Why We Went: Mike and moved to Madison, WI from Michigan for Mike’s new job. Though we’d never been to Madison before his interview (true story), we’d had the city on our radar as a potential place to relocate.
When We Went: We moved to Madison in May 2018 and have been here since!
What We Love: Madison is an ideal blend of big city amenaties without all the crowds. Madison has a great food scene, tons of outdoor recreation options (year-round), and festivals nearly every weekend in the warm months. We’ve hosted friends and family with a wide variety of tastes and interests, and every one has left Madison impressed with what our new home has to offer!
The Plan: Madison, WI
The Logistics
Getting There: Madison is located about a 2.5 hour drive north of Chicago, 1.25 hours west of Milwaukee, and about a 4 hour drive from Milwaukee. Madison also has a great regional airport, Dane County Regional Airport, with 24 (and counting!) non-stop destinations, including Detroit, Washington D.C., New York, Las Angeles, and Atlanta.
Getting Around: In Madison, biking is king. The city is one of 5 Platinum Level bike-friendly cities in the country, and we have miles and miles of dedicated bike paths and lanes throughout the city and surrounding suburbs. The bike sharing program, BCycle, is located all over the city, and as of summer 2019, Madison has an all-electric fleet!
Uber and Lyft, as well as a public bus system, are also widely available if pedaling or walking isn’t your thing.
If you stay near downtown, you should have no need for a car.
Where To Stay: We recommend staying near downtown, but note that prices can skyrocket on UW Football homegames. Madison has plenty of the chain hotels that you’d expect, but we like:
- HotelRed– A modern boutique hotel, slightly outside of downtown, across from the UW football stadium and right on the popular Monroe Street.
- The Graduate– A boutique hotel with quirky decor located right next to campus.
Affordability: Unless you’re coming to stay during a UW Football game, or trying to stay downtown Madison shouldn’t break the bank.
- One night at 3* Hotel: $150 per night in the winter, closer to $200 in the summer or more during popular festivals
- Pitcher of beer and a basket of cheese curds at the UW Union: $20
- Monthly BCycle Pass: $20 (best for if you’re staying for a weekend)
Why Madison?
To be honest, Dubai wasn’t at the top of our travel bucket list, as we’d often heard it referred to of the “Las Vegas of the Middle East’. Truthfully, Dubai was a bit over the top for our tastes, and a little lacking on history and culture (most of the city has been built in the last 18 years) but we were so glad that we had the opportunity to travel there together and experience a bit of a truly remarkable and modern city
We’d recommend visiting Dubai to experience:
A Desert Safari
We took a desert safari with Platinum Heritage Tours, and it was truly the highlight of our trip. We were driven about an hour outside of Dubai into the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, where we trekked through the desert on camels to a recreation of a traditional Bedouin (nomadic tribe) camp. There, we experienced a falconry demonstration, were treated to an amazing traditional meal and entertainment under the stars. Read more about our experience here.
Over-the-top Architecture and Attractions
Dubai is known for always trying to outdo itself with the biggest, tallest, best of everything. Dubai is home to the world’s biggest mall (Dubai Mall), the tallest building in the world (Burj Khalifa). You’ll also find a wide range of over-the-top attractions like an indoor ski hill, a ‘Miracle Garden’, and the world’s only 7-star hotel (Burj Al Arab).
International Cuisine
Dubai is a very diverse city, with people traveling from around the world to work, do business, and vacation there. That means access to a wide range of international cuisines- while there we ate Emerati, Lebanese, Japanese, British, Indian, and we barely scratched the surface of what was available.
Dubai is also known for it’s fine dining and unique dining experiences including dining under water or suspended up in the air!
Our Must Have Experiences
What To Plan For
- Though a mid-sized city, popular attractions can get busy! For example, the popular Saturday Dane County Farmers Market gets super crowded, so it’s best to go early (before 8:30am if you can swing it.) We’ve found that, when you go first thing in the morning, you can take your time to browse the stalls and farmers are more likely to hand out free samples!
- There are three lakes within Madison city limits, so plan to enjoy the water! All three lakes have canoe, kayak, paddle board rentals, and the largest lake, Lake Mendota, also has pontoon rentals. If getting in the water isn’t your thing, you can also grab a drink or snack on the UW Union Terrace or the Monona Terrace and watch the boaters.
- Madison seems to host a ton of festivals many of them free. Be sure to check out local calendars before your trip to see what is going on during your trip!
- There are some amazing food options in Madison, but popular restaurants can get busy, especially on the weekends. If you have your heart set on some specific dining experiences, try making reservations in advance.
- Like a true mid-western city, Madison weather can change on a dime, especially during the fall and spring. Pack layers, even in the summer, and you’ll be comfortable.
What We Would Change for our Next Visit
We can definitely see ourselves returning to Dubai in the future, and we’d like to take advantage of Emirate’s stopover offers. Assuming we have more control over our schedule next time, we’d plan to:
- Although there is plenty to do in the winter, we recommend visiting Madison during warmer months so you can take advantage of the outdoor recreation.
- Though BCycle is a great option if you’re planning to ride around the city, if you want to take a longer ride out into the surrounding communities, we recommend renting a bike from a local bike shop. (There are a ton!) That way, you don’t have to worry about checking your bike in to avoid additional rental fees.
- If you have your heart set on trying a specific restaurant, we encourage you to make reservations in advance. Popular spots, especially those on the ‘Square’ (the downtown square around the can fill up fast!
Maps & Resources
Additional Resources
Books:
- The Boho Chica’s: What to Wear in Dubai
- Eat App: I found that most restaurants seemed to be listed on this application, making it easy to make reservations right from my phone.
- Careem– Between the heat and the distances between attractions, you’ll likely need access to a car or taxi during your visit. While Uber is an option, Careem in the local option and seemed to be slightly less expensive.
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