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Yes, Boston, the lakes are dirty. And that is QUITE disappointing. We try to boat on them all summer long, and are constantly having to put 'er in reverse to clean the weeds off the prop.
Another issue with the Madison lakes is that water generally flows into them but not out of them, so they remain rather stagnant. It's not uncommon to have bacteria warnings for swimmers in the summer. Boating the middle of the lakes is usually not a problem, but if you want to play in the water near shore, you'd better be ready to scratch some itches when you are finished!
Geographically, Madison doesn't seem to me as pretty as other places where I have lived before ( I've lived in San Francisco and San Diego in California and Portland and Bend in Oregon), but the fact that the city is located in an isthmus between two big lakes, gives it a special beauty.
Next summer. if you have not already, be sure to take a day trip up to Devil's Lake. Make sure to go a little out of the way so you can cross the Wisconsin river on the Merrimac ferry. And speaking of the Wisconsin, consider another longer day trip (maybe weekend) to go canoeing on the Lower Wisconsin, south of Arena. there are plenty of places to rent from, google. Practice your stroke first by going to Wingra Park in Madison and renting some canoes or kayaks to go out into the Arboretum. And consider checking out the bluffs of the Mississippi, and/or Governor Dodge State Park on the way there. And take another weekend camping up north, or maybe a bit less far away to Richland county and soak up the gently rolling Amish country there, complete with buggies on the road.
Closer to home, there are some very beautiful places just beyond Middleton (in the glacial driftless area, geographically speaking). The beauty is much more subtle than maybe a mountainous location, but it's there. A couple years ago one a luxury car commercial (which are all about emotions, not the car itself) was actually filmed out there, of the car driving some of those rural roads, with lots of aerial shots. Those same roads are very popular with recreational bikers (of which there are supposedly more here than anywhere else in the country). For what that may tell you.
Just a few ideas. If you didn't pick it up, most of the more beautiful places are to the west & north. That includes inside the city as well. The east side and beyond is just converted flat farms where houses were popped down in rectangular grids (like most of the rest of Wisconsin). The west side, however, actually has 10'-20' cliffs in a couple places!
Next summer. if you have not already, be sure to take a day trip up to Devil's Lake. Make sure to go a little out of the way so you can cross the Wisconsin river on the Merrimac ferry. And speaking of the Wisconsin, consider another longer day trip (maybe weekend) to go canoeing on the Lower Wisconsin, south of Arena. there are plenty of places to rent from, google. Practice your stroke first by going to Wingra Park in Madison and renting some canoes or kayaks to go out into the Arboretum. And consider checking out the bluffs of the Mississippi, and/or Governor Dodge State Park on the way there. And take another weekend camping up north, or maybe a bit less far away to Richland county and soak up the gently rolling Amish country there, complete with buggies on the road.
Closer to home, there are some very beautiful places just beyond Middleton (in the glacial driftless area, geographically speaking). The beauty is much more subtle than maybe a mountainous location, but it's there. A couple years ago one a luxury car commercial (which are all about emotions, not the car itself) was actually filmed out there, of the car driving some of those rural roads, with lots of aerial shots. Those same roads are very popular with recreational bikers (of which there are supposedly more here than anywhere else in the country). For what that may tell you.
Just a few ideas. If you didn't pick it up, most of the more beautiful places are to the west & north. That includes inside the city as well. The east side and beyond is just converted flat farms where houses were popped down in rectangular grids (like most of the rest of Wisconsin). The west side, however, actually has 10'-20' cliffs in a couple places!
Good Points Mark,
Wisconsin does have alot to offer as Mark stated. I want to touch up on a few.
Devils Lake State park is beautiful. Here a few of my suggestions if you go. Take 113 to Lodi up to the ferry(which is free of course!) and about 5 minutes after you dock on the other side you can enter Devils Lake State Park and head west into the South Shore area of the park.
Canoeing on the Wisconsin River is a great idea, it's also something I've been wanting to do for some time now.
Canoeing on the Kickapoo River is the most fun I hear.
How about a drive down River Road also known as Highway 35. It's considered a scenic byway.
A little closer to home you will find Indian Lake County Park a nice area. I've only driven past a few times but I do plan on making a stop.
Governor Nelson State Park looks like a fun place too! How about a ride down to New Glarus on the bike trail? Southwest Dane county and Northern Green County are absolutely beautiful.
I'll second the plugs for Devils Lake, and to an extent, Indian Lake.
At Devil's Lake, park at the South Shore, and do a hiking loop around the lake. Take the Balanced Rock trail up the steep side of the East Bluff, enjoy the views, and then take a more leisurely stroll down one of the trails to the North Shore. Stop for refreshments and people watch by the beach, then decide how strenuous you want the return trip to be. If you want more climbing and views, take the West Bluff trail. If you'd rather stay on flatter ground, take the Tumbled Rocks trail along the west shore. Both trails will meet up on the southwest corner of the lake, and then you can follow the trail around the southern part of the lake back to the South Shore area. If you're taking the ferry across Lake Wisconsin, I would also highly recommend a short detour to Parfrey's Glen, which is off Hwy DL to the east of Hwy 113 ... DL splits off of 113 a short distance south of the road that take you to the South Shore. You'll need your State Parks sticker for that as well. I haven't been back to the Glen since they've had a couple of big floods, and while the first part of the trail from the parking lot is pretty boring, the end makes up for it.
As for Indian Lake, it is a very picturesque park. It's a huge place, and I actually wish the County would add a few more activities (campground, playground, disc golf, etc) to get more people out there to enjoy it. They've got plenty of room to make it more like Lake Farm and Token Creek parks. Right now, it's good for cross-country skiers, dog walkers, and hikers, and small non-gas-powered boats on the lake.
[quote=JoshB;22976871]
Canoeing on the Wisconsin River is a great idea, it's also something I've been wanting to do for some time now.
quote]
great idea, just be careful where you paddle, if closer to Mazo (and if that "special beach" is still open) a family can get quite the 'scenery shot'. I took a canoe trip years back and ohhhhhhhh was i surprised as i didnt know those beaches existed in the states let alone little old WI lol
seriously, the Madison chain can get bad, one of the reasons we got burnt out up there trying to boat more then the couple month summer season. If you are on them in spring they are usually fine (well, a wee bit chilly for swimming though); it's the summer when the algae bloom kicks in that can be maddening. So trips to Devils Lake, perhaps Gov Dodge park, etc can allow for more water recreation
I relocated from San Diego to Madison, around 9 months ago. Not only I was working crazy long hours in San Diego and never had time to see my son, but the money did not stretch any far. In general our quality of life there was really poor. I started looking for a peaceful place where I could afford raising my family on one income while my wife stays home with our toddler (until he's old enough to go to school so my wife can work again).
For many reasons, we are very happy that we had the opportunity to move to Madison. It's big enough to provide a good number of cultural and entertaining options that are not available in smaller places, and it's small enough to keep an affordable cost of living that seems impossible to find in major metropolitan centers. While Madison is not dirt cheap is certainly way more affordable than other cities in the country......
........As one starts getting away from downtown, Madison becomes rural. It doesn't take a long drive to start viewing farms, silos and barns – but the important thing is that there are options and one can decide to spend most of the time around the center of the city of go a bit farther away for a different scene. Another great thing about Madison is that is located just two and half hours away from Chicago, and about five hours from Minneapolis. Getting to two both cities in case of needing a "city fix" is easy as the roads are safe and nice to drive........
...............Madison is more diverse than I thought. Some friends alerted me that Madison was "too white" and that there wasn't enough diversity. As majority of the population is certainly white, I think there is diversity in the city which can be appreciated everywhere. From a socio-economic point of view, there seems to be the slight difference between the east and the west sides of the city. The west side seems more suburban and "newer" while the east looks a bit older and rougher. This difference of course is just a personal perception. Both sides of the city provide great options, and I don't think one is better than the other.
The weather is certainly an issue. It's pretty hot in summer and extremely cold in the winter (everybody will tease about the winter if you are not from here). As much as I don't like the cold, the weather is not for me the only factor that should be taken into consideration when deciding to move to a city. I think the benefits of Madison in term of culture, possibilities and a quality of life outweigh the harsh weather. My family and I are really happy with our life in Madison and we think we made the right decision when moving here.
Welcome to Wisconsin, good to have you! I think many people,when they go from one extreme to another, no matter where they relocate to/from, they may not realize that lifestyles are completely different and its a culture shock. Some blame their new location for being 'not-so-friendly' when its simply because they may be used to one lifestyle and carry that with them to an area where the lifestyles are a bit different and the residents who have lived there long time will not change, shouldnt have to.
Ill admit, WI isnt the only place where some Californians might feel out of place. Someone from S Dakota might feel a bit disappointed if they relocated to someplace like Boston, or someone from GA moving to Seattle...again, two different lifestyles that might cause a person to think their new 'home' isnt as what they thought it would be, its just...well...you get the picture.
Again, welcome to WI. Madison is indeed is an amazing city, but being a small town gal, I wouldnt fit in comfortably out there.
great idea, just be careful where you paddle, if closer to Mazo (and if that "special beach" is still open) a family can get quite the 'scenery shot'. I took a canoe trip years back and ohhhhhhhh was i surprised as i didnt know those beaches existed in the states let alone little old WI lol
seriously, the Madison chain can get bad, one of the reasons we got burnt out up there trying to boat more then the couple month summer season. If you are on them in spring they are usually fine (well, a wee bit chilly for swimming though); it's the summer when the algae bloom kicks in that can be maddening. So trips to Devils Lake, perhaps Gov Dodge park, etc can allow for more water recreation
Ranger, The Mazo nude beach is still open. Although the DNR has a heavy law enforcement presence as far as I know. I know that it has been surrounded with some controversy.
It would be nice if Amtrak went from Chicago to Milwaukee to Madison to Minneapolis at a decent speed. Maybe some day.
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