Free time in Madison
Madison is the capital of Wisconsin and located on the shores of 4 beautiful lakes. The downtown near the hotel and meeting site
is located on a narrow isthmus between two of these glacial lakes, and is organized around a majestic Capitol building.
On Saturday morning, the Capitol Square will come alive with a large Farmer’s Market. Less than a mile away is the lakeside
campus of the University of Wisconsin, one of the premier public universities and home to 40,000 students. It is linked
to the Square via a walking street. There one will find coffee shops, boutiques, and restaurants featuring cuisine from
around the world. A walk down State Street is a must for any visitor to Madison and will also provide evening entertainment.
Walking, running and biking trails are nearby. One trail begins right at the hotel and circles for 10K around Lake Monona. If museums are more your style, several are located in the downtown area (www.chazen.wisc.edu, museum.dva.state.wisc). Many possible daytrips can be taken by car. These include visits to famous landmarks (Wright’s Taliesin house) or scenic spots (Devil’s Lake park where the last glacier stopped). The era of European settlement included waves of German, Swiss and French settlers, and some nearby towns, such as New Glarus, still reflect this influence. Wisconsin is also home to 11 Indian tribes, including the Chippewa, Menominee and Ho-Chunk nations. Over 1500 burial and effigy mounds constructed by paleo-Indians can still be found in the state, including 3 on the UW campus.
All of these people recognized the beauty of a state bordered by the Mississippi River and two Great Lakes (Michigan and Superior). Wisconsin is a Native American word meaning “gathering of the waters”. Certainly, that is an appropriate theme for the PNIRS. More information can be found at www.visitmadison.com