I will be coming to Madison November 5 - 8 to watch my alma mater, THE Rutgers University, likely get pummeled by the Badgers. We intend to have a fantastic time, nonetheless. So, Madison Dopers, I ask thee, what should we not miss while in town?
The game time on Saturday hasn’t been announced yet. We arrive Thursday morning and leave Sunday afternoon. Give me your best insider info to enjoy our trip!
The Memorial Union, on campus. Early November is likely to be too cold to enjoy the Union Terrace, and the view of Lake Mendota (and they will likely have put the outdoor chairs into storage by then), but it’s still a quaint place, and you should get a drink at Der Rathskeller there.
Thanks. The weather seems to have a wide range of possibilities at that time of year.
There are some nice museums on Campus. The Chazen Art Museum and the Geology Museum.
Try a supper club. The Best Supper Clubs in the Madison Area - City Cast Madison
Oh, and while at the Union, try some Babcock Hall ice cream. Made by the University.
The State Capitol building itself is worth a visit, that can be incorporated into a easy walking tour that takes in the campus area by the Memorial Union and State Street. You’ll miss the good fall colors but a walk along the Lakeshore Path from the Union into campus along Lake Mendota is another highlight, especially if the weather is mild that weekend.
Bring ear plugs to games, don’t get tinnitus.
Awesome, thanks!
Related to this: definitely stay at the game through to the end. You will want to experience:
For certain. It might be in the 60s and gorgeous; it might snow.
Looking forward to it either way!
And while there, if you are a person who consumes alcohol and you have never had one before, you must have a Wisconsin Old Fashioned. It is not like the traditional version (a Chicago invention originally). It’s its own thing. It’s made with brandy. It usually has muddled oranges and cherries. It has 7-Up. It frequently has a splash of sour mix.
Done well, it’s a thing of beauty. But don’t go in expecting a traditional Old Fashioned (which is also a thing of beauty).
I am a whiskey guy and love a traditional Old Fashioned. Thanks for the heads up. I will give it a try.
Wisconsin is in love with brandy. AIUI, the state has the highest per-capita consumption of brandy i the U.S., and maybe in the world.
(And I am writing this from a hotel room in Green Bay, the town where I grew up. 
)
I was born in Neenah. Spent the first 2.5 years or so of my life in Omro, and then was raised in Sister Bay.
Brandy was the first hard alcohol I ever tasted.
Goddamned Cold ----> Unbearably Cold!
Dress warm, Drink! Have Fun!
The game was originally scheduled at 12:30 but moved to 4:15. I’m assuming it’s going to be pretty cold by the end of the game.
We are flying in late Thursday morning. Looks like it might be rainy,
Really looking forward to checking out Madison and Camp Randall.
That depends on what you consider cold. The current forecast for Saturday is sunny with a high of 49, and a low of 42. So, yeah, it’ll undoubtedly cool off some over the course of the game, but not below freezing. Hat and gloves and a good jacket are probably in order.
Yeah, that’s not too bad. I feel like the low for Saturday is being projected a few degrees warmer than the last time I checked.
Had a great time in Madison! The weather was pretty great, overall. The atmosphere on game day was awesome. Spent some time at a few of the bars near the stadium before the game. The Badger fans were super friendly and welcoming. Found a bunch of fellow Rutgers fans too.
Madison was fun. The Capitol building lives up to the hype (and had the cleanest restrooms I have ever seen in a public space.) The cheese curds and Brandy Old Fashioneds were tasty. Went to a supper club (not exactly sure I get the hype there, it just seemed like a regular restaurant to us.)
Overall, the city was very clean; the people were friendly and the lake views were great.
Yay, glad you had a good weekend. Not sure how much fall foliage was left for your visit but this weeks UW alumni email included this photo essay of fall on campus.