HotelTonight – Downtown Madison Hotels in Seconds
Madison, Wisconsin is not a city that's world-renowned for its quality of living, its culture scene, its world-class university or its overall vibe. That's just fine with the people who live here, as even though several national publications have voted Madison the best city in the country in which to live, it's still a relatively small city of approximately 250,000 people. I have been here several times for work, but I've never really explored it on my own time. I was there recently for another meeting and decided to extend my stay for a day so I could see what there was to see downtown. This seemed to be where everything was happening for more than one reason. I wasn't worried about lodging, as I always travel with my HotelTonight app. It would help me find a downtown Madison hotel room in seconds when the need arose.
The Campus
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is one of the largest campuses in the United States. It's also one of the most beautiful. It's situated on the shores of Lake Mendota, and it's a combination of hills, trees, gorgeous buildings and upbeat students doing their thing. I was drawn to Bascom Hill, which sits in front of one of the main buildings on campus. There's an enormous statue of Abraham Lincoln at the top of the hill, overlooking downtown Madison and ultimately the capitol building. It's a breathtaking view, especially with the fall colors in the air and leaves floating in every direction. This was the true picture of college life.
State Street
There is almost an imaginary line between the university and the capitol building, and if you drew a straight line between them you'd have State Street. This is a unique street in that it does not allow private vehicles on it, and it's filled with restaurants serving cuisine from all over the world, specialty shops of all types, movie theaters and of course more watering holes than I could count. I walked the entire length of on each side, mesmerized by what I was seeing. I could spend a week here, eating at different places and enjoying the nightlife.
The Lakefront
Everything seems to converge in downtown Madison because the city itself is an isthmus. Five different lakes surround downtown, making for a unique layout. I wandered down to the shore of Lake Mendota and sat at the Union Terrace on campus. They serve food, cold beer and fun. As the afternoon continued onward, a very good band played on the terrace right in front of the water. People of all ages danced and laughed together. This was a utopic place and one that I did not want to leave, but eventually it was time to call it a day.
HotelTonight – Downtown Madison Hotels in a Snap
I was tired, so I pulled out my phone, opened HotelTonight and found a downtown Madison hotel in seconds. It was walking distance from where I was, so I started the short journey to my room. I knew I'd sleep deeply after the fantastic day I had, and I looked forward to returning here sometime very soon.
