Conference Photos

Uniquely Madison

Capitol Building (2 blocks or 0.2 miles from the Hilton)
A beautiful building worth walking through, even if you don't take time for a tour. This is the true heart of the city.

Dane County Farmers' Market (0.2 miles from the Hilton, market surrounds the Capitol Building)
From the last weekend of April through the first weekend of November, the Capitol Square is transformed every Saturday morning into a bustling market with locally grown produce, honey and syrup, jams, bakery treats, flowers and plants, and, of course, cheese! The market starts at 6:00 am on Saturday, so there's plenty of time to make it to the square for coffee and the true Madison market experience before conference sessions begin.

Lake Shore Path (1.4 miles from the Hilton, path begins just to the west of the Student Union)
See Walks in Downtown Madison for directions on finding this path. Imagine how lovely it is to be a student or staff at the UW and have this walk be a regular part of your day getting across campus. Stop along the way to see the Allen Centennial Gardens, which serve as an outdoor classroom in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

State Street (0.5 miles from the Hilton)
Connecting the State Capitol to the University campus, this stretch of 6 blocks offers a variety of shops and restaurants, not to mention museums, galleries and libraries.

Student Union and Union Terrace (1.4 miles from the Hilton)
Ask UW alumni what defines the Madison experience, and they will answer "The Terrace!" Located on Lake Mendota, you can sit at the signature tables and chairs to watch the lake activity, sip a beer from the excellent selection of brews available at the Union Rathskeller bar (just inside from the Terrace) and enjoy the ultimate place to hang out on campus. Live music is often available on weekends.

University of Wisconsin-Madison (Slide show) (1.2 miles from the Hilton)
For things to see and do on campus see the Campus Information and Visitor Center (CIVC)

Willy Street (0.5 miles from the Hilton)
The Williamson St. (affectionately known as Willy St.) neighborhood defines Madison's hip east side. Every fall the Willy St. Fair brings out the Madisonians who wish the 1960's had never ended. The Willy St. Coop (in a new gentrified building) is a fantastic place for organic and bulk foods, and you can find interesting shops and restaurants along the mile-long stretch that starts just a couple blocks east of the Monona Terrace.

Away from the Downtown, here are some other areas in Madison worth exploring if you have the chance:

Monroe Street (2.3 miles from the Hilton)
On the near west side this is often considered the perfect neighborhood. Close enough to walk to campus, near parks, lakes and the zoo; the Monroe Street neighborhood has it all. The shopping area boasts locally owned boutiques, galleries and restaurants.

Hilldale Mall (4 miles from the Hilton)
Tired of all malls looking the same? Hilldale Mall sits on university property and, therefore, avoids the cookie-cutter mall feel. Anchored by Marshall Fields, most of the stores within are locally owned.

Olbrich Botanical Gardens (3.3 miles from the Hilton)
Spring bulbs should be in full bloom in the outside gardens, and the indoor tropical conservatory is in bloom all year long. Visit the newly opened Thai Pavilion, one of only three of its kind outside of Thailand, a gift to the UW-Madison from the Thai government and the university's Thai alumni association.

University of Wisconsin Arboretum (2.1 miles from the Hilton)
You can bike, walk or drive through the Arboretum and enjoy countless varieties of lilacs blooming every May. It can be used as a park, but the main mission of the Arboretum is research and information about collections of restored ecological communities. It borders Madison's smallest lake, Wingra, across from Vilas Park on the near west side.