Madison, Wisconsin Travel Guide is part of the Punxsutawney TPOL Trip Report, where TPOL leaves the basement cand outflanks COVID, at least for now.
TPOL’s Guns & Butter Travel Guide is the best way to see as much as you can in as little time as possible. Here’s how it works – A trip is composed of two factors: Labor And Lazy. The opportunity cost (what is given up) for relaxing and being Lazy is gained by being adventurous in the form of Labor and vice versa. The guide includes inefficient activities i.e., tourist traps that should be avoided and aspirational activities that are worth doing but may be impossible to see given the constraints of time and resources.
I came to Madison to watch Michigan play Wisconsin. That was a great experience because of the party the night before (see Old School Partying in Madison), tailgating the morning of, and the ultimate Wolverine’s victory (see Michigan v. Wisconsin: Formerly Camp Randall Stadium Review).
Besides events related to football, there are many other things to do in Madison that I did not do. These include:
- Halloween: While it’s not Hong Kong (see Hong Kong Layover = Lan Kwai Fong), I’ve heard good things about Madison for Halloween.
- A Stroll through Madison: While I took the party route to the stadium, I was told that going the river route was more scenic and serene.
- World Dairy Expo: Can you believe that the World Dairy Expo was happening the same time as the Michigan game? I found out that it’s a big deal and was told that the expo, not the football game, was why the Hyatt Place Madison was going for $500/night.
- Food
- Maharani, located across from the Hyatt, was home to impeccable Indian food. It was the perfect ending to a perfect time in Madison.
TPOL’s Tip: The address is 80 W Washington Ave, Madison, WI 53703.
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- Locals suggested the following:
- Local Tip #1: If you really want to experience some Madison favorites you can’t go wrong with Dotty Dumpling’s Dowry, Ian’s Pizza (Smokey and the Bandit pizza is a late night favorite), QQ’s Express (small hole-in-the wall Chinese place with large portions, favorite for Engineering students), and Paul’s Pel’meni. For non-college student bars that are still favorites: Nitty Gritty, Lucille, State Street Brats.
- Local Tip #2: State Street Brats! Decent food and great atmosphere. Jenna’s is also a capital bar that is a nice middle-ground option. Also, no Chocolate Shoppe ice cream or fried cheese curds!?!
- Locals suggested the following:
Overall
Marbury v. Madison was a famous case in law school. While I can’t remember the facts of the case, I won’t forget the fun time I had in Wisconsin’s capital.
As a Madison resident, I’m thoroughly amused that you only hit college bars. There are some pretty good non-college places to try nearby, but Nitty Gritty, Lucille, & State Street Brats are definitely for the kids 😀