Paddle Destination - Madison City, Wisconsin
A quiet morning on Lake Mendota offers paddlers refuge from Mad City's hubbub.
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GETTING THERE: From Minneapolis/St. Paul (4.5 hours) take I-94 east. From Chicago (2.5 hours) take I-90 west. From Milwaukee (1.5 hours) take I-94 west.
LODGING/CAMPING: Hotels, motels, and bed-and-breakfasts can be found at www.visitmadison.com. Camping is available at many state parks nearby (www.dnr.state.wi.us).
WHILE YOU’RE THERE: The Henry Vilas Zoo has free admission and some great exhibits for such a small zoo. A hike through the UW Arboretum is a touch of rural in metro Madison. Take your bicycle; Dane County offers rolling country roads and bicycle trails that just beg to be ridden (www.dnr.state.wi.us).
Madison is suspected of having more restaurants per capita than any other American city. Here are just a handful of my favorite eateries: Dotty Dumpling’s Dowry (burgers), Mi Cocina (Mexican), Jamerica (Jamaican), Smoky Jon’s (ribs), Teddywedgers (Cornish), Mickey’s Dairy Bar (breakfast), Pel’meni (pirogues), and Johnny Delmonico’s (steak).
OUTFITTERS/RESOURCES: Rutabaga, perhaps the most famous paddlesports shop in the country, has its home in Madison (www.rutabaga.com). Carl & John’s Paddlin’ is another excellent shop (www.paddlin.com). The book Paddling Southern Wisconsin, by Mike Svob, is a stellar resource. For a complete list of guides and outfitters, see our Adventure Paddling Directory.
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