36 Hours in Madison

You find yourself with 36 hours to kill in Madison, Wisconsin. What do you do, where do you go, what do you see? After living there for two hours and visiting numerous times over my adult life, I’ve come up with a great list if you are looking for ideas of what to do with a day and a half in the capital of Wisconsin. 

Breakfast - Marigold

Arguably the best brunch spot in Madison, Marigold is the place to go if you want a great meal earlier in the day. The coffee drinks are great, the food is delicious and reasonably priced. Located just off the main square, it’s easy to tack Marigold on to other activities in the area. 

Breakfast and coffee at Marigold

Capitol Building

If you know anything about Madison, it’s that Madison is the capitol of Wisconsin. While being the capitol might not be super exciting, the capitol building itself is gorgeous. I lived here for two years and had no idea that you can walk through most of the building and go up to an observation deck on the outside of the dome! It’s a fun activity and gives a great view of the city in any direction.

Dinner - If you are looking for a great dinner spot, Eno Vino is a top choice. With a view that overlooks the capitol building, it doesn’t get much better. With a seemingly endless bottle list, anyone who enjoys wine will fall in love with Eno Vino. The food menu is great, too! Designed as a tapas style menu, the food options are perfect for sharing. 

Charcuterie Board at Eno Vino Downtown

Cheese Curds - Craftsman

Anyone familiar with Wisconsin will know that cheese curds are a big deal here. If you want to have some of the best ones in the city, head to Craftsman Table and Tap. All the food here is great, but the cheese curds are an absolute must have. They are a light appetizer and great for sharing with friends or family. 

Museum - Mustard Museum

A totally unexpected find, the Mustard Museum is a fun stop to make if you happen to be in Middleton and want to kill an hour. The basement houses a variety of displays related to Mustard, including a wall of collected Mustards from various places around the world. On the main floor, you can sample and purchase different mustards.

Coffee - Grace Coffee

If you are looking for a good alternative to Starbucks, Grace is a good bet in Madison. With multiple locations, you are sure to have one close by regardless of where you stay in the city. With an assortment of different coffee drinks, pastries, and even alcohol, there is something for everyone here. We tried the Middleton and Sun Prairie locations, both were clean and had a friendly staff. The Middleton location ties in well with the Mustard Museum as they are one block away from each other!

Madison has a lot of midwest charm and tons of things to do to fill a weekend trip! From cheese to coffee and back to more cheese, there’s so many fun spots to check out the next time you find yourself in Wisconsin’s Capitol.