Small City Gem: Madison, Wisconsin

Two years ago, we hit the road with our four kids, ages six to 14, in search of FAMILYFUN's "Ten Family-Friendly Cities." The result was a list of urban gems--too many, in fact, to fit in a single article. While that story focused on giants like Chicago, Washington and San Francisco, we now present the rest of the story. Although the major cities get all the ink, these smaller cities stole our hearts with their delightful mix of small-town ease and big-city personality. One of the small cities you might like to explore on your next family getaway is appealing Madison, Wisconsin. Go there, and you'll come to know what the locals know: Good things don't always come in the biggest, fanciest packages.

A GEM OF A CITY
Bugs, boats, bones and burgers...these are just a few of the things families adore about Madison. Come to think of it, we could probably come up with a few categories for each letter of the alphabet, so rich is Madison with fun--and often free--things to do. Little wonder that this energetic little city crops up on everyone's short list of great places to live, work, raise a family, even paddle a canoe (according to PADDLER magazine) and ride a bike (says BICYCLING). Madison has all the well-scrubbed appeal you'd expect from a midwestern town set in dairy land, and the proximity of two lakes and a Big Ten university adds to the long list of things to see and do.

Now, about those "b" words: bugs refers to the giant hissing cockroaches we encountered at the University of Wisconsin, Madison's Entomology Museum. Boat is the Betty Lou, offering cruises on Lake Mendota, one of the lakes that surround the narrow isthmus that is Madison. As for bones and burgers, read on....

WHO KNEW? That Madison has more bikes than cars and nearly 100 miles of bike trails. Pedal around the Lake Monona Path for cool views.

DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT... your appetite. All the better to appreciate the awesome ice cream, made right before your eyes, at the Babcock Hall Dairy Plant at UW-Madison. They make cheese too, but we're guessing your kids won't clamor for a big block of Cheddar. Call 608-262-3045.

DON'T LEAVE TOWN WITHOUT... walking through the faux cave, modeled after a Wisconsin limestone cavern, at the university's Geology Museum. Other fun features at this fabulous freebie include a mastodon skeleton and a 6-foot rotating globe. Call 608-262-2399.

CLEAN-PLATE CLUB Little carnivores will go for the big, juicy burgers at local fave Dotty Dumpling's Dowry (608-255-3175), voted #1 burger in the state. Also try Ella's Deli , featuring good sandwiches, mac 'n' cheese and a carousel. Call 608-241-5291.

LOCAL DIGS The newly opened Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites boasts a waterpark-worthy kiddie pool with slides and fountains. Kids' suites (which include bunk beds) are $189 to $259 per night. Kids under age 12 eat free at the hotel's restaurant, Cafe Rigoletto's. Call 888-522-WISCO.

HOTTEST TICKET IN TOWN Hug the hairy hump as you ride the (real) camel at Henry Vilas Zoo (Sundays only; 608-266-4732). Open year-round, this free (!) zoo has an impressive collection of big cats. Also, don't miss the Shadow Room at the Madison Children's Museum. Call 608-256-6445 for rates and more information.

BEST LOCAL COLOR With the capitol dome as a backdrop, Madison's Capitol Square is always a lively scene. In spring and summer, it's the site of food fests, art fairs, even June's Cows on the Concourse event. Call 608-266-6033.

BEST SOUVENIR Anything "Bucky Badger," UW-Madison's famous mascot. Looking for Bucky paraphernalia is a good excuse to check out the funky shops along State Street, a pedestrian mall that connects the state capitol and the university campus.

F.Y.I. Call 800-373-6376 or click here.

Travel writers Diane Bair and Pamela Wright are regular contributors to FAMILYFUN and the authors of 18 guidebooks and numerous magazine articles.

Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated August 2005.