Welcome to Madison!

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Went to the 2016 game and had a great time. We were treated very well and Madison is a very quaint town. Halloween weekend too. Left Sunday and drove  to Chicago for game 5, expecting to see the Indians to win. Maybe the best trip I’ve been on.  

Madisonites like their beer and you don’t have to walk far in search of a bar. 

 
krc1995 said:
Went to the 2016 game and had a great time. We were treated very well and Madison is a very quaint town. Halloween weekend too. Left Sunday and drove  to Chicago for game 5, expecting to see the Indians to win. Maybe the best trip I’ve been on.  

Madisonites like their beer and you don’t have to walk far in search of a bar. 
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Same here and I have never been treated poorly.

 
My Madison recommendations...

Capitol Square

  • Dane County Farmer's Market: Runs until 1:45pm every Saturday through 11/10 around the State Capitol.  Might be worth walking after waking up, since kickoff is not until 6:30pm.  Most-popular item there is Hot & Spicy Cheese Bread from Stella's.
  • Restaurants/Bars: Tipsy Cow, Old Fashioned, Graze, L'Etoile, Cento, Coopers Tavern, Tornado Steak House, Marigold Kitchen, Casetta Kitchen, Lucille, Natt Spil, Merchant, Madison's, Maduro, Argus, Great Dane, Ivory Room, and Silver Dollar
  • Though technically on State Street, most would consider Paul's Club, Ian's Pizza (late night), Cask & Ale, and Fresco to be part of the "Capitol Square" area.

State Street (on & around)

  • No Uber, taxi or bicycle needed to get from Capitol Square onto State Street.  You can walk straight down state towards campus and hit a number of Undergraduate bars along the way...
  • Bars: KK, Chasers, Brats, Double U, Wando's, Mondays, City, Red Shed, Church Key, Danny's, Vintage, Gritty, Plaza, and HopCat.
  • Wouldn't totally place HopCat into the category of "Undergraduate bars," though.
  • Brats is, likely, most-popular hangout for opposing fans.  This rings true each time Nebraska fans have come into town.
  • In terms of late night food, there's plenty to go-around, but my favorite is Ian's (second location) and Paul Pel'Meni.

Campus

  • There are two student unions at UW-Madison.  The one closest to Camp Randall is Union South, which was completed in 2011.  The well-known, more-popular is Memorial Union along Lake Mendota.  For every UW alumni, sitting on the Terrace with a pitcher of beer and listening to live music is a favorite memory.  Alumni Park was completed last year, helping to the make the Terrace even more-aesthetically-pleasing.
  • Bascom Hill is worth walking.  Right next to Memorial Union, if you stop there first, and Abe Lincoln statue at the top is situated in front of Bascom Hall.  Gives you a beautiful view of downtown.  Some might remember this setting for College Gameday.
  • Observatory Hill, a few minute walk past Bascom Hill, overlooks Lake Mendota.
  • Henry Mall received quite the makeover and should be within sight when walking towards Camp Randall via Johnson and/or University.

Willy Street

  • About a mile of east of downtown, but quick-growing area with a number of bars/restaurants.  My three favorite places are A Pig In A Fur Coat, Weary Traveler, and Umami Ramen & Dumpling Bar.

Breweries

  • Madison: Karben4, Working Draft, Funk Factory, Ale Asylum, Next Door, One Barrel, Great Dane and Vintage (brewpubs), and Giant Jones
  • Outside of Madison: Octopi, Capital, Lone Girl, Sprecher, Wisconsin Brewing
  • If you want to go a bit further, New Glarus is about 30 miles and one of Wisconsin's well-known breweries.  People go nuts for Spotted Cow.  It's nostalgic for me, but I don't think it is any better than above average.

Gameday

  • Personally find Madison's gameday to be unique.  Camp Randall's setting in the middle of a neighborhood limits immediate parking, though there are small lots and plenty of lawn space.
  • Off-campus student housing turns into house parties around the stadium and bars/businesses along Regent Street become beer gardens.
  • Few student section "traditions" are Jump Around, 5th Quarter, Wave, Build Me Up, Sweet Caroline, and Shout.
  • Downtown and campus very much intertwine with one another.  You won't have issue starting somewhere on State Street and working your way down to Regent Street.

Hope everyone has a great time in Madison.  I was in Lincoln last season and loved it.  Plenty of bars, easy to navigate and clean.

 
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