Dane district, Wisconsin, United States

Places to visit near Madison

Madison is a city in Dane district, Wisconsin, United States, home to about 248,951 people. Within 50 km by road there are 193 places to visit — 77 parks, 17 wildlife, forests & gardens, 15 lakes, dams & reservoirs and 27 forts & heritage. The must-see places are Chazen Museum of Art (1 km), Bascom Hill (1 km) and Washburn Observatory (1 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Madison on the map

Madison at a glance

Location
Dane district, Wisconsin, United States
Population
about 248,951
Coordinates
43.0731° N, 89.4012° W
Places within 50 km
193 (50 must-see)
Best time to visit
November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open for lakes, dams & reservoirs; year-round for parks

Top places to visit near Madison

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Madison: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

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Things to see near Madison, by type

Parks near Madison

83 parks within 100 km of Madison. The closest is Elizabeth Link Peace Park (1 km); the best-known is James Madison Park (2 km). Best time: year-round, evenings.

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Wildlife, forests & gardens near Madison

35 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Madison. The closest is Allen Centennial Garden (1 km); the best-known is Henry Vilas Zoo (2 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

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Lakes, dams & reservoirs near Madison

34 lakes, dams & reservoirs within 100 km of Madison. The closest is Lake Wingra (3 km). Best time: august to december when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

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Forts & heritage near Madison

33 forts & heritage within 100 km of Madison. The closest is Grimm Book Bindery (1 km); the best-known is Vilas Park Mound Group (2 km). Best time: october to february.

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Churches near Madison

24 churches within 100 km of Madison. The closest is Luther Memorial Church (1 km); the best-known is Grace Episcopal Church (2 km). Best time: year-round.

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Beaches & coast near Madison

15 beaches & coast within 100 km of Madison. The closest is Brittingham Bay (1 km). Best time: october to march.

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A one-day trip from Madison

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 6 km on the road.

  1. Start in Madison
  2. 1 km Bascom Hill · hill, Dane
  3. 2 km Gates of Heaven Synagogue · church, Dane
  4. 1 km Wisconsin Veterans Museum · museum, Dane
  5. 1 km Grace Episcopal Church · church, Dane
  6. 1 km Chazen Museum of Art · museum, Dane
  7. 0 km Back to Madison

Plan a longer trip from Madison — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Madison

No traveller has reported from around Madison yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Madison

    All places near Madison by distance

    Within 15 km of Madison

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Madison by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Parks7783Elizabeth Link Peace Park (1 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens1735Allen Centennial Garden (1 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs1534Lake Wingra (3 km)
    Forts & heritage2733Grimm Book Bindery (1 km)
    Churches2124Luther Memorial Church (1 km)
    Beaches & coast1515Brittingham Bay (1 km)
    Hill stations & viewpoints59Bascom Hill (1 km)
    Museums67Chazen Museum of Art (1 km)
    Other attractions67Washburn Observatory (1 km)
    Temples11Temple Beth El (4 km)
    Caves11Black Hawk's Cave (5 km)
    Rivers, islands & mangroves11Governors Island (7 km)
    Buddhist sites11Holy Wisdom Monastery (8 km)
    Waterfalls01Honey Creek State Natural Area (72 km)

    Madison: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Madison?

    Chazen Museum of Art (museum, about 1 km), Bascom Hill (hill, about 1 km), Washburn Observatory (attraction, about 1 km), Wisconsin Veterans Museum (museum, about 2 km), Grace Episcopal Church (church, about 2 km), Forward (attraction, about 2 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Madison?

    193 places on Spotwander: 77 parks, 17 wildlife, forests & gardens, 15 lakes, dams & reservoirs, 27 forts & heritage, 21 churches.

    Which is the nearest park to Madison?

    Elizabeth Link Peace Park, about 1 km by road; Henry Mall (1 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest sanctuary to Madison?

    Allen Centennial Garden, about 1 km by road; Henry Vilas Zoo (2 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest lake to Madison?

    Lake Wingra, about 3 km by road; Lake Monona (4 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Madison?

    Start in Madison, visit Bascom Hill, then Gates of Heaven Synagogue, then Wisconsin Veterans Museum, then Grace Episcopal Church, then Chazen Museum of Art, and drive back — about 6 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Madison?

    November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open for lakes, dams & reservoirs; year-round for parks.

    Towns near Madison

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Madison’s location and population from GeoNames. Data sources & credits.