Heading to Madison, WI for a long weekend...
Apr 26th, 2006, 01:51 PM
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Heading to Madison, WI for a long weekend...
DH, the dog and I are driving from St. Louis to Madison for Memorial Day weekend. We have never been, and wanted to try somewhere different from the places we usually visit around here and decided on Madison.
To be honest, I really don't know much about it. I checked out the website, which I don't really find to be too helpful. I'm basically just looking for some advice. We love to go hiking or walking with the dog. I understand the dells are about an hour away. I know that tackiness can be someone's personal opinion, but from what I read and researched it does seem kind of tacky (no offense). Is the natural beauty worth checking out? Are there good hiking or walking paths in the dells? What about around Madison itself?
Also, we would love some restaurant recommendations. We love German food and heard that there is a decent German restaurant in Madison, but the person who told me about it couldn't remember the name (isn't that helpful!). We also love visiting microbreweries, and like Italian and Mexican food, and really good chocolate desserts and milkshakes. Any recommendations?
We are basically just going to drive up and figure out what we are going to do when we get there, as its meant to be a fairly relaxing getaway, but if anyone has an recommendations for something exceptional to check out, please feel free to list them.
Thanks!
Tracy
To be honest, I really don't know much about it. I checked out the website, which I don't really find to be too helpful. I'm basically just looking for some advice. We love to go hiking or walking with the dog. I understand the dells are about an hour away. I know that tackiness can be someone's personal opinion, but from what I read and researched it does seem kind of tacky (no offense). Is the natural beauty worth checking out? Are there good hiking or walking paths in the dells? What about around Madison itself?
Also, we would love some restaurant recommendations. We love German food and heard that there is a decent German restaurant in Madison, but the person who told me about it couldn't remember the name (isn't that helpful!). We also love visiting microbreweries, and like Italian and Mexican food, and really good chocolate desserts and milkshakes. Any recommendations?
We are basically just going to drive up and figure out what we are going to do when we get there, as its meant to be a fairly relaxing getaway, but if anyone has an recommendations for something exceptional to check out, please feel free to list them.
Thanks!
Tracy
Apr 26th, 2006, 02:19 PM
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Apr 26th, 2006, 02:22 PM
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sorry, posted too soon.
Capital Brewery is on the west end of Madison right of the highway. I toured with a group last year and we had a good time. In addition to the tour and gift shop, there is a tasting room that gets a lot of local after-work business.
http://www.capital-brewery.com/
Capital Brewery is on the west end of Madison right of the highway. I toured with a group last year and we had a good time. In addition to the tour and gift shop, there is a tasting room that gets a lot of local after-work business.
http://www.capital-brewery.com/
Apr 27th, 2006, 05:11 AM
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xrae, perfect! Thank you for replying! That was indeed the German restaurant. We'll definitely check it out...hopefully it will remind of us our Germany adventures! And thanks for the link to the brewery...we will check it out as well!
Tracy
Tracy
Apr 27th, 2006, 06:34 AM
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Tcreath,
Madison is my hometown, though I've lived in Chicago for the past 17 years. You will love it, and you're picking a good weekend to go.
Definitely plan on visiting the Farmer's Market on Saturday morning (6 am - 2ish). It's around the Capital Square and has been listed as the best in the country in various publications. Dogs are welcome, on a leash. Plan to have breakfast there, buying from the vendors as you stroll. There are plenty of coffee and fresh squeezed juice carts as well as tons of fresh baked goods.
You should also check with either Madison's website or the site for a paper called Isthmus to find out what else will be going on that weekend, since it's a holiday. You may find a festival or something.
Skip the Dells (which my kids and I visit every year) and take your dog to Devil's Lake State Park, which is between Madison and the Dells, saving you about 30 minutes on the drive. It's a lake and bluffs formed by glaciers, and very pretty with lots of hiking and rock climbing. If you do a search on Devil's Lake you can probably find lots of info on it.
Do some shopping/strolling on State street, where you can also find a dozen or more restaurants to choose from.
I'm getting jealous - time for a trip home! Have fun, and do post a trip report afterward.
Madison is my hometown, though I've lived in Chicago for the past 17 years. You will love it, and you're picking a good weekend to go.
Definitely plan on visiting the Farmer's Market on Saturday morning (6 am - 2ish). It's around the Capital Square and has been listed as the best in the country in various publications. Dogs are welcome, on a leash. Plan to have breakfast there, buying from the vendors as you stroll. There are plenty of coffee and fresh squeezed juice carts as well as tons of fresh baked goods.
You should also check with either Madison's website or the site for a paper called Isthmus to find out what else will be going on that weekend, since it's a holiday. You may find a festival or something.
Skip the Dells (which my kids and I visit every year) and take your dog to Devil's Lake State Park, which is between Madison and the Dells, saving you about 30 minutes on the drive. It's a lake and bluffs formed by glaciers, and very pretty with lots of hiking and rock climbing. If you do a search on Devil's Lake you can probably find lots of info on it.
Do some shopping/strolling on State street, where you can also find a dozen or more restaurants to choose from.
I'm getting jealous - time for a trip home! Have fun, and do post a trip report afterward.
Apr 27th, 2006, 07:07 AM
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Capital Brewery has an excellent blues band in the outdoor beer garden (free) from 6-9 on Friday before Memorial Day.
There is a huge bratfest that weekend also.
Monona has a large Memorial day parade.
Devils lake is an excellent place to visit.
Concourse hotel is centrally located downtown. Most chain hotels are on the outskirts.
There is a huge bratfest that weekend also.
Monona has a large Memorial day parade.
Devils lake is an excellent place to visit.
Concourse hotel is centrally located downtown. Most chain hotels are on the outskirts.
Apr 27th, 2006, 07:17 AM
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Susan, I can't thank you enough for all the wonderful information you provided! This was exactly what I was hoping for, and why I love fodors so much!
Devils Lake State Park sounds perfect. I am going to do some online searches for it now. And thanks for the info on the market! I love visiting markets in new cities, and it will be fun to bring Rufus (the doggie!) along.
jimandlinda, thank you for the info as well! A blues band sounds fabulous, and a great way to spend an evening!
Because we will have the dog we were hoping for a little more room, so we decided to stay at the Grandstay Residential Suites. They look nice and the price is right. The hotel is located at 5317 High Crossing Blvd. Hopefully this is an okay area!
Thanks again!
Tracy
Devils Lake State Park sounds perfect. I am going to do some online searches for it now. And thanks for the info on the market! I love visiting markets in new cities, and it will be fun to bring Rufus (the doggie!) along.
jimandlinda, thank you for the info as well! A blues band sounds fabulous, and a great way to spend an evening!
Because we will have the dog we were hoping for a little more room, so we decided to stay at the Grandstay Residential Suites. They look nice and the price is right. The hotel is located at 5317 High Crossing Blvd. Hopefully this is an okay area!
Thanks again!
Tracy
Apr 27th, 2006, 07:39 AM
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My pleasure, Tracy.
The area you're staying in is fine. It's on the far East side of town. If you Mapquest the address, you'll see that you're near a mall called East Towne. Skip it. It doesn't have anything you don't have in St. Louis, and the last time I was there there were a lot of empty stores. The highway you see running East/West between your hotel and the mall is Hwy 151, or East Washington Blvd. Just follow this road West straight to the Capital and downtown (probably less than 10 miles). Right across the street from the mall on 151 is Imperial Garden, the best Chinese food I've ever had, including Chicago!
To get to Capital Brewery, you need to go around the South side of the lake to Middleton, where I grew up. It's a bit of a hike, so as an alternative there's another brew pub right off the Capital Square called the Great Dane Brew Pub (123 E. Doty Street) with a great walled-in outdoor garden area. They have bands too, but it looks like there's a DJ that weekend.
The area you're staying in is fine. It's on the far East side of town. If you Mapquest the address, you'll see that you're near a mall called East Towne. Skip it. It doesn't have anything you don't have in St. Louis, and the last time I was there there were a lot of empty stores. The highway you see running East/West between your hotel and the mall is Hwy 151, or East Washington Blvd. Just follow this road West straight to the Capital and downtown (probably less than 10 miles). Right across the street from the mall on 151 is Imperial Garden, the best Chinese food I've ever had, including Chicago!
To get to Capital Brewery, you need to go around the South side of the lake to Middleton, where I grew up. It's a bit of a hike, so as an alternative there's another brew pub right off the Capital Square called the Great Dane Brew Pub (123 E. Doty Street) with a great walled-in outdoor garden area. They have bands too, but it looks like there's a DJ that weekend.
Apr 27th, 2006, 11:11 AM
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I just wanted to add that, if you want to take your doggity to Capital Brewery, it's okay to do that on Thursdays (they have a beer garden outside the brewery). Fridays got too busy so they no longer allow dogs then.
Apr 27th, 2006, 01:58 PM
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tcreath,
I'd suggest that you look into staying on the westside of town. Much easier to get to Devil's Lake and Capital Brewery. Lots of hotels, too. And, generally nicer.
If you are interested in a Cardinals connection, Steve Schmidt is a major Cards fan and he owns the local minor league team, the Madison Mallards. I believe their park, the Duck Pond, is dog friendly, but I'm not sure. Steve's real business is 10-15 miles west of Madison out Highway 14 - the Shoebox (worth a stop!) and he also owns a roadside bar/eatery called Rookies a few miles farther out. Both the Shoebox and Rookies are decked out in Cardinal memorabilia. It is really impressive.
Also, for people watching, I think Memorial Day weekend is the Mad City Marathon. It's not real big, but it is a fun one.
Enjoy Madison, it's a great town.
Kevin
I'd suggest that you look into staying on the westside of town. Much easier to get to Devil's Lake and Capital Brewery. Lots of hotels, too. And, generally nicer.
If you are interested in a Cardinals connection, Steve Schmidt is a major Cards fan and he owns the local minor league team, the Madison Mallards. I believe their park, the Duck Pond, is dog friendly, but I'm not sure. Steve's real business is 10-15 miles west of Madison out Highway 14 - the Shoebox (worth a stop!) and he also owns a roadside bar/eatery called Rookies a few miles farther out. Both the Shoebox and Rookies are decked out in Cardinal memorabilia. It is really impressive.
Also, for people watching, I think Memorial Day weekend is the Mad City Marathon. It's not real big, but it is a fun one.
Enjoy Madison, it's a great town.
Kevin
