Scored tickets to the Nutcracker at the memorial union theatre. I nice small venue for a matinee…read more They have a nice large lounge area and the box office is right inside the doors. We parked in the ramp near by. We definitely enjoyed this visit and will visit again in the spring or summer.

Love this place! The ice cream is awesome, the beer cold, and the food is a mixed bag... but the…read moreviews are spectacular.

The Lakeshore Path and Preserve- how could one give it fewer than five stars! Lakeshore Path is a…read moreMadison and UW-Madison treasure, as it serves as an exercise and walking oasis between the Memorial Union, Lakeshore Dorms, Athletic Practice Fields, Graduate School Housing and Picnic Point. Walk, run, bike, the oaks and pines on one side, Lake Mendota on the other? Lakeshore Path is five stars all the way, U Rah Rah, Wisconsin!

I really loved this spot!…read more Very peaceful, ample trails to walk, and the setting by the water is so nice. Plus, it was adorable how throughout there are fire pits for bonfires and spots to grab free wood for these firepits (yes, you read me right....FREE fire wood. YAY). If I lived closer I would frequent this spot. Such a calming way to get some exercise in and fresh air. Lovely spot.

This park was one of our favorite places we have ever stayed. My husband and I came to stay here…read morewith our small Yorkshire terriers and our cat, and we had a wonderful time. Tim ( the host for the park) is friendly and helpful, and takes great pride in keeping it beautiful and orderly. He lent us an extension cord as the electrical hookups are fairly far away. The park was quiet and lovely. There were lots of friendly people, and it felt like a little community. It was very close to town which was really convenient. We travel in a 36 foot toy hauler with a one ton truck, and I do think that we were pushing it to try to get into some of the spots. Because we had not booked early ( we called the morning of) we had to move spots, and it was the hardest spot we have ever had to get into. Not the parks fault at all, our trailer was just a bit big. Both my husband and I really wished that we were traveling in a sprinter van. That would have been so easy. Lake Mendota is lovely and relaxing, and this is a special spot.

Good little campground for those with kids. Large play area near a beach. In town camping at its…read morebest! Bring lots of bug spray

what a beautiful park! great at all times of day i assume, lots of green space to sit down and…read morestare at the lake!

We came for the beach. Maps said it had one. It was so tiny, filled with seaweed, dog poop, and…read moregarbage. A huge dumpster is sitting right next to it where people were dumpster diving. We did play at the playground for a few minutes. It was fine, but small and some parts were broken. There were spiders and wasps, but not many. There were a lot of young people there playing different sports and walking/running on the trail so if you are looking for that type of fun this will be a great place. It's a large space. We wouldn't go back. My kids kept asking to leave.

I was in Madison this summer for a conference and my coworkers were able to get a pontoon boat with…read moredriver which was awesome. We catered a cheese platter and brought our own drinks and enjoyed two carefree hours of zipping along the lake. They have a bluetooth speaker so you can listen to your own tunes. We timed it so we were back for sunset on the dock which was just spectacular.

My family and I had a great time cruising Mendota! The Bentley pontoon was beautiful: clean,…read morenewish, well maintained and great for a cruise. Linda and her staff were very nice and accommodating. Lovely afternoon on the water. We definitely will do it again!

This was a nice place to have a simple wedding. It had all the basics you'd need to put on a nice…read morewedding. As mother of the groom, I didn't know much about the whole process, but I helped decorate the venue. We brought & put up all the decorations so I'm not sure what they offered for that. The building is nice and large and perfect for a summer/ fall wedding.

I like Olin Park! It's large, it's grassy, it has a lot of nice shaded spots…read more I don't typically come here just to.. come here. Usually I find myself at this park when there is some sort of event happening. Great Taste of the Midwest, the Polar Plunge, the Festival in Lights. But regardless, I am still at this park at least numerous times per year. It's got a great location, right on the lake, and there is even a boat launch! I don't boat Lake Monona much anymore, but this used to be a place I came to often as a kid when my dad would take me out, we launched from here all the time! Oh, the memories :) The park is very versatile which is nice. It can easily host several different types of events easily. The playground area is nice and seems to be pretty well kept up. There is plenty of parking. And there is a ball diamond too. It's right on John Nolan Dr, which some might think, that's a busy road, not safe for the littles! But fortunately everything here is set very far back from the road. We're talking a huge wide open grassy area that separates the traffic from the fun. Plus, the park has it's own little "frontage road" type thing that keeps things even more separated from the busy road.

So I'm writing this review from the perspective of a dog mom, and I think this park was a total let…read moredown for bringing your pup. We came here to visit due to its proximity to Madison and the fact that they had a dog beach. Sounds great. We parked somewhat near the beach and it's a short walk to the (very small) dog beach. Madison lakes in general are pretty gross, but today this one had a large amount of still water and algae, so wasn't really looking to stay here very long based on that. Figured we'd move on to a hike once my dog got his dunk in the water (which does kinda require a bath as soon as you get home). The trail by the dog beach then continues in different directions from the dog beach, but there are signs saying no dogs allowed. So you're kind of trapped in this small area. It was a warm summer day when we came here, so walking in the open blazing sun was not sounding great. We drove around the park to different trails trying to find something shaded and more than a quarter mile, but wasn't having much luck. The only wooded trail that was about 1.2 miles was the White Oak Trail, which looked amazing, but that trail doesn't allow dogs. Overall, I'd argue that this is not a very dog-friendly outdoor area and not worth the trip. Again, this review is solely for those visiting with their dogs, but who wants to go on an awesome outdoor adventure hike without man's best friend?

We are visiting family near by via RV. Needed a place to dump the grey/black tanks. Called the…read morepark and Marcer answered with the information on how to access the park's dump station. All went well and it's a beautiful well kept park. Cost for non campers to dump tanks was $10. Flush and potable water is available.

Had a great experience at morning mindfulness and meditation through Wingra boats. Super easy and…read morequick check in process. Very helpful employees and all the equipment was great. Really enjoyed this experience, looking forward to doing it more this summer. Parking was easily accessible and free.

My daughter and I visited for a few days and we wanted a great experience. We chose to rent a…read morepedal boat. We could not have been happier with this. We don't live near a lake so this made it doubly terrific!! The staff (both named Lily) were so helpful, had so much patience for our questions (and non-boatiness) and had amazing attitudes that you could ONLY have a great time.? We had a great two hour period and it helped us bond and embrace nature. I could not have been happier with going to Wingra Boats and demand all of you to run to Wingra Boats!

Stayed here for a summer weekend and enjoyed great weather , a beautiful lake! One of the best kept…read moresecrets near Madison! We spent 1 day on the lake and another in Madison which is only 20 minutes away. An overall great stay !!

Stayed @ Lake Ripley Lodge for 3 nights, 4 nights with my boyfriend. It was a lovely stay. Very…read moreCozy, relaxing and the views are breath taking. The fresh roasted coffee on the front lawn and looking out @ the lake will never be forgotten. Fire Pits at night looking into the sky with the million dollar lake views. The homemade baked goods in the morning reminded me of my grandmas home cooking. I highly recommend this. The owners of this bed and breakfast make you feel at home.

I have been going to Indian Lake for several years. I love that it's a short drive from Madison and…read morehas some nice, moderate inclines for hiking. The trails are mostly shaded too which is great, especially when it's super hot out! There are several variations to check out. I typically follow the outer loop trail which is about three miles. I rarely run into people while on the trail; however it has definitely become more popular in the last couple of years. If you want an extra bonus, check out the short trail to the little church and lean about the history while enjoying the view. This gem is worth visiting!

Great place to take medium to larger dogs. There is ample space for them to run. The woods offers…read moreexcitement for them and the lake side is a great place for them to cool off on warm days. This is the best dog park we have ever used. There is a fee for those out of town folks who may wish to run their 4 legged friend. All the dog owners we have encountered are great. This is the place to socialize your dog, do not keep them on a leash because they can feel trapped when meeting other dogs. The dogs figure out how to relate to each other. The only mark against this place are the walkers who don't have dogs who choose to walk thru the park. They seem to be annoyed that dogs run up to them. I don't care because they have acres and acres of amazing paths in the woods to trek, the dogs only have this one smaller place. I say if you don't like dogs then don't walk thru THEIR part of the park!