City or town
Things to see in Madison, Wisconsin (United States): 46 places and when to go
Madison, Wisconsin is a city in United States with around 327,000 inhabitants, and this site lists 46 places in and around it, mainly Food and drink (12), Hiking (10), Museums and art (7). The best known are Washburn Observatory, Chazen Museum of Art and Gates of Heaven Synagogue. The best time to come is March to October; also possible: November to February. In June there are 15 h 10 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 50. Here is what there is, when to go, how to get there and what else is nearby.
In a nutshell
- Where
- United States · 43.073, -89.4011
- Population
- About 327,000
- Places
- 46 places on this site, in the town and around it.
- What people come for
- Food and drink (12) · Hiking (10) · Museums and art (7) · Nature (5) · Wildlife (4) · Snow (4)
- Best time
- March to October.
- Also possible
- November to February.
- Nearest airport
- ORD Chicago, 173 km as the crow flies
What to see in Madison, Wisconsin
The places in and around Madison, Wisconsin, best known first, each with its own page: what it is, when to go and what is next to it. Distances are from the centre, as the crow flies.
- Washburn ObservatoryAstronomical observatory in Madison, Wisconsin730 m
- Chazen Museum of ArtArt museum in Madison, Wisconsin214 m
- Gates of Heaven SynagogueHistoric synagogue in Madison, Wisconsin1.5 km
- Madison Museum of Contemporary ArtArt museum in Madison, Wisconsin1.0 km
- Lake Kegonsa State ParkState park in Dane County, Wisconsin17 km
- Olbrich Botanical GardensBotanical garden in Madison, Wisconsin, United States5.8 km
- University of Wisconsin–Madison ArboretumHistoric arboretum in Madison, Wisconsin, USA3.4 km
- Bascom HillMain quadrangle of the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus340 m
- Henry Vilas ZooZoo in the United States1.6 km
- Little AmerrickaAmusement park located in Marshall, Wisconsin, United States30 km
- National Mustard MuseumMuseum in Middleton, Wisconsin, U.S9.3 km
- Temple Beth ElSynagogue in Madison, Wisconsin, USA2.9 km
- Dane County Farmers' MarketAmerica's largest producers-only farmers' market1.2 km
- First Unitarian Society of MadisonChurch building in Shorewood Hills, United States of America2.8 km
- L. R. Ingersoll Physics MuseumScience museum at the University of Wisconsin-Madison358 m
- Madison Children's MuseumNon-profit organization in the USA1.4 km
- Oregon Water Tower and Pump HouseBuilding in Oregon, Wisconsin, United States16 km
- Sugar River Wetlands State Natural AreaPark in the United States of America17 km
- UW–Madison Geology MuseumNatural history museum at the University of Wisconsin-Madison480 m
- Wisconsin Veterans MuseumMuseum in the United States1.2 km
- Bell Burnell ObservatoryObservatory7.5 km
- Capital BreweryBrewery in Middleton, Wisconsin9.7 km
- CXC Outdoor Community CenterSki area12 km
- Delta Beer LabBrewery4.3 km
And the other 22, by what you come to do:
- Food and drink: Doundrins Distilling, Drumlin Ridge Winery, Giant Jones Brewing, Minocqua Brewing Company, Old Sugar Distillery, State Line Distillery, Wisconsin Brewing Company, Yahara Bay Distillery, Young Blood Beer Co.
- Snow: Governor Nelson State Park, William G. Lunney Lake Farm County Park
- Hiking: IAT - Cross Plains connection, IAT - Cross Plains Segment, IAT - Cross Plains-Table Bluff connection, IAT - Madison Segment, IAT - Madison-Valley View connection, IAT - Montrose Segment, IAT - Montrose-Verona connection, IAT - Table Bluff Segment, IAT - Valley View Segment, IAT - Verona Segment
- With kids: Vitense Golfland
When to go to Madison, Wisconsin
The best time to visit Madison, Wisconsin is March to October; also possible: November to February. This comes from its own places: a month counts as the town's best time when it is the best time for half of what there is to see.
- JanPossible9:09
- FebPossible10:18
- MarBest time11:39
- AprBest time13:11
- MayBest time14:28
- JunBest time15:10
- JulBest time14:53
- AugBest time13:46
- SepBest time12:17
- OctBest time10:47
- NovPossible9:29
- DecPossible8:50
Best timePossibleBetter notHours of daylight
In June there are 15 h 10 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 50. In April, 41 of the 46 places are at their best.
When to go to United States in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in its country guide.
Getting to Madison, Wisconsin
The nearest main airport is Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD, Chicago), 173 km as the crow flies. How to get around United States (train, car, bus) is in its country guide, and what to sort out before you leave is in its checklist.
Where it is (opens in a new tab)Directions (opens in a new tab)
Other towns nearby
- Dane6 places24 km
- Mt. Horeb7 places34 km
- Sauk City16 places34 km
- New Glarus8 places35 km
- Portage6 places51 km
- Janesville, Wisconsin19 places53 km
And all of United States, in its country guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see in Madison, Wisconsin?
The best known: Washburn Observatory, Chazen Museum of Art, Gates of Heaven Synagogue, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Lake Kegonsa State Park. In all, 46 places in the town and around it, all on your trip map from day one.
When is the best time to visit Madison, Wisconsin?
March to October; also possible: November to February. In June there are 15 h 10 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 50.
How do you get to Madison, Wisconsin?
The nearest main airport is Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), 173 km away. From there, directions opens the route on the map.
How do I add it to my trip?
Create a trip with Madison, Wisconsin as the destination and these 46 places are on your map, each with its category. The ones you like go into a day's plan with one tap, and Kokai reminds you when you pass nearby.
Keep reading
- United StatesBefore travelling to United States: 9 things worth sorting out, each with its deadline. No visa is needed, but you do need an electronic authorisation, the ESTA, applied…
- Food and drink4798 places for food and drink in United States, from French Market to spots hardly anyone knows. Best time: March to October. Each with its own season by altitude and
- Where to travelPick what you fancy (mountains, beaches, museums…) and the months you have free, and Kokai tells you which countries to go to and what to see there.
Data from OpenStreetMap, licensed under the ODbL, from Wikidata, CC0, cities from Natural Earth and airports from OurAirports. Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in credits.