shore of Lake Mendota, on Madison's north side. It's mostly homes, but it has a handful of small lakeside parks, two famous houses you can see from the street, and a friendly calendar of village events. Checked with the Village of Maple Bluff, the State of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Historical Society and the City of Madison in November 2026.

Checked against official sources · Updated November 2, 2026

Parks and the lake

  • Beach Park, 365 Lakewood Blvd.: a one-acre village park on Lake Mendota with a designated swimming area, a beach house with restrooms and a water bottle filler, a fire pit, swings, a playground, a bike repair station and two tennis and pickleball courts. Public Health Madison & Dane County monitors the beach from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
  • Johnson Park, on Lakewood Boulevard at North Sherman Avenue: 5.7 acres with a veterans memorial, gazebo, playground and a field with soccer goals. Parking is limited.
  • Smaller village parks: Firemen's Park behind the Village Center (playground, shelter and basketball hoop), McBride Park (basketball and two play structures) and Stoddard Park (a sandlot ball field). Shelter and court reservations are for residents and their guests.
  • Burrows Park (City of Madison), right next to the village: about 10.5 acres on Lake Mendota with a shelter, playground, fishing, canoe and kayak racks and a historic Native American burial mound. See our lakes guide.

Historic houses (from the outside)

  • Governor's Executive Residence, 99 Cambridge Rd.: Wisconsin's governors have lived in this lakeside mansion since the state bought it in 1949. It sits on 3.7 acres with ten major garden areas. The state's page lists no public tours, so check with the Department of Administration before planning a visit.
  • Robert M. La Follette House, 733 Lakewood Blvd.: the home of the progressive governor and senator from 1905 until his death in 1925, now a National Historic Landmark. It's privately owned and not open to the public, so please view it from the street.

Food and coffee

  • Ancora Cafe + Bakery on North Sherman Avenue serves all-day brunch, espresso and baked goods seven days a week. See our coffee and brunch guides for more.
  • Maple Bluff Country Club, 500 Kensington Dr., is a membership club.

Events

  • Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting: Sunday, November 29, 2026. The parade, with Santa on the fire trucks, starts at 3:30 p.m.; Santa visits Johnson Park from 4:15, and the tree is lit at 5 p.m., with a bonfire and light refreshments. A Letters to Santa box is at the firehouse November 28 to December 20.
  • Fest on the 4th: every Fourth of July, with a morning 5K, a 10 a.m. parade and a festival at Johnson Park.
  • Summer: Concerts in the Park on summer evenings at Beach Park, a Father's Day parade, and the Bocce Bash fundraiser the first weekend of June.
  • See our holiday season guide and events calendar for more.

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Sources

Rules and dates can change. Check the official source before you rely on them, and suggest a correction if something is out of date.