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Things to do in Monona, WI: Winnequah Park, beaches and the Aldo Leopold Nature Center

Monona is a small city on the east shore of Lake Monona, surrounded by the lake, a wetland conservancy and the City of Madison. It's a good place for a lakeside afternoon: beaches, a big lagoon park, nature trails and a stretch of the Lake Monona Loop. (Monona Terrace, despite the name, is in downtown Madison.) Checked with the City of Monona and local organizers in November 2026.

Checked against official sources · Updated November 2, 2026

Parks and the lake

  • Winnequah Park: 45 acres of green around a winding lagoon in the heart of the city, home to Dream Park, a community-built, castle-themed playground with suspended bridges, a tree house, tunnels and slides.
  • Schluter Beach, 4517 Winnequah Rd., and Frost Woods Beach: Monona's two public Lake Monona beaches. Neither has a lifeguard. Schluter has a playground, grills and an accessible floating pier, and Frost Woods has a canoe and kayak launch.
  • Boat launches: at Lottes Park and Tonyawatha Park; a launch fee applies year-round. See our lakes guide.
  • Lake Monona Loop: the loop around the lake follows an on-street bikeway through Monona, with a few short, steep hills. See our getting around guide.

Nature trails

  • Aldo Leopold Nature Center, 330 Femrite Dr.: a nonprofit nature center founded in 1994, with free wetland, woodland and prairie trails open dawn to dusk every day. The building is open weekdays 9 to 4 and weekends 10 to 2, with classes, camps and storytimes for kids.
  • Woodland Park, 300 Femrite Dr.: a hilly, wooded park with three trails that connect to the nature center's trails.
  • Edna Taylor Conservation Park: next door in Madison, with effigy mounds; its trails also connect to the nature center. See our hiking guide.

Events

  • Holiday House Bazaar, November 21 and 22, 2026, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Monona Community Center, 1011 Nichols Rd. (its 45th year).
  • Monona Community Festival, every July 3 and 4 at Winnequah Park: a children's parade, carnival, music, an art fair and fireworks on the Fourth.
  • Monona Farmers Market: Sunday mornings from the first Sunday in May to the last Sunday in October, at Ahuska Park, 400 E. Broadway.
  • Biergarten at the Beach: summer Wednesday evenings at Schluter Beach.
  • Monona Public Library, 1000 Nichols Rd., has storytimes and events year-round.

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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.