Things to Do With the Family in Madison, Wi
When I was in college applying for graduate school Madison, Wisconsin was elevation of my list. I'd never been, and wasn't certain I could manage the cold, just it sounded like an ultra hip town just similar Austin where I was living.
Life took me in another management, just when I was recently invited to visit Wisconsin I was then excited to finally encounter the university town I had longed to move to style back when. It was all I had envisioned and more than.
Turns out there is also a ton of amazingly fun things to practise in Madison with kids, which is why information technology should exist on your radar if you are e'er in the surface area.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this mail service are chapter links, meaning at no boosted cost to yous, I will earn a commission if yous click through and make a buy
9 Amazingly Fun Things to Do in Madison with Kids
Nosotros had never been to Wisconsin or even the Midwest, so we were super excited to explore every bit much as we could during our calendar week visit. Even though we actually wanted to practise a whole Wisconsin road trip, to make things easy we based ourselves out of Madison, the Capitol and dwelling to the University of Wisconsin. Located a bit over an hour from Milwaukee (where we flew in), this eye of government and college town is the perfect introduction to the state of Wisconsin.
We loved the vibe of Madison from the many signs saying they welcome people of all types to the many co-op grocery stores and subcontract to tabular array eateries focusing on using local Wisconsin foods. The progressiveness, the vibrancy and not to mention the price effectiveness of the urban center is great for us Californians. You should have seen the shock on my face the starting time few meals we paid! Information technology was and so cheap for really delicious food. Madison was such a surprise with all that was on offer during our short visit.
Have Fun at the Madison Children's Museum
A perfect rainy solar day place for families is the Madison Children's Museum. Actually it's pretty perfect even when it'southward sunny! This centrally located museum is steps from the state Capitol and provides iii levels of interactive fun for kids up to around ten-12 years old.
The museum has a fun area for kids under 5 on the ground floor along with a cafe and a few cool interactive features. Moving upstairs there is a large play structure, play cars, onetime fashioned video games, an art room and a building room. The big striking yet was a life size gerbil bike where kids and adults can generate electricity past running fast.
On the rooftop, at that place is a large garden showcasing water conservation too equally chickens, homing pigeons and an indoor surface area with other modest critters. My son became a de facto teacher upwards here sharing his cognition of pigeons (his favorite fauna!) with the smaller kids and staff members present.
Admission allows y'all to come and get throughout the day, which worked well for u.s.a. on our visit. We popped in a few times during the day.
Visit a Dairy Farm
While technically non in Madison, you cannot visit the dairy state without a visit to a working dairy farm. The state of Wisconsin has over 8000 dairy farms, but the Sassy Cow Creamery just thirty minutes outside of Madison is i of the best for a family unit visit. This fully operation dairy farm offers farm tours, self guided mill tours too as succulent ice cream at their fiddling farm store.
I was totally blown away on the subcontract tour seeing how the cows are milked and how friendly they were. Did you know that at farms this size the cows are loaded upwardly on a big merry-go-circular where they are fitted with suction tubes that is totally automated? I had no thought. My son laughed at me since I seemed to have no clue how this was done.
Afterwards oohing and ahhing over the milking process, we walked over to the barn where the cows were currently being held due to very dirty fields and without fail each moo-cow would come to say hello to us equally they passed past. Information technology was so cute.
We ended our visit with a quick walk around the milk and ice foam processing units before settling down with some delicious freshly made ice cream. I highly recommend making a visit here when y'all are in Madison. Check the schedule to find out times for the farm tour as it is non held daily.
Sassy Moo-cow Creamery also has a small play structure, trikes and bean handbag toss games for the kids to work off their sugar high on the big grassy lawn out front.
Take in the Colors at the Aldo Leopold Nature Heart
The Aldo Leopold Nature Center located merely 10 minutes from the Capitol is a cute nature center with a few manageable trails and an interactive exhibition room that is perfect for families with younger kids. The center has family unit explorer backpacks you can rent out during your visit complete with binoculars and more if you don't have your own nature gear.
If you lot need a footling inspiration on your visit, ask for the gratuitous bingo carte du jour to employ every bit you explore the trails outside the eye. Finding 5 in a row allows y'all to pick out a free push button! Even on a blustery absurd day nosotros were able to hands detect v in a row.
The Aldo Leopold Nature Heart is a great place shut to the city to get out into nature for a few minutes. During fall it'due south also perfect for spotting the spectacular colors of the changing seasons.
Consume Ice Cream at Memorial Wedlock
If y'all ask anyone from Wisconsin what you should practice in Madison, the first response is ever get ice cream at Memorial Spousal relationship on campus. Even though this is a college town, the Academy of Wisconsin Memorial Union is actually quite family friendly. Y'all can't miss getting a scoop (or two) of Babcock Dairy ice cream at the Daily Scoop and hanging out on the lakeside terrace.
If you are on the s side of campus, popular into the South Union which also houses a Daily Scoop equally well as bowling lanes, a stone climbing wall, and pool tables!
The best thing on the card at the Daily Scoop – the Freshman fifteen sundae with 15 scoops of ice cream! We were not brave enough to endeavour that, but next time we but might!
Hop on the Hike/Bike Trails
From Spring to Autumn those living in Madison take full reward of the nice weather by getting outdoors as often every bit possible. And it's not hard to do with the more than 200 miles of biking and hiking trails in and effectually Madison. One of the most pop routes is the Lake Monona Loop which stretches forth John Nolen Drive between Olin Park and Monona Terrace. This trail offers picture perfect views of the city beyond from the lake. During our visit the bike lane counter showed that more than 700 people had crossed by that day!
Another slap-up place to explore Madison'southward trails is at the UW-Madison Arboretum. With 1200 acres, it's like shooting fish in a barrel to experience similar you take dove deep into the wilderness without really leaving the metropolis. You can reach many of the trails through the different neighborhoods or drive over and start from the company eye.
The Arboretum is a corking place to see the different landscapes of how Wisconsin would have looked prior to settlers. It'due south then interesting to think near how the prairies looked equally well equally checking out the more manicured gardens. Cian'due south favorite was searching for (and finding) the flock of wild turkeys who call the park home.
Explore the Capitol Foursquare
It feels every bit if all roads lead to the Capitol building when you are in Madison. Almost all the places we ate at were within sight of the Capitol as well as many of the places we visited. If you are staying in town, stay near hither and yous will get the best of the city without besides much driving!
You can't be in the shadow of the Capitol without visiting the inside. Daily tours are offered besides every bit cocky guided tours that you can do on your own. The best part of a visit to the Capitol is the sixth floor observation deck which is open in the good weather condition months!
Saturday's Farmers Market
Using the state Capitol as it's properties, the Madison weekly farmer'south market is a must visit during the leap and summertime. The market place has a ton of stalls offering all of Wisconsin'due south favorite produce and products. From gourmet cheese curds to cheesy breads and beautiful seasonal fruits and veggies, this massive marketplace is a must exercise on whatsoever itinerary to the city. Enjoy the gratis samples and then head over to one of the many astonishing restaurants hither for brunch.
Other places to explore on the Capitol square include Fromagination for a quick teaching in some of the states best cheese, TheOld Fashioned for delicious cheese curds and a Friday night fish fry, Graze for a subcontract to table eating place with unique flavor pairings and then much more! Need more options on where to eat – Travel Wisconsin'south website had a ton of offerings all over the state.
Get Creative at the Overture Eye
Ane of the all-time things nosotros happened upon during our visit was the Overture Center for the Arts weekly shows for families. Every Saturday morning, the Overture offers a free workshop/evidence for families focusing on anything from science to ballet to culture performances. If you are in town during a weekend, I highly recommend yous brand time to feel the Kids in the Rotunda show. During our visit in that location was an amazing science show that had my son totally engrossed for the hour and wanting more at the stop!
Another great spot for families to explore their creative side is at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. Nosotros would have easily passed by this beautiful glass building without popping in if information technology hadn't been for a weaving workshop my son wanted to check out. And, I am sure glad we constitute this identify! It was really spectacular.
On Sat'south they besides have a great family focused event chosen Kids' Art Adventures where families can make fine art together post-obit a discussion about a item creative person/style. Workshops begin at ane pm, only fill up fast, so make it early on to put your name on the sign upwardly list.
If you visit during the summer, keep an heart out on the Art Kart schedule for outdoor art workshops all around Madison.
Soak Upwards Nature at Devil's Lake State Park
If you are looking for a day trip outside of the metropolis, our recommendation is driving an hour upward the road to Devil's Lake State Park. This cute park is a perfect outing for many months of the twelvemonth. Relish splashing in the lake on the S shore during the warm summer months or hiking upwardly cliffs on the East Bluff Trail for cute views over the lake at whatever fourth dimension of the year. There is also a cute nature eye on the northward shore that is worth checking out. It tends to only open on the weekends outside of the summer months, so plan appropriately.
During our hike on the Due east Bluff Trail nosotros saw a bald eagle fly right in front of usa. It was spectacular and kept us aching for more! Nosotros kept our optics peeled but we didn't run across him again unfortunately.
If yous are looking for more ideas for family outdoor fun, Travel Wisconsin has a TON of ideas on their website. Nosotros take then many on our to practice listing now!
Go Quirky at the House on the Rock
Another solar day trip location worth exploring is Wisconsin's top tourist allure, the Firm on the Rock. This quirky complex takes 3-4 hours to fully explore, however there are shorter options taking 1-2 hours. We suggest doing the tour that includes visiting the carousel room equally it's spectacular. I literally gasped when I walked in it was and then fantastical! Some other area not to miss is the Infinity Room which is suspended loftier in a higher place the copse with glass paneled walls. It really is a cool space to explore.
The House on the Rock is definitely a unique place that not all kids volition savor, but my nature loving son was so enamored with how it was congenital into the rock and that there were copse growing through it. The rooms are decorated in an assortment of styles from stained glass windows to carpet on the ceiling. It's one of these places yous have to see in existent life to believe!
This is not stroller friendly equally in that location are lots of tight walkways and staircases within the dwelling house itself.
Bonus: Even More than Fun for Fall & Winter Visits
During the fall season there are many opportunities for picking apples, drinking apple cider, eating apple tree cider donuts and of course visiting pumpkin patches. Our pick though is Eugster's Farm Market, which is only a 20 minute drive from Madison. This cute farm has opportunities for picking apples, feeding infant goats and sheep milk from a bottle, getting lost in a corn maze and then much more. If you are in town during the fall, this is a must visit. If yous visit on the weekend, there is even more fun with hay cart rides, games and shows. There is so much to do in Wisconsin in the Fall, you will never exist bored! If you lot happen to exist around during the holidays, don't miss out on all the beautiful Wisconsin Christmas calorie-free shows.
Where to Stay in Madison with Kids
Visiting a college town, information technology only makes sense to stay in a place that takes the higher vibe to a new level. Walking into The Graduate felt similar walking into a Wes Anderson film with all the young college students hard at work in the lobby. Cian and I immediately barbarous in dearest with fun quirky vibe of The Graduate Hotel. Read our total review of the hotel.
Located in the centre of the action, steps from Land Street in between the capitol and the campus, there is not shortage of astonishing places to eat and things to do. The hotel is a great option for singles, couples and families alike. The rooms were beautifully decorated with a good amount of space to piece of work and unpack your belongings.
Just for me it's always the little touches that make a hotel special. I loved the cold drinks in the Yeti coolers nigh the lift and Cian loved the freshly baked cookies fix out to refuel guests. The lobby cafe is the happening identify morning to nighttime with smoothies, java (and they volition even refill your own cup!) and snacks. For dinner, we loved the delicious rooftop bar and restaurant with a camp vibe that had my son wishing he was old enough to live the camp life!
The Graduate is an adorable hotel providing a dandy space for a college boondocks visit. Want to know more? Read more than views and check out current prices on Tripadvisor.
Thank you Travel Wisconsin and The Graduate Hotel for hosting me and my son during our visit. We absolutely barbarous in dearest with the state and can't wait to get back to explore again. Equally ever all opinions are my own.
Have you lot visited Madison Wisconsin? Tell us your favorite spots in the comments beneath!
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Source: https://nobackhome.com/things-to-do-in-madison-with-kids/
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