Apartments for rent in Madison, WI

Getting to Know Madison, WI

Home to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, five beautiful lakes, and a wide assortment of shopping, dining and cultural venues, Madison is the urbane capital of the Badger State. Here you'll find a vibrant community of artisans, students, young professionals and families who love the city's proximity to pastoral countryside, the extensive parks system and the top-notch quality of life.

Places to See in Madison

For outstanding views of the city's skyline and lakes, rent an apartment near Madison's Monona Terrace or Memorial Union Terrace. Locals head to State and Monroe streets for an eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, cafes and nightspots, and families love the Madison Children's Museum. The city is also home to a variety of institutions dedicated to art and history, as well as a zoo and botanical garden. If you're an architecture buff, Madison boasts many notable buildings by legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

The Best Places to Live in Madison, WI

Madison offers a wide range of apartment options in a variety of communities throughout the city, from single-friendly studio and 1-bedroom units to family-focused 2- and 3-bedroom units. You can find convenient homes close to the University of Wisconsin (UW) Madison, high-rise apartments in downtown and excellent places to live near the city's lakes. Apartment Guide can help you locate apartments in Madison, WI that complement your lifestyle, whether you want an apartment with a fireplace, covered parking, a patio, playgrounds or a fitness center. Our search program enables you to locate the right apartment based on criteria such as price, location, transportation options, pet policy and on-site amenities.

Madison's top neighborhoods run the gamut from the centrally located First Settlement and Marquette districts to the hip and trendy Monroe-Dudgeon neighborhood. For great deals on family-oriented apartments, head west to nearby suburbs like Middleton and Verona or south to Fitchburg.

Things to Do in Madison, WI

Head out from your apartment to enjoy Madison's thriving performing arts scene at spots like the Overture Center for the Arts, which features opera, ballet, symphony and theatrical productions. The city also hosts numerous food, music and art festivals throughout the year, including "Shake the Lake," billed as the state's largest Fourth of July pyrotechnic display.

From playgrounds and boat ramps to swimming pools and golf courses, Madison's large network of parks has something for every lover of the great outdoors. When it comes to collegiate sports, Madison residents are loyally devoted to their UW-Madison Badgers for football, basketball and more.

Free Things to do in Madison
Want to have fun on a budget? Thanks to the Chazen Museum of Art, the University of Wisconsin Geology Museum, Vilas Park Beach and rooftop concerts every summer, you can find plenty of free things to do in Madison.

Fun Activities for Kids in Madison, WI

Families love Madison's safe, inviting atmosphere and its huge variety of attractions and outings designed just for kids. Here are our top five picks for kid-friendly activities in Madison:

• Olbrich Botanical Gardens: Escape to the tropics when you admire rare flowers in the Bolz Conservatory at these beautiful gardens. Kids love seeing the on-site waterfalls and a bronze elephant statue in the Thai pavilion.
• Henry Vilas Zoo: One of America's few free zoos, this animal sanctuary on the shores of Lake Wingra offers a carousel for younger kids, plus special exhibits featuring polar bears and harbor seals.
• Madison Children's Museum: Give kids a chance to get hands-on at this learning-oriented museum with a rooftop garden and a log cabin.
• Aldo Leopold Nature Center: Discover more about local ecosystems as you and the kids hike through reclaimed forests at this serene outdoor destination in Monona.
• Cave of the Mounds: Put on your spelunking gear for an hour-long cave tour featuring fascinating stalagmites and stalactites. In summer, kids can even sluice for gemstones.

Madison School Districts

When you're deciding on which apartment to rent in Madison, keep in mind that the city's best school districts are in neighborhoods like Shorewood Hills, west of downtown.

Madison's Top Getaway Destinations

Hop onto I-90 for a weekend getaway to Chicago, just two and a half hours southeast of Madison. Milwaukee is even closer if you want to sail around Lake Michigan, and locals love making the three-hour drive north for snowmobile, snowshoe and ice fishing adventures in beautiful Door County.