Mommy A-Z in Madison, WI

This past weekend we took a family trip to Wisconsin Dells.  We were supposed to hit up a birthday party that Sunday on our way home, but it was an additional hour out of the way.  Instead, we made a spontaneous decision to make a pit stop in Madison, WI to check out the scene and grab some lunch.  I’m so glad we did!

Madison is a college town, home of the University of Wisconsin Madison Badgers (not to be confused with the Crazy Nasty Ass Honey Badger).  It had a small town slash urban vibe to it.  For the middle of WisCOWsin, the crowd was surprisingly diverse, young and hip.  I was honestly expecting to see a bunch of country cheese-heads, no offense.

We stumbled upon State Street, which connects the state Capitol with the University, and it was filled with local shops and restaurants.  We literally spent the afternoon people watching and window shopping.  There were lots of people around, but it wasn’t too crowded. Also, I thought it was odd, yet pleasant that there weren’t many cars on the street by so it was easy to get around just by walking with the kids in their stroller.

The shops were filled with eclectic items and unique items and kind of had an Urban Outfitters and Antropologie-esque aesthetic.  Well, those 2 stores were actually there also, but I skipped ’em because I wanted to check out the local specialty shops.  Check out some of the goodies:

Rings – 2 for $6 @Earthbound Trading Co.

D&G Shades – $15 @ Bangles & Bags

CUPCAKES!

Happy Father’s Day, Jeffrey!

There were so many restaurants and so much variety in terms of ethnic cuisine that we had a hard time deciding on where to dine.  There were sandwich shops, Italian, Greek, Mediterranean, Indian, Japanese, Thai…but we ended up eating at Diego’s Mexican Bistro.  Eh, it wasn’t all that great.  That was the only bummer of the entire day.

We took a turn at the end of the street and BOOM – Hello, Lake Mendota!  Did you know there was a lake there?  I didn’t.  Boy, those lakes could sneak up on ya when you least expect it!  The walkway was still under construction, but it was beautiful nonetheless.  There were lots of people soaking up the summer sun, enjoying view of the boats and duckies, and grabbing food/drinks at the nearby food stand.

At the other end of the street was the Capital Building so we took some pictures there, too.

Overall, we had a lovely afternoon in Madison, WI.  It’s rich in culture, but without the hustle-bustle of a large city like Chicago.  It’s quaint and charming, but not old and touristy like Wisconsin Dells.  Check it out this summer when you get a chance…maybe add it to your 2013 summer bucket list!

Have you been to Madison, WI before?  Did I miss any special attractions or do you have any restaurant recommendations for next time?  Let me know!

Thanks for reading.