Attractions Nearby Madison, Day Trips and Excursions

(Madison, Wisconsin - WI, USA)

Lying on the southern side of Wisconsin means that Madison lends itself to day trips across the border, where you can enjoy the neighboring attractions. Major roads such as Interstate I-90 and Highway US-151 make getting out and about all the more easy, although do bear in mind that driving in the bitterly cold winter months can be challenging.

Excursions into both Illinois to the south and Iowa to the west are quite possible, particularly if you have a hire car and are happy to start your journey straight after you have finished your breakfast.

By following the I-90 southwards from Madison, you can reach the medium-sized Illinois city of Rockford in a little more than an hour and a half. Located just beyond the Sugar River Forest Preserve, Rockford is situated in northern Illinois, alongside the Rock River, where it boasts numerous family themed attractions, such as the Burpee Museum of Natural History and its well-preserved juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, known affectionately as simply 'Jane'.

General Information

Those planning a day trip from Madison to Rockford will find that the list of quality attractions is a long one. Consider paying a visit to the city's Art Museum, the Anderson Japanese Gardens, the Coronado Performing Arts Center, the Discovery Center Children's Museum, the Erlander Home Museum and the Magic Waters Waterpark (summer hours only).

Slightly closer to Madison and on the northerly outskirts of Rockford is the outstanding Rock Cut State Park, which ranks amongst the biggest and best of all the state parks residing within the state of Illinois. Recreational activities and attractions are certainly in plentiful supply within this park and come in the form of mountain biking and cycling, hiking, fishing, birdwatching, kayaking and also horse riding.

If you would like to check out some interesting Iowa history, then take the US-151 southwestwards, all the way to the small city of Dubuque. Many of the attractions in Dubuque tend to line the banks of the Mississippi River and include the Grand River Event Center. Other places of interest in the city include the Victorian-period buildings of Cable Car Square, the Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, the Grand Opera House, the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, and the Shot Tower, which appears on the National Register of Historic Places.

Nearer to Madison, attractions include Devil's Lake, which is a very notable state park lying roughly an hour to the northwest. Devil's Lake boasts endless hiking trails and a couple of sunny beaches. A mere 15-minutes away by car is the suburb town of Middleton, where the Mustard Museum is a particular highlight.

Roughly 45 minutes away and to the southwest is the quaint Swiss village of New Glarus. Here you can tour the New Glarus Brewing Company. Although this village is fairly small, there is much to see and do. The Swiss Village Historical Museum is a must-see, while numerous festivals fill the calendar, such as the Heidi Festival, Oktoberfest, the Schuetzen Fest, the Swiss Volksfest and the Wilhelm Tell Festival.

Just under an hour from Madison is the village of Spring Green, which is one day trip not to miss if you are interested in architecture. The acclaimed architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867 to 1959) was born close by and actually studied in Madison. In Spring Green you can see one of his most famous creations, his summer home named Taliesin. Close by, the House of the Rock is considered to be another architectural triumph, being designed by Alex Jordan, Jr. and now operating as a museum-type attraction, with its unique Infinity Room being suspended high above the forest treetops.