The Madison and surrounding areas have tons of things to do. Here are some of our favorites…
Belleville – our offices are located in Belleville, south of Madison. Visit Community Park and Lake Belle View, or fish along the Sugar River. The bike trail goes to Madison north and Stewart Tunnel to the south. Get a pizza at Jonny O’s on Main Street. Or visit the Duluth Trading Company Outlet Store on River Street. Sugar River Trading Company (McNess Home Products) is next to Piggly Wiggly. The first Saturday in August is the Belleville Music Festival and the last Saturday in October is the UFO Day Parade. www.BellevilleWI.com
New Glarus – America’s Swiss Village. Visit shops galore in downtown New Glarus. Sugar River Pizza is also a great pizza joint. Blumenladens is known for gardening and plants and a variety of gifts. Puempels (pronounced “pimples”) is a bar that has been located in New Glarus since 1893. The New Glarus Brewery at the top of the hill has been working on their facilities and is currently not open to the public, but while you are waiting you can visit the old brewery and gift shop at the bottom of the hill. www.swisstown.com
Madison – there are so many things to do in Madison. Some of our favorites are:
State Street – State Street connects the campus with the Capitol. Lined with shops and restaurants, during the summer months you will find musicians busking.
Overture Center and Madison Museum of Contemporary Art – the largest private donation for the arts created the Overture Center on State Street. Visit the art galleries on the different floors or attached is MMoCA, a wonderful venue for art exhibits. Visiting is free, shows will have fees.
Monona Terrace – the beautiful community center designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Visit the rooftop patio to get views of Lake Monona. Go inside and visit the gift shop. Visiting is free, events will have fees.
Chazen – UW’s world-class art museum. Currently part of the facility is being revamped (Elvjehem), to be completed in September, 2026. Free.
Olbrich Gardens – wonderful botanical gardens including the Bolz indoor tropical observatory. One of the highlights of the gardens is the Thai Pavillion. Outdoor gardens are always free, Bolz indoor tropical observatory is free on Saturdays until noon.
Capitol Building – open to the public, the outdoor observatory level gives 360 degree views of the city where you can see both Lakes Monona and Mendota. Free
Union Terrace – a fun spot on the UW Campus to sit, have a beer and a brat, and see Lake Mendota. If you time it right you might see a band play at the outdoor stage. Free
EVENTS in Madison
Art Fair on the Square
Concerts on the Square
Bratfest
Gleam – annual light show at Olbrich Gardens
Architectural Tours
Milwaukee Area:
Milwaukee Museum of Art – 150,000 square foot art museum where the architecture of the building is just as famous as the works inside.
Johnson Wax Building and Wingspread – (Racine, WI)the Frank Lloyd Wright designed headquarters and the home designed for the Johnson Wax president are amazing architectural wonders. And the tours are free, but you have to sign up in advance on the website. Free
Also look up Milwaukee Brewer Games, Summerfest, Historic 3rd Ward.
Wisconsin Dells – the waterpark capital of the world, this is a touristy area with all kinds of wacky touristy stuff. But you can also visit the Dells themselves, the rock formations made famous by photographer HH Bennett. (And you can visit the HH Bennett museum downtown that houses his studio.)
Baraboo – the home of Circus World Musuem (the original home of the Ringling Brothers Circus), the Ringling Theater, the International Crane Foundation, and the popular Devil’s Lake State Park.