We asked for y’all to give us suggestions of must-adds to our Madison bucket list. Here are some ideas that your fellow Madisonians came up with 🌞
⛵Sail with Hoofers Sailing Club: Set sail on Lake Mendota and learn to sail with the Hoofers Sailing Club. The club is open to all levels, so if you are just beginning and want to try it out, they have lessons for you.
🎤Catch a set at La Fête de Marquette: This festival will take place at McPike Park from July 9-12. With artists from all around the world, this is a rare opportunity to see a bunch of different performances in one place.
⭐Enjoy live music at North Star Fest: This event will take place in the North Star neighborhood (formally the McClellan Park neighborhood) Aug. 1 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. With live music, food trucks, and family fun, there is much to do at this festival.
🍓Walk around a farmers market: The city has more than a dozen local markets across town selling farm-fresh produce, cheeses, meats, and more!
🥪Get lunch at the Memorial Union Terrace: With the best view in the city, the Terrace at Memorial Union is a great spot to grab a bite during the day. They also offer a variety of movie nights on the terrace, great to enjoy with friends and family.
🛶Rent a paddle board on Wingra: Wingra is a great place to rent different paddling and boating equipment. They also offer different fun events like full moon paddles or paddling out to an ice cream boat.
🌻See the sunflowers at Eugsters’ Farm: From July to August, the sunflowers at Eugsters’ Farm are in bloom. There are about 500,000 sunflowers to see across 15-acres — what a cool sight to see!
🎾Play tennis at Brittingham Park: Head on over to Brittingham Park to enjoy their courts in a friendly match of Tennis. Or maybe you would prefer pickle-ball? They also have courts for that!
This article was updated in 2026.
