Madison travel guide
Madison Tourism | Madison Guide
You're Going to Love Madison
With a population of 233,209, Madison is a must-see destination in Wisconsin, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country.
Where to Eat in Madison
If you’re looking for affordable options, Fresco (227 State Street) and Lombardino's (2500 University Ave) are great picks. For delicious green meals, University of Wisconsin Terrace Popup Lounge (800 Langdon St) and Feast - Artisan Dumpling and Tea House (904 Williamson St) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Madison.
When to visit Madison
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Madison in July, when the average temperature is 22 °C, and the highest can go up to 28 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as -12 °C, with an average temperature of -7 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 114 mm. In contrast, January is usually the driest month of the year in Madison, with an average rainfall of 31 mm.
How to Get to Madison
Plane
When flying to Madison, you’ll arrive at Madison Truax Field (MSN), which is located 9 km from the city centre The shortest flight to Madison from Canada departs from Toronto and takes around 5h 17m.
Train
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Madison. The train journey from Madison to Chicago takes 3h 35m and costs around C$ 59 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Cleveland, expect to pay about C$ 202 for a 18h 47m trip.
Car
Another option to get to Madison is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 197 km from Madison. You’ll find branches of Europcar and Dollar, among others, in Chicago.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Madison, including Greyhound, Bus and Amtrak. From Milwaukee, the bus ride to Madison takes 129 km and will cost you around C$ 73. From Chicago, the ticket costs about C$ 106 for a journey of 249 km. The most popular bus station is Madison N Lake & W Johnson, located 0.3 km from downtown Madison. Madison University of Wisconsin is also a commonly used station, and is 0.1 km from the city centre.
Airlines serving Madison
Where to stay in Madison
If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Holiday Inn Express & Suites Madison and Sleep Inn And Suites Madison.
Where to stay in popular areas of Madison
Most booked hotels in Madison
Renting a car in Madison
Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Budget are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Madison is the Hertz branch at 6514 Odana Road, which is 8 km from the downtown.
Expect to pay C$ 1.49 per litre in Madison (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 17.79 and C$ 23.71. The most frequently booked car type in Madison is Supplier choice (Class Special Car or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Premium rental cars (Infiniti G Sedan or similar) are, on average, 54% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.
Best car rental deals in Madison
Intermediate
5 adults, 3 Bags
C$ 73/day
Supplier choice
5 adults, 5 Bags
C$ 76/day