trip to madison, possible move next summer (Milwaukee, Monona: where to stay, rent)

[tennesseegal2011]

I am considering attending Occupational Therapy school in Madison, and since my fiancee and I live in Tennessee right now, we are coming up for three or four days in October. We know for sure we will tour the campus one day, but we want a feel for the restaurants, neighborhoods, shopping, things to do, outdoorsy activities, thing a couple in their twenties (on a budget lol) would do for fun. Can anyone suggest places we should go, where to eat, where to stay, things to check out?

[r_k]

Re. outdoorsy activities, a couple of ideas, weather permitting:

(1) Rent bikes from that place at the corner of Williamson St and John Nolen Drive, and go for a bike ride around Lake Monona.

(2) If you have a car, drive out to Devil's Lake state park. Either going or coming cross the Wisconsin River via the free ferry at Merrimac.

If you're here on a Saturday morning, spend an hour or two at the Farmers Market around the Capitol Square downtown.

Perhaps visit the free Henry Vilas zoo and neighboring Vilas Park and beach next to Lake Wingra.

[Drover]

I never got tired of strolling State Street and some of the side streets right off it on a Saturday afternoon. You'll have plenty of dining options there. Saturday evening is a different story...

[MassVt]

State Street, the state capital, the UW Terrace down by Lake Mendota, perhaps the Kohl Center and Camp Randall Stadium, walk along University Avenue and tour the campus, etc.

Just remember that if you relocate to Madison, winter will be a different story. There's a big difference between Nashville/Memphis and Madison/Milwaukee.

[tennesseegal2011]

I know the winter is very different, but how much so in terms of snow, cloudy days and temps? I LOVE cold weather, love snow, and down here my car ac is on in January cause I get hot in the car when its in the 20s and 30s...my fiancee is a slightly different story lol

[CJG228]

Originally Posted by tennesseegal2011

I know the winter is very different, but how much so in terms of snow, cloudy days and temps? I LOVE cold weather, love snow, and down here my car ac is on in January cause I get hot in the car when its in the 20s and 30s...my fiancee is a slightly different story lol

You'll definitely get your fill of cold weather in the winter. It can still be sunny a lot of days, but you'll be lucky to get temps in the 20's and 30's in January and February. Some days, the highs only get to the teens, and schools have been known to cancel for extreme cold weather. Don't be discouraged though, it's not bitterly cold that long. As far as snow goes, some winters get a lot, like six feet or more, other winters you don't see a whole lot, but you'll always see some.

[r_k]

Originally Posted by tennesseegal2011

I know the winter is very different, but how much so in terms of snow, cloudy days and temps? I LOVE cold weather, love snow, and down here my car ac is on in January cause I get hot in the car when its in the 20s and 30s...my fiancee is a slightly different story lol

I am glad you love cold weather, because you'll get plenty of it. The winters in Madison are both quantitatively and qualitatively different than Tennessee. You did not mention a city, so I picked Nashville for some comparisons:

Coldest month (January): Avg hi/lo Nashville:46/26, Madison:25/7
Madison has five months each year (Nov to Mar) that are colder than the coldest month in Nashville.

Snowfall: (annual average 1971-2000): Nashville: 8.5 in Madison: 50 in.

Coldest recorded temp (degs F): Nashville: -17 Madison: -37

Speaking from personal experience, I'd say the main thing is the winters in Wisconsin eventually get wearisome due to the length (6 or 7 months) of the cold and extreme dryness.

At the same time, there are days of immense beauty and silence that are breathtaking (sometimes this is due to frostbite of the lungs, lol).

And you can learn new sports like ice fishing.

Overall I think you'll enjoy them and I would not let them stop anyone form moving here.