A Wheelchair Accessible Travel Guide to Madison, Wisconsin

Before visiting Madison, Wisconsin recently, I didn’t really know anything about the city. I didn’t know that it is one of only two major cities in the U.S. that is built on an isthmus. I didn’t know that the city’s official bird is a plastic pink flamingo. I didn’t know that Madison has over 260 parks. And I certainly didn’t know that it is a spectacular destination to visit as a wheelchair user. 

After a few fun-filled days in Madison though, I discovered that it is a Midwestern gem and offers more wheelchair-friendly things to do than many larger, more well-known cities. From enjoying unique experiences like mustard tasting to touring gorgeous botanical gardens and even going adaptive rock climbing, trust me when I say that there is no shortage of accessible activities in Madison, Wisconsin. 

If you are looking for a destination that has it all, look no further than Madison! I imagine you’re somewhat surprised to hear me say that, but by the time you finish reading this guide, I think you’ll agree. Here is my wheelchair accessible Madison Wisconsin travel guide, showing things to do, places to eat, and where to stay!

Wheelchair Accessible Madison Wisconsin Attractions & Things to Do

Roll and shop on State Street

Many cities have iconic streets, such as Ocean Drive in Miami, Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, and the Magnificent Mile in Chicago. State Street is Madison’s Ocean Drive per say, as it is by far the most well-known street to explore in the city.  

Rolling along State Street is so much fun and an experience in itself. I started my visit to Madison by exploring State Street and it was the perfect introduction to this quirky city. 

State Street extends from Capitol Square to the University of Wisconsin campus. It’s about seven blocks and nearly a mile long, but there are dozens of shops and restaurants along the way. I rolled the entirety of State Street and really enjoyed seeing all of the shops… and I may have even screamed with glee a bit when I spotted a Taco Bell Cantina, which serves alcohol and is a fancier version of your standard Taco Bell. I’m tellin’ ya, Madison really does have it all!

Most of the businesses that I saw on State Street had smooth entry for a wheelchair, but what impressed me the most were all of the curb cuts. The ramped curb cuts at each street crossing were probably the smoothest I’ve ever encountered in my travels. I had no problem at all crossing any of the streets and it was nice to be able to independently get around in the bustling downtown area.

Visit the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus

As I neared the end of State Street, I arrived at the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. The campus is beautiful and I loved rolling around and seeing the architecture of the buildings. 

My favorite part of exploring the campus though was when we grabbed some ice cream at Daily Scoop inside Memorial Union. We then sat outside at Memorial Union Terrace and ate it. Memorial Union is a place to socialize, relax, and it is lakefront with gorgeous views of Lake Mendota. It was nice to see everyone out on the water boating and enjoying a gorgeous day while eating some delicious ice cream. 

If you’re visiting Madison, definitely plan some time to explore the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. Whether you want to have great views of the water, enjoy some ice cream, or just roll around the campus, it’s sure to be a fun time. 

See a Broadway show at the Overture Center for the Arts

I am a Broadway fanatic and try to visit NYC at least a couple times every year to see some shows. While Madison may not have as many show options as NYC, the Overture Center for the Arts in downtown Madison does host touring productions of Broadway shows throughout the year. 

While I was in Madison, the Broadway musical “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations” was playing at the Overture Center. I was able to see it and it was such a fantastic show! I knew a few songs by The Temptations before seeing the show, but my respect for them really grew after seeing everything that they went through in the show. It was entertaining and a lot of fun to see, and I’d definitely recommend seeing it if it’ll be in your town soon. 

We had wheelchair accessible seats for the show and they were great. Ours were in the orchestra level, but over to the right side. They were raised, so we had a perfect view of the stage. The Overture Center highly impressed me with their accessibility and I loved my time at the theater. 

If you’ll be visiting Madison in 2022 or 2023, be sure to check if any shows will be playing at the Overture Center while you’re in town. Some of their upcoming Broadway shows include “Hamilton” (August 9th-21st, 2022), “Pretty Woman” (October 18th-23rd, 2022), “Hadestown” (January 24th-29th, 2023), “Jesus Christ Superstar” (February 21st-26th, 2023), and “Chicago” (March 21st-26th, 2023)… just to name a few. 

Tour the Capitol building

The State Capitol Building in Madison, Wisconsin is beautiful on the outside, but the interior is absolutely worth seeing as well. While you can go inside and see it for yourself, the best way to see it is on a guided tour. I was able to join a guided tour and it was one of the highlights of my trip.

The guided tours are completely free and wheelchair accessible. I learned a lot on our tour, which was about 50 minutes long, and it was cool to see the various rooms inside. Some of the rooms that we were able to go inside included the State Supreme Court room, the Governor’s conference room, and my favorite part was seeing all of the murals and paintings throughout the Capitol.

Elevators were available to access the multiple floors and I even noticed companion care restrooms inside the Capitol. Our tour guide also did a great job of going at a good pace for everyone and pointing out accessibility. If you’re in Madison, this is a must-do! 

See art at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art

The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art is located downtown and was one of my first stops in the city. Despite not being as well-known as other art museums around the world, I enjoyed this one more than many that I’ve been to in much bigger cities. The museum was fully wheelchair accessible and spacious.

Surprisingly, admission is absolutely free for everyone as well. The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art hosts various exhibits throughout the year, so there’s something new worth seeing all the time. Even if you’ve visited in the past, there is always a reason to return to this museum.

One of my favorite exhibits was “Ain’t I A Woman?”, which highlights Black women artists in Wisconsin.   Seeing the trailblazing work of these women was really special. This exhibit is temporary and will be on display until October 9th, 2022, but to view all exhibitions that are currently on display, just click here.

Try all the mustard you can handle at the National Mustard Museum

I’ve visited a number of unique museums around the world, from the Phallological Museum in Iceland to the Towing & Recovery Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee. However, I think that the National Mustard Museum might be the most unique museum I’ve ever visited. I expected this museum to be quirky and fun, but it was actually really interesting and I gained a newfound respect for mustard as well. Seriously. 

The National Mustard Museum is located in Middleton, Wisconsin, just a short drive from downtown Madison. It is typically open seven days per week and is completely free to visit. Donations are accepted though and you can’t visit without leaving with some unique souvenirs, so definitely bring your credit card. 

The museum has been open since 1992 and is now one of Wisconsin’s most popular attractions. You can view over 6,000 mustards from all 50 states and more than 70 countries on the museum’s Great Wall of Mustard, see antique mustard pots, play mustard-related games, and you can even try as many mustards as you like at the Tasting Bar. 

The Tasting Bar has hundreds of mustards available to try. I tried a curry mustard, a pickle mustard, and more. The pickle mustard was my favorite and no matter what your favorite one is, you can purchase some in the gift shop to take back home with you. 

I loved my entire visit at the National Mustard Museum, but the best part was getting to meet Barry Levenson, founder and curator of the museum. His passion for mustard was evident within the first ten seconds of meeting him. Barry was kind enough to give me a personalized diploma from Poupon University (A.K.A. Poupon U) and he told me all about how he came up with the idea to start the National Mustard Museum. 

Apparently, Barry was wandering the aisles in a supermarket after his favorite baseball team, the Boston Red Sox, lost the World Series in 1986. As he passed the mustard section, he heard a voice say “If you collect it, they will come.” And the rest is history! 

See animals at the Henry Vilas Zoo

Whenever I visit a new city, one of my favorite things to do is visit a local zoo. Seeing all of the animals is so fun and in Madison, I was excited to check out the Henry Vilas Zoo. 

Henry Vilas Zoo has been around since 1911, but it is constantly growing and adding new exhibits. What makes this zoo really special is the fact that it is one of only a few zoos in the country that is completely free to visit. That’s right, you can visit this incredible zoo at no cost. How awesome is that?!

While at the zoo, I was able to see giraffes, orangutans, a tiger, reptiles (including an anaconda!), and so much more. You could easily spend a couple hours seeing all of the animals at the Henry Vilas Zoo. And if you get hungry during your visit, you can dine at Glacier Grille, where you can literally see the polar bear exhibit from your table! 

Accessibility at Henry Vilas Zoo was really good for me. The majority of the zoo was flat with no steep hills and I was able to view all of the animals that I wanted to see. I also noticed an accessible companion care/family restroom while wandering around the zoo. If you need to borrow a wheelchair for your zoo visit, manual wheelchairs are available to rent for just $5 on a first-come, first-served basis.

Enjoy the outdoors at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum 

Just a short drive from the Henry Vilas Zoo is the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum, so I would suggest checking out these two attractions back-to-back. The Arboretum has over 17 miles of trails and explores Wisconsin’s native ecosystems, including prairies, savannas, woodlands, and wetlands. 

All 17 miles of trails are not wheelchair accessible, but I did enjoy rolling on a paved accessible trail near the Visitor Center. The trail made a loop and was about a quarter of a mile long. Along the trail, I was able to see flora and fauna that was native to Wisconsin and I loved being in the outdoors for a bit. I also had a beautiful view of the prairie from this area. 

Access to the Longnecker Horticultural Gardens, which are at the Arboretum, was available from the accessible trail. The gardens are not paved, so I had to roll in the grass to view the gardens. It was a bit bumpy in some spots, but definitely doable. If you’re up for a bit of off-roading, the gardens are worth rolling around in for a while. 

In addition to the accessible trail at the Arboretum, there are also paved bike trails that you could roll on with a wheelchair. The bike route is quite long and goes by the Longnecker Horticultural Gardens, a lake, wetlands, and more. If you’d like to roll on the paved bike path, you can start from the Visitor Center, where the accessible trail is as well. Be sure to view a map (just click here to see it) before embarking on any trails to give yourself an idea of where you are and how far you’d like to roll.

Explore Olbrich Botanical Gardens

Another great place to get outdoors and enjoy a nice day in Madison is Olbrich Botanical Gardens. These gardens are absolutely beautiful, but also really accessible! 

The botanical gardens are spread across 16 acres and most of the paths throughout the gardens are smooth to roll on. The paths are made of wide brick and stone, but my powered wheelchair had no problem at all getting around the gardens. 

Some of the areas that I enjoyed most in the botanical gardens were the Rose Garden, an Herb Garden, and the Thai Pavilion and Garden. The Thai Pavilion is super unique, as it is the only one in the continental U.S. It was gorgeous to see and I loved spending a couple hours in the gardens relaxing. 

Once we finished seeing all of the outdoor gardens, we went into the Bolz Conservatory, which is located at the entrance of the Olbrich Botanical Gardens. The conservatory has exotic plants, birds, orchids, and a waterfall. It was indoors and completely wheelchair accessible. 

The outdoor gardens are free to visit, which is awesome, and admission into the Bolz Conservatory is just $6 per adult. If you need a wheelchair or scooter during your visit, they are available for free as well on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Eat delicious food at Madison’s best restaurants

During my time in Madison, I was able to try quite a few different restaurants. From a delicious brunch to iconic Wisconsin cheese curds, I certainly had some fantastic food in Madison, Wisconsin. Here are five of my favorite places that I dined at:

Eno Vino – This downtown restaurant and wine bar specializes in small plates and has the best view in Madison, as it is located on the 10th floor of the AC Hotel. We had a phenomenal view of the Capitol building from our table. Some of my favorite dishes were the cheese board (you can’t be in Wisconsin and not get a cheese board, right?!), calamari fries, lamb meatballs, and the truffled fries. All of the small plates are meant to share, so it was fun to try several different items while staring out over downtown Madison. 

Short Stack Eatery – This place serves breakfast, and only breakfast, all day Thursday-Sunday, but they have absolutely perfected breakfast and this was hands-down one of my favorite places I ate in Madison. I had the blueberry stack of pancakes with pure Wisconsin maple syrup and bacon on the side. They were seriously some of the best pancakes I’ve ever eaten. To drink, I had their award-winning 25-ingredient Bloody Mary. It was served with a Miller High Life Shorty and certainly packed a punch! This is a drink for the brave, but I liked it.

Canteen Taqueria & Tequila Bar – I love Mexican food, so I was really excited to try out Canteen in downtown Madison. It’s located just steps (or a very short roll) from the Capitol building and does have a step to get inside. However, if you call ahead and let the staff know that you need it, they do have a portable ramp to help wheelchair users get inside. There are many options on the menu, but I ultimately chose to get two tacos. I got the shrimp diablo taco and a ground beef taco. Both were delicious, but I especially loved the shrimp diablo taco, which was pretty spicy. 

Tipsy Cow – During my time in Madison, the food that I was most looking forward to eating was cheese curds. And Tipsy Cow in downtown Madison had some delicious ones! I enjoyed a great dinner here with Tyler Engel of AccessiMingos. It was fantastic to hear his local perspective on how Madison is as a wheelchair user and I loved learning more about his group, AccessiMingos. AccessiMingos are an all-inclusive Forward Madison FC (the soccer team in Madison) supporter’s group, founded by and for supporters with disabilities and celebrating each person’s unique abilities. I can’t wait to return to Madison during a game & party with the AccessiMingos! Learn more about them by clicking here.

Ian’s Pizza at Garver Feed Mill – Garver Feed Mill is, as the name suggests, an old Feed Mill, but it has been renovated. It is now a multifaceted destination that features local artisans offering everything from food to retailers to wellness studios and more. It’s such a fun place to visit and while there, I tried out the famous Ian’s Pizza, a Madison icon. Ian’s has unique pizzas, such as macaroni & cheese pizza, cheesy potato and ranch pizza, and drunken ravioli pizza, but they also have the classics. Ian’s Pizza is a must-visit while in Madison!

Go adaptive rock climbing at Boulders Climbing Gym

I purposefully saved the best thing to do in Madison as a wheelchair user for last on this list, so you’re in for a treat. I went adaptive rock climbing at Boulders Climbing Gym and it was an experience I will never forget! If you are up for an adventure while you’re in Madison, this is certainly a must-do!

Before I went to Boulders Climbing Gym, I was pretty nervous about doing this activity. I wondered how they would secure me in the adaptive sling, how they’d get me up the rock climbing wall, how they’d get me back down and in my wheelchair, etc. A million “what if’s” were swirling through my mind, but as soon as I arrived at the gym and met everyone, I knew I was in good hands and my worries quickly subsided. 

Boulders Climbing Gym offers adaptive rock climbing for all abilities and they did an awesome job of making this activity a possibility for me. They quickly figured out what would work for me and then made it happen with their adaptive equipment, including a seated sling known as an ARC Harness. It had head support and kept me in a seated position, just like I was sitting in my wheelchair… but much higher off the ground!

The incredible team at Boulders Climbing Gym hoisted me up the wall and I was able to climb beside my mom. It was so much fun, but what I was most impressed with was their ability to figure out how to make this happen for me. I truly believe that no matter what someone’s abilities are, the team at Boulders can find a way to give them a great climbing experience. Check out a video of my climb here!

How to Get Around Madison as a Wheelchair User

Much of Madison is easily rollable/walkable, especially the downtown area. I have never seen such smooth and flat curb cuts, which was amazing. If you can, I’d suggest getting a hotel downtown, like The Madison Concourse Hotel, which I’ll discuss next. This way, you can just roll to many of Madison’s best wheelchair accessible attractions and restaurants without having to drive everywhere. 

However, it’s always good to have a van though and if you visit every attraction mentioned in this blog post, you’ll definitely need a van. I used an accessible van rental from A&J Mobility during my time in Madison and it worked perfectly. Our rental van had a BraunAbility side-entry fold-out ramp and the passenger seat was removed, so I was able to sit in the front of the adapted van. Tie-downs were provided to secure my wheelchair as well. 

Rental rates from A&J Mobility are $125 per day, but they do have special weekend rates ($225 for an entire weekend) and the prices do lower per day for longer rentals ($115 per day for 3-6 days, for example). If you’d like to learn more or book a rental van from A&J Mobility, just click here.

Where to Stay: The Madison Concourse Hotel 

Sitting right in the heart of Madison, Wisconsin is The Madison Concourse Hotel. I was lucky enough to stay here in their Concourse Premier King Roll-In Shower room. It was absolutely perfect for my needs as a powered wheelchair user and I also had a bird’s eye view of the state Capitol building. 

My room was wheelchair accessible and had one king bed, a roll-in shower, a mini fridge, an executive desk, a pull-under sink, and was very spacious. My hoyer lift even had space enough for its legs to go underneath the bed! Oh, and let’s not forget to mention the room came complete with a full length mirror, which is rare to find. 

The entry into the shower was perfectly smooth and there were grab bars near the shower sprayer, but I will say it was on the opposite side of the shower as the fold down bench that was provided. I travel with my own shower chair, so it worked great for my needs. The toilet also had bars on one side and also behind it. 

The lobby here was stunning and my eyes went straight to the Starbucks as soon as I entered. What a treat! Also at the hotel was CIRC, which served contemporary American cuisine with local and organic ingredients. No matter where you decided to relax for a great meal or a drink, this hotel had some terrific options. 

This hotel boasts about the the 12th floor Governor’s Club Lounge and I can see why. From here, you can get the most gorgeous views of the Capitol while sipping top shelf cocktails, enjoying hors d’oeuvres, and/or devouring a delicious dessert. 

I was very happy with my stay at The Madison Concourse Hotel, as the cleanliness, service, location, accessibility, and comfort of my dreamy bed all made my stay in Madison as great as I wanted it to be. If you want to stay in a hotel where you can roll to the University of Wisconsin Campus, see a show at the theatre, or just shop downtown, this is the place to stay! 

My time in Madison was better, and more wheelchair friendly, than I could’ve ever expected. From trying new adventures to visiting unique museums and enjoying the great outdoors, Madison, Wisconsin is a special destination that everyone should visit at least once. In fact, I’m already looking forward to my return to this beautiful city!  

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*Thank you to Destination Madison for working with me on this trip and showing me the best of wheelchair accessible Madison Wisconsin! While my experiences were complimentary, all opinions expressed are authentic and my own.

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