Madison Tourist Attractions and Sightseeing

(Madison, Wisconsin - WI, USA)



Sports enthusiasts will be pleased to find a number of stadiums and arenas in Madison, families can spend a day at the zoo, and lovers of recreational attractions can spend time strolling along the Capital City State Trail. However, tourists mustn't forget that the winters in Wisconsin can be a little harsh and snowy, meaning that skiing and sledding may even be on the cards between December and March.

The four lakes of Madison (Mendota, Monona, Waubesa and Wingra) boast many quality tourist attractions around their shorelines, such as the Henry Vilas Zoo. the Henry Vilas Zoo welcomes more than half a million visitors through its doors each year and has enjoyed much popularity since its founding in 1904. The grounds sit on the northern shore of Lake Wingra and cover just under 12 hectares / 30 acres, being home to a host of exotic creatures.

An evening out at the theater comes at the top of many people's priorities when on vacation in this state capital. It is the Overture Center for the Arts where live entertainment is at its best, with performances by the Madison Symphony Orchestra being a real highlight.


Capital City State Trail

Address: Madison, Wisconsin (WI), 53726, USA
Tel: +1 608 263 3333
If you are a fitness fanatic or simply enjoy spending time outdoors, then do make a note to come and check out the Capital City State Trail. Suitable for walking, jogging, cycling and skating, the trail connects with the Military Ridge State Trail and ultimately, the Glacial Drumlin State Trail. It heads through the Capital Springs State Recreation Area, to the south of the city, where camping sites are available close to the shore of Lake Waubesa.
Open hours: daily
Admission: charge for state trail pass (necessary for anyone over 16 years old. Annual or daily passes are available)

Henry Vilas Zoo

Address: 702 South Randall Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin (WI), 53715, USA
Tel: +1 608 266 4732
As the principal family attraction in the city, the Henry Vilas Zoo enjoys healthy visitor numbers, particularly during the summer holidays. Living in a collection of themed landscaped enclosures, the resident creatures include bears (grizzly and polar), gibbons, lions, meerkats, otters, penguins, porcupines, red pandas, seals and tigers. There is also a 'Children's Zoo' barn with alpacas, goats and birds of prey. In the Primate House you will discover chimps, colobus monkeys and orangutans, while the Discovery Center features interactive exhibits and lots of reptiles. Larger animals are clustered around the center of the zoo and include camels, giraffes, ostriches and wallabies. Fish lovers will appreciate the Wetland koi carp and bird lovers can spend time at the aviary, where various rainforest creatures live. For younger tourists, there are miniature train rides, an adventure playground (complete with tree house) and a traditional carousel, not to mention the large gift shop crammed with cute cuddlies.
Open hours: daily - 09:30 to 17:00
Admission: free, donations accepted

Alliant Energy Center

Address: John Nolen Drive, Madison, Wisconsin (WI), 53713, USA
Tel: +1 608 267 3976
Standing next to the Turville Point Conservation Park, on the southeastern side of downtown Madison, the Alliant Energy Center is a complex of different buildings and is made up of an assortment of attractions. The Veterans Memorial Coliseum was built towards the end of the 1960s and this multi-purpose arena once welcomed performances by icons such as Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra. Nowadays, the Coliseum can seat some 10,200 spectators and serves as a venue not only for live music, but also for conventions, local events, touring family shows (including American Idols Live) and hockey games. At the Exhibition Hall you can expect a variety of trade shows, conferences and meetings, together with exceptional views of the Capitol and one of the biggest chandeliers ever made. Added to the Alliant Energy Center in 2003, the Willow Island area covers a little under 12 hectares / 30 acres and features two landscaped ponds. Many outdoor festivals are held at Willow Island, including athletics events, concerts, fundraising auctions, the Brat Fest each Memorial Day and WJJO's Band Camp, with its numerous rock bands.
Open hours: hours vary according to event
Admission: charge

Camp Randall Stadium

Address: 1440 Monroe Street, Madison, Wisconsin (WI), 53711, USA
Tel: +1 608 262 1866
An open-air sports arena dating back to the late 19th century, the Camp Randall Stadium officially opened in 1917 and has most recently been renovated in 2004 / 2005, costing close to US$110 million to complete. Called home by the Wisconsin Badgers football team and part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, this stadium is actually in the top 50 most historic on the planet and can now accommodate in excess of 80,000 spectators. Amongst the biggest concerts that have taken place here include names like Genesis, Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones and U2. Since the mid 1980s, many of the world championships for the Drum Corps International (junior US drum and bugle corps) have been held at the stadium.
Open hours: April to November, scheduled tour, Monday to Friday - 09:30, 11:00 and 13:30
Admission: charge

Kohl Center

Address: 601 West Dayton Street, Madison, Wisconsin (WI), 53703, USA
Tel: +1 608 263 5645
Both an athletic center and arena, the Kohn Center is just one of a number of sporting attractions belonging to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Built between 1996 and 1998 at the cost of just over US$75 million, this venue can be configured to host basketball and wrestling tournaments, as well as ice hockey games and concerts, seating up to 17,200 people (depending upon the configuration). Before its opening, basketball matches were mainly played at the Wisconsin Field House, with ice hockey events taking place at the Dane County Coliseum. Of note, the Varsity Band Spring Concert takes place here each year over a three-day period and draws roughly 25,000 people.
Open hours: walk-in guided tours, Tuesday and Thursday - 12:00; scheduled tours, Monday to Friday - 09:30, 11:00 and 13:30
Admission: charge

Wisconsin Field House

Address: 1450 Monroe Street, Madison, Wisconsin (WI), 53711, USA
Tel: +1 608 262 3354
Often referred to as the UW Fieldhouse and owned by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Wisconsin Field House is a multi-purpose arena where various sporting events take place during the course of the year. In the past, these have included basketball, volleyball and wrestling tournaments, with a maximum seating capacity of around 11,500 people. The venue also stages various awards ceremonies, local events and concerts, and joined the National Register of Historic Places towards the end of the 1990s.
Open hours: hours vary according to event
Admission: charge

Monona Terrace

Address: 1 John Nolen Drive, Madison, Wisconsin (WI), 53703, USA
Tel: +1 608 261 4000
The Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center resides next to the shoreline of Lake Monona, where it enjoys impressive waterfront views. An original design for the convention center was suggested by renowned contemporary local architect Frank Lloyd Wright, although his plans were met with a rather muted response and were subsequently rejected. Further proposals for developments on this site continued over the following decades. However, it was not actually until the 1990s that Wright's curved designs were resurrected and used to inspire the present-day construction, which was built between 1994 and 1997. Each year, more than 500 conventions are staged here, being attended by close to 60,000 people. Daily guided tours are available, although many summer visitors come for the rooftop cafe alone, enjoying refreshments with superb lakeside views. There are even frequent summer concerts staged on the rooftop, while a gift shop is on hand and sells various postcards, books and general souvenirs.
Open hours: guided tours, daily - 13:00, closed on holidays
Admission: charge, discounts available for students