Once you learn a thing or two about Madison, you can relax and enjoy your time there:

• Anywhere else in the world, a badger is a mammal that’s a member of the weasel family, but in Madison, the Wisconsin Badgers are the beloved University of Wisconsin–Madison football team. 

• Yes, that’s a golden badger on the head of the statue of the woman that graces the top of the elegant Wisconsin Capitol Building. 

• Should you accept a taste of a cheese curd, a favorite chewy snack, be prepared for the squeak it imparts when bitten into; a good sign that it’s fresh. 

• Not to be confused with the cheese-shaped foam hat of the same name, a Cheesehead is also the name given to fans of the Green Bay Packers football team. 

• Yes, that’s a giant hot dog car driving down the street! Oscar Meyer is headquartered in Madison and sometimes there are sightings of its famous Weinermobile.

• How many cities can boast that they sit between two lakes? Lakes Monona and Mendota are like two beautiful sisters, fishing for compliments, as they try to outsparkle each other.

STAY             
As our Lyft stops in front of our destination, I immediately forget that the surrounding neighborhood is a bit old and made up of student housing- after all, over 50,000 students do call Madison their home! 

The Dylin is a modern, stylish “aparthotel” with 55 apartments – check out their other city locations at Locale. There is a general manager on site, but no front desk. Even though we’ve received the codes to the front door and to our apartment, we still feel welcomed as we enter the chic lobby and outdoor area.

A little bit apartment and a little bit boutique hotel, it is the best of both. The Tuft and Needle mattress and the Bokser bedding immediately elevate our apartment to swanky status. The washer – with available soap pods – and dryer are a nice touch. We swoon over the Fellow tea kettle and Haden toaster and coffeepot, which look like pieces of art.

PLAY
The Dylin is within walking distance to almost everything and we take advantage of the many free things to do: 

With its majestic facade and impressive rotunda, the Wisconsin State Capitol is worth a stop for a complimentary tour and the view from its observation deck. 

The University of Wisconsin–Madison is also a popular tourist attraction. Set on 930 acres of gardens and a nature preserve, the Historic Terrace at Memorial Union sits on Lake Mendota. You can relax in colorful, student-designed chairs while enjoying the view. Before you visit the Chazen Museum of Art – free and on the grounds, grab lunch from one of the many restaurants and ice cream from Babcock Hall Dairy – made on campus.

Stroll the State Street Pedestrian Mall and stop into the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art – free every day. 

Unfortunately, rain curtailed our free visits to the Henry Villas Zoo, the Dane County Farmers Market, the largest producer-only farmers market in the country, made famous on the 2024 season of Top Chef filmed in Wisconsin, and a chamber orchestra concert at Capitol Square.

HIGH LEVEL HAPPY HOUR
Yes, we are at it again, christening every city with our presence at one of their rooftop bars. Our choice, in Madison, is the AC Hotel. A warm breeze, a chilled glass of Chardonnay, and a feeling that you could reach out and touch the Capitol building; it doesn’t get any better than that. 

DINE LIKE A MADISONIAN
Enjoy a Lake View
You say “Monona” and I say “Mendota,” but either lake offers an enhanced dining experience:

It’s been a while since we’ve had French cuisine, so our mouths are watering as we head to Sardine. Our front table allows us a ringside view of Lake Monona as we settle in for a culinary feast of warm duck confit & frisée, steak frites, and seared salmon, accompanied by lentils, spinach and portobello mushrooms. 

Since 1948, the lovely Edgewater Hotel has managed to retain its elegance, having been named “Best of Madison” by Madison Magazine. We can also see why The Boat House Bar & Grill was also voted “Best restaurant with a lake view,” as we lunch on fish and chips on its dock, surrounded by blue skies and the sparkling Lake Mendota. The classy Statehouse restaurant awaits us for dinner. It’s restful evening lake view is the perfect setting for us to enjoy roast chicken with truffle mashed potatoes and salmon with a bourbon honey glaze. 

The Nostalgic Supper Club Experience
Born in the 1950s, supper clubs embraced Wisconsin and never let go. Known for their hand-muddled Brandy Old Fashioneds and a menu serving up traditional American fare – which includes their famous Friday fish fry – you can see why locals can’t get enough of their friendly social atmosphere. 

We don’t mind the 15-minute Lyft ride to Toby’s Supper Club; their 55-year-old reputation makes the trip worthwhile. Supper clubs are not known for their architectural artistry, so the old building and metal door come as no surprise. 

We take a deep breath, open the door, and are transported back in time. The bar is jam packed, and everyone is talking and laughing, including the bartenders, who don’t seem phased at all by the crowd. Oh, if those worn wooden floors could talk! The old dining room is a sea of red plastic tablecloths covering tables full of food and happy diners. We are welcomed and told how to proceed: 

• Order a drink
• Peruse the menu
• Call over a server and order
• When your dinner is ready, you will be seated. 

It doesn’t take long for us to strike up a conversation with our new standing-room-only friends, but our hunger reminds us that it’s time to order. We stop a server, who is cheery and surprisingly able to hear us over the roar of the crowd.  When she finally leads us to our table, we are struck to find the table already full, with a complimentary relish tray, rolls, butter and even cinnamon rolls – are they in case we’re still there for breakfast?! 

We order the wild caught walleye and can’t resist the pan-fried chicken, since according to the menu “If the Colonel’s chicken was this good, he would have been a General!” Included is soup or salad and a guarantee that we will not be hungry tomorrow. 

It’s been a pleasure getting to know you, Madison. We leave, reminded, once again, that every city has something to celebrate. 

Author’s Note:
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