Downtown Madison - Madison, WI Area Guide

This gorgeous neighborhood comes from an early 19th-century pioneer spirit, where land speculator James Doty liked the isthmus so much that he organized the Wisconsin State Capitol's move from Belmont to Madison in 1836. Diverse settlers came pouring into the area as the historic University of Wisconsin–Madison gained nationwide notoriety for its math and environmental programs. Over time, Downtown Madison promoted growth into the surrounding areas, while still retaining its historic and intellectual spirit.

Art and culture abound in Downtown Madison, where you can catch the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra playing every Wednesday on the Capitol grounds in the summer, or discover international and American artists at the Chazen Museum of Art.

From Freakfest on Halloween to Rhythm and Booms before the Fourth of July, Madison hosts various annual festivals throughout the year. Make sure to check out the dreamlike and marvelous Willy Street Fair in September.

Downtown Madison's central position and an eclectic population of university students contribute to a restaurant scene founded on high-class eateries at fair prices. Although single-slice pizza eateries and sandwich joints abound along State Street and near the university, elegant diners looking for the ideal Saturday night restaurant can look near the Capitol Square.

Bellini Italian Restaurant has, for years, stood as the most talked-about restaurant in Madison, and both visitors from far and locals have to eat at least once at this beautiful restaurant. Located within a church built in 1897, Bellini presents an authentic and original atmosphere you can't find at any other place in Madison. However, the architecture and aura of this restaurant only provide a quarter of its enjoyment, as specialized Sicilian recipes from owner Biagio Gargano transport hungry patrons right back to the Italian old country. Grab a Negroni cocktail before dinner and enjoy it on the patio, and make sure to try the famed salmone bellini.

When you're looking for that ideal Sunday brunch or Tuesday breakfast, Marigold Kitchen continually stands as Madison's go-to breakfast and lunch joint. Even though Bon Appétit magazine and Midwest Living provide deep praise for this small restaurant on South Pinckney Street, Marigold Kitchen maintains its humble attitude through a hip and friendly staff and decent prices. Come for brunch on Saturday and Sunday to try the acclaimed Marigold breakfast sandwich on toasted ciabatta with buttermilk pancakes on the side.

When parents come to visit their kids at the University of Wisconsin or the city's business elite want a quick burger for lunch, Dotty Dumpling's Dowry endures as the top restaurant in the greater Madison area. Rated as the best restaurant in Madison over 30 times by Isthmus Magazine and named Best in the Big Ten by USA Today, Dotty Dumpling's Dowry almost always remains packed. However, the only time you have to wait for a table revolves around Badger sporting events. If it's your first visit, you must try any one of the Dotty's Original Burgers. The Big Daddy stands as the favorite for the ultra-hungry, while the number-one staff-rated Alumni Burger makes for an essential classic.

As far as the nightlife goes, you need to remember that the University of Wisconsin–Madison has earned the reputation as one of the top party schools in the United States. Combine that with Madison's long history of craft beer production and local breweries, and weekends can be quite wild along State Street and University Avenue. Wando's Bar & Grill on University Avenue continues as the high-energy party hub, where Friday and Saturday nights feature a condensed scene of students and locals having a good time under loud music and dim lights. Make sure to try Wando's speciality fish bowl, but also make sure that you don't have to drive and that you have six other people drinking it with you.

For a quieter, more intimate night out composed of cocktails and a pleasant atmosphere, you can find the high-class watering holes around Capitol Square. The Old Fashioned on North Pinckney Street hosts the area's business and artistic elite as well as local parents having their Saturday date night. Much like its name, the star of the show at this bar stands as the classic old-fashioned cocktail, but always ask for it with whiskey.

Music venues abound in the Madison area, and you can often find a different local or national band playing every night of the week. The Majestic Theatre still operates as Madison's oldest theater and music venue catering to every genre. With hugely popular acts such as Pepper and Flogging Molly making an appearance, this stylish venue allows you to get up and close with your favorite artists. On the other hand, if you prefer local and national bands that feature either ear-deafening distortion or completely original sounds, then head over to The Frequency on West Main Street.

Combining more than 50,000 students and professors at the university and strong community values for green lifestyles, Downtown Madison remains an oasis for walkers and bicyclists. When you're getting in and out of the downtown area by car, John Nolen Drive and East Washington Avenue provide spacious streets and convenient access to the Beltline Highway. Travel by car along John Nolen Drive, and you can discover panoramic views of Downtown Madison with Lake Monona in the foreground, known as one of the most gorgeous drives in the country. Abundant parking lots ensure convenience, but permanent parking in the downtown area comes with a pricey monthly fee.

Wide streets and a comprehensive network of bike lines have made bicycling the most popular way that locals get around, and city laws protecting bikers along with several bike and pedestrian-only areas ensure safe travel. Madison B-Cycling bike sharing services abound in the area and serve as an economical way to get around quickly. Don't expect to easily hail a cab from the curb, but taxi services, including Uber and Green Cab, serve the area.

Burn energy instead of fuel in Madison by walking, as you can complete all your daily errands quickly by foot. A simple stroll down State Street, an emergency vehicle- and public transportation-only street, introduces you to everything from groceries to home furnishings.

Madison Metro transit serves the entire Downtown Madison area, and with bus schedules and maps posted around the neighborhood, organizing a complex bus trip throughout Madison and the outlying suburbs remains simple. You can find most buses along the Capitol Square, and because of the intelligently organized network covering the entire city, you don't have to walk far to find the right bus stop for you. Don't feel like biking your entire trip? All Metro buses feature bike racks on the front that are free to use. For those longer trips outside of Madison, four buses from the downtown area connect with the Dane County Regional Airport, and the trip takes about 40 minutes.

A strong culture of outdoor activity and environmental integration have encouraged the growth and cultivation of spacious and beautiful parks in the area. Area parks such as James Madison Park or Picnic Point cater to visitors of all ages, from college students playing Frisbee along the lake to naturalists seeking heavily wooded trails in the middle of the city. With Lake Mendota and Lake Monona less than 10 minutes by foot regardless of your position in the Downtown Madison area, this area advocates endless lake-based activities, including ice fishing in the winter and water skiing in the summer.

Vilas Park and the connected University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum provide a wonderland of outdoors liveliness. Take a swim in Wingra Lake at the Vilas Park beach, and stroll through the acclaimed Henry Vilas Zoo to discover an international supply of gorgeous animals. Entrance to the zoo remains free for its annual 750,000 visitors, thanks to extensive community support and sponsorship.

The University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum remains the true outdoors star of Downtown Madison, allowing visitors to jog along its paved and serene roads or discover restored ecological communities within the park's 1,260 acres. Stop by the Visitor Center for guided tours through historical tallgrass prairies and savannas, or ask about the several science- and nature-based classes offered year-round. Feel free to bring your beloved pet, as this arboretum serves as the ideal outdoor oasis for energetic dogs and dog lovers.

This outdoor appreciation doesn't end when the cold Wisconsin winters roll around. Grab a pair of skates and play a game of pick-up hockey at the Vilas Park or Tenney Park ice rinks, or bring along your family and enjoy a frisk night watching the stars under the stars at Tenney Park's Moonlight Movie Series.

A population of university students and growing families maintain Downtown Madison's modest cost of living, although typical renting prices in the area cost just slightly higher than Wisconsin averages. Along State Street, for instance, common rental costs hover around $1,200 a month, though you can also find studio apartments on West Main Street that cost near $530 a month.

The cost of common household staples remain quite reasonable and allow established families to live quite lavishly. The base fare for using the Madison Metro system to get around costs $2, while gas prices typically settle in about 8 percent less than national averages. You can expect to pay anywhere from $3 to $5 for a pint at local pubs.

Modern convenience and a condensed variety of original shops characterize the Downtown Madison shopping scene, where residents can acquire common household staples and elegant oddities by foot. The iconic State Street stands as the shopper's paradise in the area, as this tree-lined outdoor mall running from the University of Wisconsin–Madison to the gorgeous State Capitol features an eclectic mix of high-value boutiques and speciality stores. Grab a authentic Buddha statue from Indonesia at Art Gecko, stock your apartment with vintage movie posters from The Poster Master and try on a pair of designer shoes from Madison Sole, all without leaving this historic street.

Getting ready for the upcoming Badger football game? Sconnie Nation stands as the ideal boutique packed with red-and-white University of Wisconsin gear and novelty apparel that celebrates everything related to Wisconsin. Most of the essential Wisconsin and Badger-related gear you see around the entire downtown area comes from this locally owned shop. Turn your home into a Wisconsin celebration with UW colored overalls, vintage Sconnie T-shirts and even Madison-related underwear.

Serving Madison's profound love of literature and art since 1975, A Room of One's Own introduces book lovers to one of the largest collections of new and used books in the area. Friendly and fellow book-crazed employees stand willing to help browsers find anything they need, and neatly organized sections ranging from specialty crafts to fiction encourage patrons to browse for hours on end. Make sure to ask about upcoming poetry readings from local poets, and if you want to self-publish your own book, A Room of One's Own offers an attractive consignment package.

Downtown Madison residents can buy their groceries at the Fresh Madison Market on University Avenue, which provides reasonable prices on organic kitchen staples, awarded Wisconsin cheeses and locally produced meats. Browse among the sushi bar for a quick bite, or check out the bulk section to stock your kitchen for the next couple of months. Don't know how to cook? This grocery store provides cooking classes for less than the cost of a decent dinner at a restaurant.

The Dane County Farmer's Market holds the proud role of being the largest producer-only farmer's market in the United States. Held year-round every Saturday either indoors at the Monona Terrace during the winter or outdoors around the Capitol Square in the summer, this farmer's market introduces locals to completely organic foods that they cannot find anywhere else. Try authentic cheese curds as you browse around the square, and feel free to talk with the enthusiastic vendors about their sustainable production methods.