Madison accommodation from NZ$126

Things to Do in Madison

At the University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum, explore U.S. habitats from prairies to evergreen forests, all within just 5 sq km. Prefer a tropical getaway? Head 10 km north to Olbrich Botanical Gardens. Stop and smell the roses in the Rose Garden, then see orchids, banana trees and butterflies in the Bolz Conservatory.

There’s plenty of indoor fun in Madison too. Take in shows from ballet to Broadway at the Overture Center and make a trip to the Chazen Museum of Art. See Rothko, Miro and Rodin, then top off your day with live music in the Capitol neighbourhood (yep, it’s near the Capitol building!). And if you do want the bright lights, big city experience, hotels in Chicago are easy to add on—the capital city of Illinois is just an hour flight (or two-hour drive) south.

Getting To & Around Madison

Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) is 10 km north of downtown, with easy access via taxi and bus. Hop on Route 20 and you’ll be at your downtown Madison hotel before you can say “chicken booyah” (which is just a really fun way to say “chicken stew”). If you’ll be doing some exploring, look into our awesome car hire options on Wotif; with your own set of wheels, the Midwest is all yours!

Get in on the not-so-secret: The American Midwest has friendly locals, diverse entertainment and enough strange and delicious foods to feed the world. Madison hotels are ready to roll out the red carpet; and holidays to Chicago will really complete your VIP tour.