Ramaker’s Ultimate Guide to Summer Fun: Things to Do in Madison, WI

Whether you’re a local looking for new ways to enjoy the sunny season or a visitor exploring the area for the first time, Madison and its surrounding areas have something for everyone. From outdoor adventures and water activities to live music and great food, the options are endless. In this guide, we’ll explore some of the top things to do in Madison, WI, this summer, ensuring you make the most of the warm weather and create unforgettable memories. All of these places are Ramaker projects, and support our mission of enhancing the lives of our clients and employee-owners by providing opportunities to work hard and play hard!

Bars and Restaurants

After a long day of swimming and water slides, these bars and restaurants are a great place to hang out and grab a bite.

Red Rooster

Red Rooster is a one-of-a-kind live music venue, bar, and restaurant. After Knuckle Down Saloon closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of local musicians banded together to resurrect the space. Ramaker was brought in to provide architectural design and MEPS engineering for the club’s remodel. The new space includes spaces for eating, drinking, and enjoying live music performances both indoors and outside, making it a great place to spend a summer evening!

In addition to hosting a variety of musicians across genres and a weekly Blues Jam, Red Rooster also puts on its own outdoor music festival every year: Roosterfest.

Herbiery

Herbiery’s hop-free beers are the perfect refreshing finisher on hot summer days. Featuring bold and experimental flavors that bridge the gap between plants and beer, locally grown herbs shine in their unique herbal beers.

Herbiery’s taproom is located down the street from Ramaker’s office on Atwood Avenue, which made coordinating the fit-out a breeze! We provided architectural and interior design services, supported by MEP engineering to help bring Herbiery’s vision to life. The new space is bright, warm, and welcoming, featuring a cozy bar area and extra seating in front of a gorgeous mural by Audifax Art.

BB Jack’s

With a games room, a bar area equipped with TVs

and high-top tables, and an outdoor patio that supports live music, BB Jack’s is sure to be a hit with the whole family! While they’re known for their specialty pizzas, the expansive menu features a blend of traditional favorites and innovative flavors that have cemented its place on the Best of Cottage Grove list every year since 2020.

Ramaker provided architectural design and MEPS engineering services for the outdoor patio expansion, so we may be biased, but we think it’s a great place to wind down after a long day of summer fun.

Vintage Brewing Co.

Located in Ramaker’s hometown of Sauk City, Vintage Brewing is a family

owned and operated brewery and restaurant that offers locally-made craft beers and a chef-inspired menu. With options to satisfy every appetite and an outdoor dining space with ample seating, Vintage is a great place for all ages!

Featuring eclectic décor, this space is full of award-winning, vintage charm. Honored as the ABC Wisconsin 2018 Project of Distinction, the building overlooks the beautiful Wisconsin River and includes a full brewery, large open floor dining area, banquet hall, kitchen, deck, and outdoor service area. Exposed steel and wood and the two-story view of the brewery equipment create an old factory experience within a new facility that provides an amazing dining experience to visitors.

Waterparks

Beat the summer heat at one of these waterparks in the Wisconsin Dells! With more than 20 waterparks located just 55 miles north of Madison, a day trip to the Waterpark Capital of the World is the perfect way to celebrate summer.

From incorporating new slides into existing park layouts to full aquatic redesigns, Ramaker has been involved in aquatics projects in the area for over thirty years. We’re sure you’ll enjoy your trip to the biggest tourist destination in Wisconsin, but don’t take our word for it; visit one of these parks and see for yourself why people return to the Dells year after year!

Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park

If you’re looking for thrills, Mt. Olympus is the place for you—The Rise of Icarus will open this summer, becoming America’s tallest waterslide! While you’re there, check out Medusa’s Slidewheel, which combines the movement of a Ferris wheel with the speed of a waterslide and rotates while riders fly through an intricate tangle of tubes.

With both indoor and outdoor waterparks and exciting theme park rides, Mt. Olympus is the perfect place to spend a summer day. From lazy rivers and wave pools to go-karts and rollercoasters, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Noah’s Ark Waterpark

As the home of the world’s largest King Cobra slide, Noah’s Ark is another great place to get your fix of adrenaline-pumping adventure. With speeds of up to 32 mph and a sudden 37-foot drop into the mouth of a massive king cobra, Raja is sure to test your courage.

Noah’s Ark is the largest outdoor waterpark in the United States. Featuring 51 water slides and dozens of other attractions including wave pools, children’s play areas, and a FlowRider, Noah’s Ark is the perfect destination for families and thrill-seekers alike looking to beat the summer heat.

Wilderness Resort

The Wilderness Resort has six different indoor and outdoor waterparks on its grounds, making it the perfect destination for summer fun all year round!

The indoor Wild West Waterpark was renovated in 2022 and is a

great place to seek refuge from blistering heat or summer storms. Ransack Ridge, the park’s children’s play and spray structure, includes slides, water guns, a dump bucket, and a zero-depth entry that provides easy access for guests of all ages. Older visitors can sit back and relax at YeeHaw’s Watering Hole, a swim-up bar that offers a variety of beverages and ample seating surrounded by western-themed cabanas.

With its diverse range of activities and vibrant community spirit, there are so many things to do in Madison. Whether you’re a long-time resident or just visiting, the summer experiences in the area are sure to leave you with cherished memories and a desire to return. So, get out there and make the most of everything this beautiful city has to offer during the sunny months. Happy summer!