home Plan Your Madison Golf Trip in 60 Seconds College-town energy with championship-caliber public golf
Madison punches above its weight with a walkable downtown isthmus between two lakes, a top-tier food and bar scene driven by UW-Madison, and several excellent public courses. University Ridge hosted the NCAA Division I championships and Steve Stricker's AmFam Championship is a PGA Tour Champions stop.
The best courses, bars, and rentals in Madison — curated for groups.
5 coursesSpring, Summer, Fall MSN (15 min drive)50-200k population
Courses Where to Stay house Sleeps 12-16
$600-$1800/night
Lake Mendota and Lake Monona shoreline
full kitchen lake views fire pit dock hot tub parking
house Sleeps 10-14
$400-$1000/night
Middleton and Verona suburbs
full kitchen parking grill washer/dryer game room
Dining
Tornado Steak House $$$ steakhouse Madison institution — old-school supper club with huge steaks, strong pours, and a retro vibe
The Old Fashioned $ casual Wisconsin comfort food — cheese curds, brats, Friday fish fry, and the state's best brandy Old Fashioned
Heritage Tavern $$$ farm-to-table Refined farm-to-table on Capitol Square — creative seasonal menus with Wisconsin ingredients
Graze $ casual Dane County farmers' market-driven menu right on the Capitol Square — great brunch spot too
Nightlife
The Tipsy Cow Late Night dive Capitol Square dive with strong drinks and a rowdy late-night scene — classic college-town energy
Karben4 Brewing brewpub Madison's favorite taproom — creative brews, trivia nights, and a spacious beer garden
Merchant Late Night cocktail Prohibition-era craft cocktail bar — exposed brick, dim lighting, and expertly made drinks
The Terrace at Memorial Union patio UW-Madison's legendary lakeside terrace — pitchers of Spotted Cow and sunset views over Lake Mendota
Activities Capitol Square Bar Crawl brewery 2-3 hours $20-$40/pp
Walk the full square hitting dive bars, cocktail lounges, and brewpubs — everything is within blocks
Lake Mendota Boat Rental boat rental half day $40-$80/pp
Pontoon or speedboat on Lake Mendota — swimming, tubing, and views of the Capitol dome
Vitense Golfland go karts 2-3 hours $15-$35/pp
Driving range, mini golf, go-karts, and batting cages — competitive group warm-up
Cave of the Mounds hiking 2-3 hours $20-$30/pp
National Natural Landmark — guided underground cave tour 25 min west of Madison
