Got the below tips from a Wisconsin fan:
100%, absolutely make it a point to stop at the Terrace at Memorial Union (not to be confused with Union South). The Terrace is right on Lake Mendota and is, easily, the most recognizable and popular place on campus. Great setting to grab a pitcher of beer and bite, hang on the lake, and listen to live music. Best people watching for sure. If you plan on buying beer, membership cards are required but you can purchase a one-day membership for $1 at the bar.
https://www.visitmadison.com/blog/stories/post/a-dozen-dont-miss-experiences-at-the-new-terrace/
After the Terrace, walk over to State Street Brats. This is the go-to spot for visiting fans. It's on a pedestrian-only street that connects Capitol Square to campus. Fun bar and restaurant. Get there before 5 as it gets pretty crowded. https://statestreetbrats.com/
After State Street Brats, I'd recommend walking up to the capital over to Wando's Bar. It's a fun bar with all ages. Will be packed by 8pm so get there early
https://wandosbar.com/
Breakfast
Mickie's Dairy Bar (Saturday will be packed with lines out of the door. Go Thursday or Friday)
Lunch
State Street Brats
Parthenon Gyros
Old Fashioned
Dotty Dumplings Dowry
North and South Seafood and Smokehouse
Mint Mark
Settle Down
Dinner: make reservations if available
Old Fashioned Tavern
Tornado Steak House
Settle Down Tavern (burgers/beer)
Heritage Tavern
Lucille (pizza)
Genna's
Harvey House
Willy Street: Weary Traveler, Grampa's, A Pig In A Fur Coat and Mickey's,
Downtown bars: all safe walking distance from downtown hotels
Cask and Ale
Paul's Club
Lucille - open-air bar on the main floor and a cool, subterranean cocktail lounge downstairs.
Genna's - nice cocktail bar
Great Dane Brewery
Young Blood makes much better beer than Great Dane but GD has a better atmosphere
Plain Spoke Cocktail Co. is a very small cocktail bar that is second floor above street level.
Argus is a fun, divey place that might be worth getting a beer.
Coopers Tavern has a great beer list. Seating can get tricky if bar seats aren't available, though.
College bars: Double U (rooftop bar), Wando's, KK, Chasers, Danny's
Double U and Wandos caters to all ages but gets student heavy after 9.
College and Capitol Square bars are pretty intertwined. Not much of a separation between the two, and it's only a short walk.
College bars will, of course, be much crazier and lines will really stretch on the weekend. If that's your vibe, find one and stick to it.
Capitol Square has a lot of bars and restaurants, and you're likely to encounter more young professionals. Capitol bars are much more laid back and grouped together. As you move down State Street, bars will be packed with undergrads and recent alumni. Willy Street is a pretty eclectic, hipster street with restaurants but there are a couple bars, breweries and distilleries
Gameday
Bama seating chart
SeatGeek tickets
Camp Randall Stripe Out seating chart
Camp Randall is in the middle of a neighborhood. Super unique in that way, which creates quite the pregame atmosphere. House parties along Breese and Lathrop, bars and beer gardens on Regent, and traditional tailgates in smaller lots. You find the best of everything.
Lucky's and Jordan's Big Ten both are awesome spots to pregame with a short walk to Camp Randall. Get there early (7am). Lucky's gets crowded but has a ton of space and I've never had much trouble getting a beer. They have a few bars scattered inside + ton of TVs. Pretty much every beer garden / bar on Regent will open doors between 7am - 8am for an 11am kick.
After the game, head back to Lucky's / Jordan's or towards the Capital Square where it will be mostly Bama fans
Family tailgate
Those bringing kids might want to check out the Badger Bash Tailgate (family friendly)
https://www.visitmadison.com/event/badger-bash:-wisconsin-vs-alabama/68401/
Join us 2½ hours before kickoff, every football home game, for gameday's best tailgate. Just steps from Camp Randall Stadium at Union South, Badger Bash offers food, drinks and entertainment—indoors and out. The Union has been hosting the family-friendly Badger Bash for 50 years. This event is free, open to the public and we welcome our opponents' fans, too. The more, the merrier!
Badger Bash Features:
UW–Madison Marching Band performance (approx. 1.5 hrs before kickoff)
UW–Madison Spirit Squad performances
Local celebrity emcees
Fun & games by our sponsors
Live music
Fresh, hot food & beverage options
Parking info
https://uwbadgers.com/documents/2023/8/23/23FB-BuckyShuttleMap.pdf
https://transportation.wisc.edu/event-parking/#athletics-parking
Things to see/do in Madison
Madison is on an isthmus and, more specifically, campus lines Lake Mendota. Walk Lakeshore Path from the Terrace to Picnic Point. Quite the walk, but very relaxing and good way to burn some steps after the food and beer. This route also takes you near the west side of campus, which includes UW Health (second-largest employer in the state) and some of the non-revenue sports complexes.
Walk SW on Monroe St. near Camp Randall. Grab an early AM breakfast at Mickies, walk it off near Lake Wingra, then stop at some boutiques on Monroe.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Wisconsin State Capital
Memorial Union Terrace
Dane County Farmer's Market
Madison Children's Museum
Wisconsin Veterans Musuem
University Geology Musuem
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art
100%, absolutely make it a point to stop at the Terrace at Memorial Union (not to be confused with Union South). The Terrace is right on Lake Mendota and is, easily, the most recognizable and popular place on campus. Great setting to grab a pitcher of beer and bite, hang on the lake, and listen to live music. Best people watching for sure. If you plan on buying beer, membership cards are required but you can purchase a one-day membership for $1 at the bar.
https://www.visitmadison.com/blog/stories/post/a-dozen-dont-miss-experiences-at-the-new-terrace/
After the Terrace, walk over to State Street Brats. This is the go-to spot for visiting fans. It's on a pedestrian-only street that connects Capitol Square to campus. Fun bar and restaurant. Get there before 5 as it gets pretty crowded. https://statestreetbrats.com/
After State Street Brats, I'd recommend walking up to the capital over to Wando's Bar. It's a fun bar with all ages. Will be packed by 8pm so get there early
https://wandosbar.com/
Breakfast
Mickie's Dairy Bar (Saturday will be packed with lines out of the door. Go Thursday or Friday)
Lunch
State Street Brats
Parthenon Gyros
Old Fashioned
Dotty Dumplings Dowry
North and South Seafood and Smokehouse
Mint Mark
Settle Down
Dinner: make reservations if available
Old Fashioned Tavern
Tornado Steak House
Settle Down Tavern (burgers/beer)
Heritage Tavern
Lucille (pizza)
Genna's
Harvey House
Willy Street: Weary Traveler, Grampa's, A Pig In A Fur Coat and Mickey's,
Downtown bars: all safe walking distance from downtown hotels
Cask and Ale
Paul's Club
Lucille - open-air bar on the main floor and a cool, subterranean cocktail lounge downstairs.
Genna's - nice cocktail bar
Great Dane Brewery
Young Blood makes much better beer than Great Dane but GD has a better atmosphere
Plain Spoke Cocktail Co. is a very small cocktail bar that is second floor above street level.
Argus is a fun, divey place that might be worth getting a beer.
Coopers Tavern has a great beer list. Seating can get tricky if bar seats aren't available, though.
College bars: Double U (rooftop bar), Wando's, KK, Chasers, Danny's
Double U and Wandos caters to all ages but gets student heavy after 9.
College and Capitol Square bars are pretty intertwined. Not much of a separation between the two, and it's only a short walk.
College bars will, of course, be much crazier and lines will really stretch on the weekend. If that's your vibe, find one and stick to it.
Capitol Square has a lot of bars and restaurants, and you're likely to encounter more young professionals. Capitol bars are much more laid back and grouped together. As you move down State Street, bars will be packed with undergrads and recent alumni. Willy Street is a pretty eclectic, hipster street with restaurants but there are a couple bars, breweries and distilleries
Gameday
Bama seating chart
SeatGeek tickets
Camp Randall Stripe Out seating chart
Camp Randall is in the middle of a neighborhood. Super unique in that way, which creates quite the pregame atmosphere. House parties along Breese and Lathrop, bars and beer gardens on Regent, and traditional tailgates in smaller lots. You find the best of everything.
Lucky's and Jordan's Big Ten both are awesome spots to pregame with a short walk to Camp Randall. Get there early (7am). Lucky's gets crowded but has a ton of space and I've never had much trouble getting a beer. They have a few bars scattered inside + ton of TVs. Pretty much every beer garden / bar on Regent will open doors between 7am - 8am for an 11am kick.
After the game, head back to Lucky's / Jordan's or towards the Capital Square where it will be mostly Bama fans
Family tailgate
Those bringing kids might want to check out the Badger Bash Tailgate (family friendly)
https://www.visitmadison.com/event/badger-bash:-wisconsin-vs-alabama/68401/
Join us 2½ hours before kickoff, every football home game, for gameday's best tailgate. Just steps from Camp Randall Stadium at Union South, Badger Bash offers food, drinks and entertainment—indoors and out. The Union has been hosting the family-friendly Badger Bash for 50 years. This event is free, open to the public and we welcome our opponents' fans, too. The more, the merrier!
Badger Bash Features:
UW–Madison Marching Band performance (approx. 1.5 hrs before kickoff)
UW–Madison Spirit Squad performances
Local celebrity emcees
Fun & games by our sponsors
Live music
Fresh, hot food & beverage options
Parking info
https://uwbadgers.com/documents/2023/8/23/23FB-BuckyShuttleMap.pdf
https://transportation.wisc.edu/event-parking/#athletics-parking
Things to see/do in Madison
Madison is on an isthmus and, more specifically, campus lines Lake Mendota. Walk Lakeshore Path from the Terrace to Picnic Point. Quite the walk, but very relaxing and good way to burn some steps after the food and beer. This route also takes you near the west side of campus, which includes UW Health (second-largest employer in the state) and some of the non-revenue sports complexes.
Walk SW on Monroe St. near Camp Randall. Grab an early AM breakfast at Mickies, walk it off near Lake Wingra, then stop at some boutiques on Monroe.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Wisconsin State Capital
Memorial Union Terrace
Dane County Farmer's Market
Madison Children's Museum
Wisconsin Veterans Musuem
University Geology Musuem
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art
