Fodor's Expert Review University of Wisconsin–Madison

The flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin system enrolls around 40,000 students, making it the state's largest campus. Catering to visitors as well as students, the Memorial Union's setting along Lake Monona is a crowded scene on Friday and Saturday nights during summer, with live-music concerts and local craft beer on tap. Babcock Ice Cream's indulgent scoops are made daily at the campus's Babcock Dairy plant. More than 1,200 acres of natural plant and animal communities—such as prairie and forest landscapes, and horticultural collections of the Upper Midwest—reside at the University Arboretum. There are hiking trails, and free walks take place on Sunday (call for details).