Madison, Wisconsin, may not be the first place you think of for a summer trip, but it’s now one of Google’s top 10 trending U.S. destinations for summer 2025—and once you visit, you’ll see why.
Madison sits between two beautiful lakes—Lake Mendota and Lake Monona—offering peaceful water views almost everywhere. It’s one of only two U.S. cities built on an isthmus (the other is Seattle). This charming city, with around 280,000 people, is also Wisconsin’s capital and proudly known as “America’s Dairyland.”
Madison has a mix of culture, nature, and food. If you’re a cheese lover, don’t miss Fromagination, where you can try unique local cheeses. Just 14 miles away in Paoli, the Seven Acre Dairy Company is a cool place with a hotel, restaurant, and ice cream made in a former dairy factory.
Madison’s Farmers’ Market is the largest producers-only market in the country, held at Capitol Square every Saturday from April to November. Even in winter, you can explore the smaller Late Winter Market inside the beautiful Garver Feed Mill.
For nature lovers, Olbrich Botanical Gardens has a special Thai Pavilion built without nails—brought from Bangkok by skilled Thai artisans.
Foodies will enjoy Madison’s global dining scene. Try Ahan, a Laos-inspired restaurant by chef Jamie Brown-Soukaseume, or grab tasty Russian dumplings at Paul’s Pel’meni for just $7. Want Taiwanese flavors? Taiwan Little Eats serves delicious pork rice that tastes just like it does in Taiwan.
Madison is also the hometown of the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. You can visit two of his iconic sites: Monona Terrace and the First Unitarian Society Meeting House.
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