Family Motor Coach Association’s 92nd Family Reunion & Motorhome Showcase takes place this summer in Wisconsin’s beautiful lakeside capital city.
By Peggy Jordan
FMC Associate Editor
May 2015
Motorhomers who attend FMCA’s summer Family Reunion will be so glad they get to stay awhile in Madison, Wisconsin, once they see it. This pretty city is situated between two lakes. Summer days bring fresh breezes, and nights reveal lights reflecting on the water. FMCA members will visit when the weather is typically on its best behavior, featuring highs around 80 degrees and lows near 60.
The “Escape to Wisconsin” Family Reunion & Motorhome Showcase will take place Wednesday, July 29, through Saturday, August 1, 2015. This will be the third time FMCA has set its flag in Madison. The first gathering was in 1984; the second in 2011. Just as in 2011, FMCA members will meet at the Alliant Energy Center.
Welcome To Alliant
The Alliant Energy Center is a multibuilding complex with 164 acres of greenspace. It includes the 10,000-seat Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the 255,000-square-foot Exhibition Hall, and the 22,000-square-foot Arena Building. Plus, two beautiful new multiuse pavilions opened there late last year.
The complex hosts the World Dairy Expo, among many other events, and the coliseum is home to local hockey teams. Also on-site is Willow Island, a 29-acre natural space with two ponds. FMCA members will enjoy strolling around the grounds, where outdoor festivals and shows are presented.
Like other international FMCA events, the 92nd Family Reunion will fill the Alliant Energy Center confines with an assemblage of RV-related items to admire, purchase, or otherwise learn about, from a must-have part to a new motorhome. Of course, the seminars will include can’t-miss sessions about maintaining your rolling home, discovering new and enticing travel spots, and even caring for yourself, among numerous other topics. And, that’s not all! Add ample opportunities to meet new friends and enjoy exciting entertainment during the event, and it is a wonder you have time to see Madison.
But it’s worth it! Here are some reasons.
Say “Cheese”!
Wisconsin produces more cheese than any other state — and more than 600 varieties of it. It’s where Colby cheese was invented. But if you ask anyone from Madison, they will talk enthusiastically about something called cheese curds.
What are cheese curds? The soft little lumps form right at the start of the cheese-making process. Wisconsinites call the infant morsels the world’s most perfect snack. To try fresh ones, which are squeaky when chomped, visit the Dane County Farmers’ Market. It is open on Saturdays at Capitol Square (surrounding the state capitol) from 6:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., and on Wednesdays on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Fresh curds are also sold at various factory cheese shops in Wisconsin.
When the curds are dipped in batter and fried, they turn into a form of gustatory perfection. Many area restaurants help patrons indulge in these treats by serving them up with different flavors of dipping sauces. Dig in!
Speaking of food, popular dining spots in Madison include Nostrano, which uses locally grown food in its dishes; the same goes for Dobhan Kitchen. More traditional choices include the Great Dane Pub, in a downtown location that boasts historical ambience and many choices of beer. Ian’s Pizza was voted as serving the best pizza in the state by Food Network. And The Old Fashioned presents Wisconsin favorites, including fried cheese curds, in a supper-club atmosphere.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison offers locally sourced milk, cheese, and some of the most popular ice cream around at Babcock Hall Dairy Store. Go to the source; or, if you just want the ice cream, it is also sold at the Memorial Union (UW student union building) located along Lake Mendota.
This is just a small taste of the many eateries within a few miles of the Alliant Energy Center. For a bigger list, visit the Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau website (www.visitmadison.com) and start your own exploration.
Get Around
How will you get to restaurants and sights? Easy. You will be near a college campus and in a state capital city during the laid-back days of summer. If you choose to drive a towed vehicle, you’ll find that most everything mentioned in this article, including museums and restaurants, is located within a few miles of the Alliant Energy Center. Find a parking garage and you are set. A great map showing their locations is available on the Madison CVB website.
If you bring your bicycles to the Family Reunion, or decide to take advantage of Madison’s B-Cycle urban bike share (look for the red bikes, and be sure to bring your own helmet), you will love how convenient it is to pedal your way around. A bike path leads north from the Alliant Energy Center on John Nolen Drive to Monona Terrace, and from there to the downtown/capitol area. You will be at a museum or restaurant in a few minutes. To reach the UW-Madison campus and points west, turn left on North Shore Drive. From the Alliant Energy Center, it is 2.7 miles to the capitol and 2.4 miles to the UW-Madison campus.
Get In Free
The following museums or sites of interest all have free admission, and most, if they do have a parking lot, offer free parking as well. Just be sure to leave the motorhome at the Family Reunion and take your towed car, if you are driving.
- Henry Vilas Zoo. Primates, reptiles, mammals, birds, fish, and amphibians — this place has them all. If you are traveling this summer with your kids or grandchildren, they will love the 3,500-square-foot Children’s Zoo Barn. In this section, goats, alpacas, and other animals are there for kids to meet, and outdoor exhibits feature birds and more animals. A zoo train and a carousel add to the fun, and a hands-on learning area lets you touch a variety of critters in their habitats. Everyone will appreciate the zoo’s new 1.7-acre Arctic Passage exhibit, which provides haven for polar bears, grizzly bears, and harbor seals in naturalistic environments.
- Olbrich Botanical Gardens. This is a beautiful, 16-acre collection. Explore various gardens dedicated to roses, perennials, and herbs, plus a Thai pavilion and garden. During FMCA’s visit in Madison, the Bolz Conservatory will be in full flight with its Blooming Butterflies event. A $7 fee is charged to this butterfly exhibit ($3 for kids ages 3 to 12).
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum. Free guided walks are given on Sundays, but it’s also easy to just stroll around and admire the many different kinds of living things in this 1,200-plus-acre facility, which encompasses diverse ecological communities, including prairies, forests, and wetlands.
- State Capitol. The home of Wisconsin state government is beautiful, constructed in the Roman Renaissance style. Look for the statue of the badger, the state mascot, perched over chamber entrances. Docents lead free, fascinating tours here seven days a week, explaining the building’s history and art.
- Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center. This curving, welcoming structure was designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright between 1938 and 1958, and finally constructed in the 1990s. It is right along the lake, offering spectacular views.
- Wisconsin Historical Museum. Did you know that Wisconsin can claim to be home to (or the former home of) Kleenex, Harley-Davidson, Rayovac, Johnson Wax, Miller beer, International Harvester, and Kohler, and cars with names such as Kissel and Nash? Admission is free to this museum, situated near the capitol, but visitors are welcome (and encouraged) to donate $4 per adult — a small charge for an impressive collection that takes you on a tour through time.
- Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. This delightful spot is just a couple of blocks from the capitol, offering impressive photos, paintings, and more from artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.
- Chazen Museum of Art. In contrast to the previous museum, some of the items in this collection go back many centuries. It’s located on the UW-Madison campus on University Avenue. You can stroll around on your own or choose a free guided tour, which is offered on Sundays and Thursdays.
- Wisconsin Veterans Museum. Learn about Wisconsin heroes from the Civil War to the Persian Gulf War. Amazing artifacts include battle flags, paintings, guns, furnishings, and more.
- UW Geology Museum. Also on the university campus is this home to dinosaur fossils, meteorites, and all kinds of rock specimens. A black light display highlights the fluorescent properties of some of the minerals.
- Madison Children’s Museum. Kids 12 and under will have a blast as they run in the terrace play area, explore an “Urb” garden, paint masterpieces in the art studio, and learn about history at the log cabin. This place even has ponds and greenspace on its roof! The admission fee is $7.95 for adults and children, and $6.95 for seniors and grandparents.
If you plan to attend FMCA’s Family Reunion in Madison, utilize the resources in this article to acquaint yourself with the city before you arrive in July. You will be glad you began planning early and didn’t miss out on museums and stops that interest you. And do not miss this chance to see beautiful Wisconsin and enjoy FMCA friends’ companionship at the same time.
It will be a fabulous “Escape To Wisconsin.”
Further Info
Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau
615 E. Washington Ave.
Madison, WI 53703
(800) 373-6376
(608) 255-2537
Wisconsin Department of Tourism
201 W. Washington Ave.
Madison, WI 53703
(800) 432-8747
(608) 266-2161
Area Campgrounds
Members attending the 92nd Family Reunion & Motorhome Showcase in Madison will be parked on-site at the Alliant Energy Center or at Lake Farm Park, about three miles southeast of the facility. To register, visit FMCA.com or contact the FMCA Events Department at (800) 543-3622 or (513) 474-3622.
Those who stay at Lake Farm Park will be able to enjoy its amenities and take a free shuttle to the Alliant Energy Center for all activities.
General camping in the nearby area includes the list below. This may not be complete, so please check your campground directory or the RV Marketplace, published online at FMCA.com and in the January and June issues of FMC magazine.
Babcock County Park, Mendota Park, Token Creek Park:
Dane County Parks Division
5201 Fen Oak Drive, Room 208
Madison, WI 53718-8827
(608) 224-3730
(608) 242-4576: 24-hour information line
Blue Mound State Park
4350 Mounds Park Road
Blue Mounds, WI 53517
(608) 437-5711
Kamp Kegonsa
2671 Circle Drive
Stoughton, WI 53589
(608) 873-5800
Madison KOA, C12022*
4859 County Road V
De Forest, WI 53532
(800) 562-5784 (reservations)
(608) 846-4528
Viking Village Campground
1648 County Road N
Stoughton, WI 53589
(608) 873-6601
Email: vikingvillage@sbcglobal.net
*FMCA Commercial Member