City: Madison, Wisconsin
Population: 220,000
Green Cred: Built around or near 5 lakes, and with more than 200 miles of biking and hiking trails, Madison has long been home to a progressive, outdoorsy, and green-minded community.
Madison's credentials as a green town go way back. The state capital has been home to senator and former governor Gaylord Nelson, founder of Earth Day. Aldo Leopold, often cited as the founder of wildlife ecology, taught at University of Wisconsin-Madison. And landscape architect John Nolen, who focused on preserving natural beauty while incorporating the needs of urban life, has fingerprints all over the town and its park system. Today, the city has ranked highly on lists of everything from "Best Places to Live," "Top 10 Greenest Cities," "Best Farmer's Market in the Nation," "Best Outdoor-Oriented Towns," and "Top Cities for Recycling."
The green vein runs deep. In 2010, the highest LEED platinum rating for new construction in the U.S. went to nearby Holy Wisdom Monastery, run by an order of Benedictine nuns. In Madison, it's easy to find excellent independent restaurants that specialize in using locally grown ingredients—and vegans and vegetarians can usually find much more than just a salad to order. If you're here for a while, enroll in the Community Car program and share in a fleet of hybrid-electric vehicles. If you're just visiting, hop in a Green Cab or step out and explore; no matter what the season, there's something green to learn about or experience.
Places You Must Go
- Dane County Farmer's Market on the Square
- Arboretum, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Eco-Fusion Design
- Aldo Leopold Nature Center
- Thai Pavilion and Garden at Olbrich Botanical Gardens
- Rent a bike at Machinery Row Bicycles and ride the Capital City Trail around Lake Monona
- Take a walking tour with the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation
- Visit Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright's Wisconsin home, in nearby Spring Green.
- Take in a seasonal hike or class, like the Solstice Walk or Winter Wonders, at the Arboretum
- Take the kids to the Rooftop Ramble at the Madison Children’s Museum
- Take a mini course in meditation, woodworking, or pottery through the Wisconsin Union
- Learn to reupholster furniture at Madison College
- In the spring, pick up some free mulch from the parks department
- Enjoy a lake view from a seat on the Memorial Union Terrace
- Fine-tune your paddling skills and see the latest gear at Canoecopia
- Participate in Paddle & Portage, where you canoe or kayak on Lake Mendota, portage across the isthmus (passing the scenic state capitol) and finish by paddling Lake Monona.
- Picnic and take in a play at the American Players Theater. Known for their outdoor productions of Shakespeare, Noel Coward, Tennesee Williams, and others, APT now also has an indoor theater that is open year-round.
- Dance to live world music on the roof of the Wright-designed Monona Terrace convention center Dane Dances
- Visit the rooftop native-plants garden or catch an open-air art film at Madison Museum of Contemporary Art
- Arbor House, an environmental inn
- The Speckled Hen Inn
- Camping near Madison: Blue Mounds State Park, Devil's Lake State Park, Mirror Lake State Park, Tower Hill State Park
- The Edgewater
- Hotel Ruby Marie
- Mansion Hill Inn
- Alchemy Cafe
- Bean Sprouts at the Madison Children's Museum
- Fresco at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art
- Ground Zero Coffee (See a Green Tour of the owners' home here.)
- Graze
- Harvest
- Lazy Jane's Cafe and Bakery
- Lao Laan Xang, Williamson Street or Atwood Avenue
- L'etoile
- Lombardino's
- The Old-Fashioned
- Restaurant Muramoto, Sushi Muramoto
- Underground Kitchen
- Weary Traveler Free House
- Iconi Interiors: unique vintage and modern furnishings, lighting, and accessories
- Zip-Dang: handmade menagerie of artwork, furnishings, and fashion focusing on upcycled and reused vintage goods
- Anthology: artwork, gifts, and jewelry made by local and independent artisans
- Century House: Scandinavian modern furnishings and housewares
- Unearthed: architectural, vintage and industrial objects for the home and garden
- Fromagination: Cheese. Of course.
- The store at the Wisconsin Historical Museum
- Absolutely Art: locally made artwork and jewelry
- Oompa Toys
- Pop Deluxe
- Rutabaga: locally-owned outdoor sporting goods and apparel
- A Stone's Throw: women's activewear with a local and socially conscious focus
- Area 51 Vintage Interiors: mid-century, industrial, vintage-modern furnishings and lighting
- Atomic Interiors: Herman Miller for the Home, mid-century modern
- Eco-Fusion Design: sustainably designed furnishings and accessories
- Eco-Friendly Flooring: sustainable flooring products and tile
- Habitat for Humanity Re-Store of Dane County
- Willy Street Co-op, a natural foods cooperative
- Surplus With a Purpose: SWAP, run by University of Wisconsin's purchasing department, is an innovative environmental program that finds new homes for a variety of used furniture and equipment. Public hours and online auctions.
- Ice skating on scenic lagoons: Vilas Park or Tenney Park
- Cross-country skiing
- Picnic Point
- Arboretum, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Allen Centennial Gardens
- Obrich Botanical Gardens
- Cherokee Marsh
- Madison Conservation Parks
- Governor Nelson State Park
- Hilldale Farmer's Market, in the west parking lot at the corner of Segoe and Heathercrest
- Troy Community Gardens
- Dane Buy Local: community of locally-owned businesses
- Seasonal Craftacular markets
- Glitter Workshop
- Cottage Goddess, in nearby Paoli
- Carr Valley Cheese
- Cedar Grove Chese
- Princeton flea market
- Ragstock
- Rethreads
- HospiceCare Thrift Store
- Saint Vincent dePaul Thrift Stores
- Goodwill Stores
- Savers
Things You Must Do
Where To Sleep
Where To Eat
Shops To Visit If You're There For A Day
Shops To Frequent If You're There For a Year
Green Spaces
Independent Artisans
The Best Flea Markets, Antique Fairs, and Thrift Stores
(Images: aerial GMCVB, market Emily Ho, others Therese Maring)
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Fantastic guide! Thanks for including The Century House -love being a part of such a great green city!
Hey! You forgot Madison's best bookstore: A Room of One's Own! A Madison institution for 30+ years!
Oh, thank you for this! My out-laws are from Madison and I lived there for a summer and visit when I have the chance (less now that I'm on the east coast). It is a JEWEL of the upper midwest and deserves these propers!
Bonjour! I was sad to read that your column didn't mention Confectionique as a shopping destination, and what a destination it is! Nestled in the airport in Middleton, just minutes from Madison, Confectioinique is the ultimate in Green sophistication. Confectionique is a monthly French -inspired craft market that features local talent with a focus on updating old and unwanted goods in to sweet treasures. Our shop is unique in that we're only open the second weekend of every month. Each market has a theme with a new twist on our Paris adventures. You can learn more about our concept, vision and market dates at www.confectionique.com. Au revoir, Anastasia (one of the crafting sisters of Confectionique)