TOP 8 MADISON MUST-DOS during CrossFit Games Week
Home to Madison's iconic sunburst chairs, Memorial Union Terrace is a great place to soak in the city's vibes. Grab a brew, ice cream, or dinner, and talk about your favorite moments from the day's competitions while soaking in the marvelous Lake Mendota views.
Pro tip: Check out the events calendar for the terrace's live music lineup.
Pro tip #2: You can rent kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddle boards through Outdoor-UW, located just off the Terrace.
2. Visit the Saturday Farmers' Market on the Capitol Square
Peruse the largest producer-only farmers' market in the country on Saturday morning to get some healthy, fresh eats to power your traveling workouts.
Pro tip: The market crowd famously flows counter-clockwise.
Pro tip #2: Come early for the best selection of locally-grown veggies, homemade treats and handcrafted gifts.
3. Explore the city via bike
Madison is the unofficial bike capital of the Midwest and boasts more bikes than cars. If you're road-tripping here, bring your bike, or hop on an electric Madison BCycle and explore the 75 miles of off-road bike paths.
Pro tip: State Street, right in the heart of downtown Madison, is the perfect place to explore via bike; no cars allowed!
Pro tip #2: Take advantage of Madison BCycle's CrossFit Games week membership — $20 for unlimited 90-minute rides. Download the BCycle app to purchase the membership and find bikes.
This 100+ year-old building is the anchor of downtown Madison and one of the city’s tallest buildings. Want to take a peek inside? No problem. The Capitol is free and open to the public, and drop-in tours are available.
Prop tip: Visit the observation deck for a breathtaking, 365° view of downtown Madison and the surrounding lakes.
Madison is a haven for microbrew champions and small-batch spirit lovers! Here's a map of local breweries, wineries, and distilleries to check out to celebrate your favorite elite athlete's victory.
6. Embrace the lakes
Madison's five glittering lakes are begging you to dive in. Rent a stand-up paddle board, kayak, canoe and more at Brittingham Boats, located just an easy, 15-minute bike ride from the Alliant Energy Center.
Fun fact: Madison is one of only two U.S. cities on an isthmus (between two bodies of water)!
7. Cheer on local sports teams
Need your competition fix once the Games have ended for the evening? The Madison Mallards baseball team, Forward Madison FC and Madison Radicals professional ultimate frisbee team have home games during and before the kickoff of the CrossFit Games!
Pro tip: For the full Forward Madison FC experience, join The Flock in the supporter section. Join in on chants, dances and tons of fun.
It would be a shame to visit Madison and not capture an iconic Capitol selfie, but that's not all downtown has to offer. Museums, outdoor brunch, gourmet dining, and more await!
We can't wait to #SeeYouInMadison. Tag us in your CrossFit Games photos at #destinationmadison for a chance to be featured on our Instagram page.
