We heard about this park from a neighbor and decided to check it out since it's only about a 10…read moreminute drive away. It's a cute little spot near the neighborhood with a pond and a small swing set. The path is pretty well maintained, and it's a nice place for a short walk or an easy loop around the area.

Love hanging out at Stricker Park in Middleton! The park itself includes a playground and swing…read moresets, tennis courts, a basketball hoop, and a short soccer field. There is also a bubbler and portable bathroom available in the summer months. The best part about this park is that it is next to Stricker pond and has a nice trail that goes all the way around it, perfect for nature watching- which includes lots of turtles and birds and blooming lily pads in the summer. The pond is away from major roads so it is a very peaceful place to hike and has lots of benches to sit on.

This park is so cute and has bathrooms and shaded areas, sand volleyball and the cute lake to walk…read morearound. Fun for the whole family.

This is a small Middleton park that is a gem for those of us who live nearby. I spent my formative…read moreyears rollerblading along the paths (and having one of my worst blading wipeouts on said paths.) There are three different play structures (one of them a Dream Park,) and a splash pad. Plus there are tennis courts, shelters that you can rent for gatherings, ample parking and a full walking path that goes around a small pond. We ran into a pair of Sandhill Cranes and many a Canada Goose during our visit! For those who are interested, you can use the different outdoor exercise stations along the walking path. Not a bad idea if you want a low impact working while walking! Dogs are allowed on the paths (on leash!)

As a lover of WI's dying prairies, having this remnant prairie so close to Madison, WI almost seems…read moretoo good to be true. A great place to watch the seasons change from the first hint of greens in the spring to the vibrancy of summer and the rich tones of fall. Go mushroom foraging, take a walk, take so many pictures you run out of storage on your iphone!

I'm a bit amazed by how good all the reviews for the Conservancy are on Yelp and Google, given how…read morelittle of the conservancy gets you away from houses or streets. While a fairly nice space in and of itself, those that gush about it apparently have never seen the other 85% of the area that is much more beautiful. It is a nice place to take a hike if you don't have the time or means to get out of the city proper. However, Pheasant Branch itself is a brackish, polluted stream. There are plenty of trout streams within a 15 minute drive of town that are much cleaner and more picturesque. The trails themselves are usually pretty busy, so I've never really felt like I'm getting away from it all. That all said, have at it! If you want to get a hike or jog in, especially with your dog or your kids, don't let me rain on your parade. You can see enough of what it's like yourself from all the posted photos. I do encourage you to cast your net a bit wider, to Donald Park, Indian Lake, or any of the much more secluded and beautiful places just minutes away from Madison.

Awesome with a playground, restrooms, picnic tables, restrooms, boat access, and sand. I'm here on…read morea Friday morning and there are people here eating lunch while ducks quack and boats stroll by. If the weather keeps up, I may just go for a swim! It may get a lot busier during weekends but very pretty and very relaxing.

The beach is very small. There is no lifeguard and no roped-off areas for swimming. The marina is…read morevery close to the swimming area and the boat load-in is also right next to the swimming area, so boats are frequently going by. Fishing also occurs nearby. There are very few people here, maybe because it's a holiday. The water is pretty gross. Lots of rocks and seaweed everywhere. The shore smells like fish and you will only be walking in seaweed or rocks in the water. I did not put my head underwater because it was so gross. It is NOT deep at all. I almost waded out to the nearest sailboat in the marina and the water was only to the top of my waistband (I'm 5'11"). This might be a nice place for lounging in a boat. It was okay for swimming, but not the best.

I read about Sunflower Days in a recent summer piece on Madison, and was happy that my Madison…read morevisit coincided with opening weekend of this year's sunflower bloom. The sunflower bloom is definitely worth the trip and parking lot traffic and walk up the hill- it's simply amazing. Over 500,000 sunflowers will bloom in a one week period! There's a bit of an uphill climb to get from the parking areas to the sunflowers and the farmland, so expect that. This is a free event, so feel free to donate to the conservancy, cheapskates! There's as much or as little walking here as you want. Get a few pics of the sunflowers and go home, or walk around the whole sun field, walk past the oak savannah and prairie, or walk around the whole farm (which is quite a hike)! Bring water, bring a blanket, bring a picnic!

I cannot believe I didn't know this hidden gem existed. Their sunflower days are absolutely…read morestunning! It's definitely an attraction close to Madison that's not to be missed. To be honest, I have only ever been to the Pope Farm Conservancy for the sunflowers. But it seems like a beautiful place to stop year round for a hike or to cross country ski. It gets crowded during their sunflower days, so it's best to go during off hours. The Conservancy does an excellent job marking off parking spots and directing traffic. They have plenty of volunteers to answer questions and everything appears to be very well run and organized. People come to take family photos, have a picnic, or just go for a nice stroll to watch the sunset over a beautiful field of sunflowers. However, leave your dog at home because pets are not allowed. The sunflower days attraction is free however donations are accepted. Definitely worth a trip to the far west side of Madison.

This park was one of our favorite places we have ever stayed. My husband and I came to stay here…read morewith our small Yorkshire terriers and our cat, and we had a wonderful time. Tim ( the host for the park) is friendly and helpful, and takes great pride in keeping it beautiful and orderly. He lent us an extension cord as the electrical hookups are fairly far away. The park was quiet and lovely. There were lots of friendly people, and it felt like a little community. It was very close to town which was really convenient. We travel in a 36 foot toy hauler with a one ton truck, and I do think that we were pushing it to try to get into some of the spots. Because we had not booked early ( we called the morning of) we had to move spots, and it was the hardest spot we have ever had to get into. Not the parks fault at all, our trailer was just a bit big. Both my husband and I really wished that we were traveling in a sprinter van. That would have been so easy. Lake Mendota is lovely and relaxing, and this is a special spot.

Good little campground for those with kids. Large play area near a beach. In town camping at its…read morebest! Bring lots of bug spray

Tucked into a residential neighborhood, this place is good for a quick stop. Houses overlook the…read morebeach which is odd but they are pretty houses! There is one picnic table and restrooms. There is a lifeguard when the water is open but it is closed due to water conditions I think. And like someone else said, it's hard to find, its Norman ave and can only be accessed by walking. It's a fast 2 minute walk from the parking lot across the road. Not the best here but I got studying done!

This beach is very small, which is my biggest issue. I am 5'11" and by the time I reach the end of…read morethe swimming zone the water has barely reached my belly button. That being said, the water depth is great for kids and it being so small means you are not likely to lose track of them. The lifeguard is only on duty between 12pm-4pm, though the beach is open outside of those hours. I have come here on hot days and there have been 3 people here. I have come here on hot days and there have been 20 people here. It's really hit or miss. The difficulty with the size is that if someone is really annoying you, you can't get away from them! The state beach laws are very very poorly regulated here (have they forgotten about us?). College kids drinking, women dragging their dogs through the middle of the swim area... seriously? Not to mention the water is usually covered in something green and full of seaweed. There is also a boat launch right next to the beach, so there are constantly boats around. Though they do follow the "no wake" signs very well. But, because this is part of a larger lake, you will see lots of speed boats - something to keep in mind!

The Allen Centennial Gardens are an oasis on a busy college campus. When my husband and friends…read morevisited on a summer weekend, the gardens were calm and serene. There were a few other people there enjoying the twenty-seven gardens located in this one space. There are benches throughout the gardens where you can sit and enjoy the peace.The interns we met at the entrance were very friendly and generous with their time. There are signs posted with names of the plants and information about the garden throughout the park. Tours and special events are held throughout the year. For a colorful and peaceful time, I highly recommend Allen Centennial Gardens!

Oh wow, I've visited the University of Madison quite a number of times but had never noticed such…read morean amazing garden so close to Babcock Hall until now. This spot is great for taking a casual stroll as well as to admire a wide variety of amazing flowers, trees, bushes, and other plants with a variety of different features like a pond, bridge, gazebo and more. These are accompanied by plenty of different signs to help visitors learn more about the plants in the garden.

I was in the area picking something up and decided to take a short walk through this park. My…read morenephews and I used to come here in Spring when everything was still covered in snow, and in winter, the park is popular for cross-country skiing, so I'm quite familiar with it. I've also attended a foraging class here through the Madison Public Library, which was a great experience. The trails are easy to walk, but keep an eye out for black walnuts that ripen and drop onto the ground--you could easily step on one and twist an ankle (as I unfortunately did). Along the way, you might spot squirrels and hear birds singing in the bushes. I even came across some mushrooms, which reminded me of the foraging class. There's a restroom facility and a pond nearby, and in winter, local families love coming here for sledding on hill. I've done it myself--it's a lot of fun, just make sure to protect your back on the way down! Don't say I didn't warn you!

I went recently to try out the ice skating and had a blast. It cost 6$ to rent ice skates and you…read morecould skate for as long as you want until the rental place closed. If you have your own skates you can skate for as long as you want. They have 2 rinks, one for regular ice skating and the other for hockey. They have the green assistance rollators, for when you need assistance ice skating, that are useful. The ice was chipped in some areas, but overall good quality. There is a huge hill close by that looks like it can be sledded when there's more snow.