Flying into Dane County Regional Airport in Madison puts you in a great spot, surrounded by lakes, small towns, and a capital city that feels more like a big college town. Madison sits on a narrow strip of land between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, so water is never more than a few blocks away. The vibe is relaxed, outdoorsy, and proudly Wisconsin, with supper clubs, cheese curds, and a Friday fish fry around every corner.

Standout things to do around Madison: - Walk Capitol Square on a Saturday morning for the Dane County Farmers Market, the largest producer-only market in the country - Grab a pitcher and a sunburst chair on the Memorial Union Terrace overlooking Lake Mendota - Bike or paddle the lakeshore paths and lagoons along Lake Monona - Explore the Olbrich Botanical Gardens and its gold-leafed Thai Pavilion - Catch a Badgers game at Camp Randall and learn the Jump Around tradition - Order a brandy old fashioned at a classic supper club - Hike the quartzite bluffs at Devils Lake State Park near Baraboo - Taste your way through New Glarus, a Swiss village famous for its brewery - Tour Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio in Spring Green - Ride the waterparks of Wisconsin Dells, under an hour up the interstate

Madison also works as a base for a bigger loop through southern Wisconsin. Milwaukee and its lakefront museums are about 80 minutes east, Mount Horeb and its troll-lined main street are a half hour west, and the rolling Driftless hills start just beyond that. Come in fall for leaf color on the lakes, in summer for lake life and concerts on the Square, or in winter when the lakes freeze and ice fishing shacks appear.