|
Visitors' Center
- Just five blocks from the State Capitol on Washington Avenue, the
Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau is ready to welcome and
guide you. Phone them (toll free) at 1-800-373-6376.
From I-90 eastbound, take exit 135-A and follow US-151 into
Madison. The Visitors' Center is at the end of the block after Blount
Street.
From I-90 westbound, take exit 142-A and follow the US-12 freeway
westbound to exit 261. Exit and follow US-151 northbound into Madison
and around Lake Monona. On the far side of the lake US-151 turns left
onto Blair Street, goes 4 blocks to Washington Avenue and turns right.
The Visitors' Center is there.
Allen Centennial
Gardens - Maintained by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Dept of
Horticulture to "provide state-of-the-art demonstrations and
information on the use of traditional and novel horticultural plants in
diverse landscape settings", the 2.5 acre Allen Centennial Gardens
are a 'must see' for all gardeners.
Open daily from dawn to dusk. Admission is FREE.
For more information, phone the Department of Horticulture at
1-608-262-1490. UW has a page on their web site about the Gardens at AllenCentennialGardens.
From the visitors' center (see
above)
continue to the end of the block and turn right. Drive to Gorham Street
and turn left. Drive to State Street (this is the street that intersects
Gorham at a 45º angle) and turn right. Drive to the end and turn left.
Go 1 block and turn left again. Go 1 block and turn right. The
Horticulture Building and Allen Centennial Gardens are about 400 yards
down the street (1575 Linden Drive).
(continued top of column 2)
|
|
(continued
from column 1)
UW-Madison
Arboretum - More the 'normal' arboretum, this 1,280 site includes
wetlands, forests, & the Curtis Prairie, the world's oldest restored
tallgrass prairie. The facility (trails and landscaped areas) is open 7a
to 10p daily except holidays. The McKay Visitor Center is open from 9a
to 4p weekdays and 12:30 to 4p weekends. Also closed holidays. Admission
is FREE.
From the visitors' center (see
above) which is on Washington Avenue where Washington is also
US-151, follow the US-151 signs (the route takes an immediate left turn
at Blair Street) to the US-12 freeway. Using the westbound on-ramp,
merge with US-12 and follow it to the Seminole Highway exit. Exit and
turn right on Seminole. The Arboretum is at 1207 Seminole Hwy - a little
more than 4 blocks from the off-ramp.
For more information, phone 1-608-263-7888 or visit their web
page at GardenWeb.
Monona Terrace
- A community and convention center inspired by famed architect Frank
Lloyd Wright, this beautiful structure is located on the north shore of
Lake Monona.
To best view the Monona Terrace we suggest you drive to Olin Park
- also on the lake. From the visitors' center (see
above)
which is on Washington Avenue where Washington is also US-151, follow
the US-151 signs (the route takes an immediate left turn at Blair
Street) to the lake front where US-151 becomes John Nolan Drive. Follow
the lake shore staying on John Nolan Drive (US-151 turns right away from
the lake but you continue straight), crossing the lake on the causeway.
On the other side of the causeway, take the first street on your left
(Lakeside Street) and follow it around to Olin Park. Now you have a
splendid view of Monona
Terrace - and downtown Madison.
Bascom and
Observatory Hills - For over 150 years, staff members of the UW
botany and horticulture departments have worked to improve the cultivars
and trees on the UW campus. The results of these efforts are self
evident. The Environmental Management office has just completed several
self-guided tours that loop around both Bascom Hill and Observatory
Hill. Stops along these walks are accented with posted signs that
identify the names and origins of the trees. Also, an informational
brochure including a route map is available for each walk. If you would
like to take these walks, phone the department at 1-608-265-3417.
Visitors are very welcome.
|