Bike Tour of Madison and Southeastern Wisconsin

We meet in Delafield, the gateway to south central Wisconsin's beautiful Lake Country.  Nestled along the shore of Lake Nagawicka in the Kettle Moraine hills, Delafield has a quiet charm all its own.  Its historic downtown is a pleasant blend of housing, specialty shops, award-winning restaurants, and day spas.  Historic sites include Hawks Inn, a colorful frontier stagecoach stop, and the campus of St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy, the oldest military academy in Wisconsin.  

After bike fitting and a quick lunch, we’ll begin our ride on gorgeous roads bordering the small lakeshores typical of this region.  We make our way into the country for a taste of the week to come - miles of serene rural riding in the heart of Wisconsin's Dairy Land.   

We regroup this evening at The Delafield Hotel, our home for this evening.  Settle in and savor this celebrated boutique hotel's many amenities in suites that offer their signature blend of contemporary and cozy vibes.  We will meet for dinner as a group this evening at a local favorite.

We reluctantly leave Delafield behind today as we make our way west to land dotted with rolling ridgelines, open prairie, and small lakeside communities.  Glacial forces carved this gorgeous landscape, forming the gentle hills, sparkling lakes, and clear river streams that continue to captivate visitors.  We will stop for a catered lunch at Aztalan, one of Wisconsin’s most important archaeological sites.  Explore the grounds that were home to the ancient middle-mississippian culture that thrived here in 1000 A.D. before heading out on the bike to continue on our journey to Madison.

We end our ride today by entering the city on one of the many awesome paved bicycle paths that wind their way through this bustling college town and state capital.  The Edgewater Hotel is our end destination and is situated in the heart of the city with views of both the resplendent Capitol Dome and the shores of Lake Mendota.  Enjoy the first blush of sunset over the lake on the Hotel Terrace before dining as a group tonight at a local favorite steps from our hotel.

Today is a day to take in all that makes Madison, Wisconsin such a special summer destination!  After breakfast at The Edgewater, we begin the day with a stroll up to the beautiful Capitol for a group tour of this amazing building.  We pop out on the upper levels of the Capitol Dome on this tour for some awesome views of the city and surrounding lakes.  

After this tour, we had back to The Edgewater to regroup for our late morning spin ride around the shores of Lake Monona.  Stand up paddle boarders, sailors and kayakers dot the lakes as we pedal by.  We end in the early afternoon with a local classic ride through The Arboretum in the heart of the City along the shores of Lake Wingra.  The Arboretum was established in 1932 as part of the University of Wisconsin Madison with an evolving mission specializing ecological restoration.    

After this morning's spin, you have some choices:  stop, explore and learn a little more about The Arboretum and the horticulture history in the visitor center there, continue on a longer (guided and supported) ride into the countryside, where you will find pastoral views of rolling farm fields dotted with Holsteins and iconic red barns or head back to The Edgewater for an on your own afternoon exploring the campus of UW and vibrant State Street, the pedestrian avenue which embodies the soul of the city.  Hundreds of shops, galleries and restaurants line this street that connects the University of Wisconsin campus to the Capitol region of downtown. 

Lunch today is on your own in order to maximize your flexibility.  Grab a bite from one of the many food trucks downtown, or head to the iconic Union Terrace overlooking Lake Mendota.

At the end of the day, we invite you to join us for a beverage of choice on the Edgewater’s new lakeside terrace before dinner on your own tonight.  Numerous farm-to-table options are within walking distance of the inn.

The work and inspiration from Wisconsin’s famous native son, Frank Lloyd Wright, can be seen throughout the cities and countryside of south central Wisconsin.  We begin our day after breakfast with a short shuttle to Frank Lloyd Wright’s personal home and studio, Taliesin.  A private guided tour awaits us of the Taliesin estate, truly one of the architecture world’s great treasures.  Even those not generally interested in architecture will be fascinated by the quirky and imaginative rooms that Wright built and lived in for 50 years.

We spin our way after our tour through the prairie edge of the Wisconsin River Valley to the natural beauty of the Wisconsin Heights. Craggy hills rise above the fertile valleys through which we bike.  We land early afternoon in the whimsical town of Mount Horeb. Norwegian heritage, artists, hipsters and farmers all can be found in this pleasant but decidedly urban feeling village.  We will pedal along the main drag known as “Trollway,” complete with a collection of carved Scandinavian wooden trolls - some gardening, some biking, some eating - but all welcoming us to the heart of the town.  Explore the streets dotted with specialty shops before dining on the delicious gourmet pizzas and great pub fare of The Grumpy Troll Brew Pub.  Should you wish, pop into the Fisher King Winery for a sip of Wisconsin’s local wines.

Spend the remainder of the afternoon in vibrant Madison before we gather as a group to savor yet another of Madison’s infinite number of fresh local foodie restaurants for dinner together.

After our last breakfast on the shores of Lake Mendota, we head out on a brief morning shuttle from bustling Madison.  Our morning ride today spins toward Lake Geneva on empty backroads seemingly created for road cycling enthusiasts!  Rolling wooded terrain interspersed with ridgetop views of the surrounding open pastureland dotted with cows provides perfect views of quintessential Wisconsin.  New additions to our landscape today include the miles of solar farms being constructed that we will pass along our route.

We have lunch today along the shores of Lake Geneva.  Historically, this community has been a summertime playground for Chicago’s wealthiest families which can be seen in the grand palatial homes that surround this beautiful lake.  The lake itself is spring-fed, which accounts for the crisp, clean, clear water.

We stop after lunch at the fascinating Yerkes Observatory for a private group tour.  This facility was established as part of the University of Chicago in 1897 and houses still the world's largest refracting telescope.  The tour is more than a guided lesson through the big names in 20th century astronomy - it also includes history of the area, the fascinating architecture of this facility and an opportunity to stroll the Olmstead designed grounds.

We end the day with an optional ride to the Geneva Inn, our home for the night.  Opt to explore along the way some of the boutique shops in town, stroll along the scenic lakeshore to catch a glimpse of the beautiful homes, or simply relax in your lakefront room savoring the peaceful water view from The Geneva Inn just outside this bustling town.

We begin our last day together with a final breakfast as a group overlooking the shores of Lake Geneva.  We pedal away from the inn after breakfast in the gorgeous morning light to the rural roads you have come to expect in America's Dairyland.  New today is the terrain of the southern end of the Kettle Moraine, a landscape shaped by the glaciers that covered the region thousands of years ago.  Forests and bogs rise from the prairie and welcome us along our shady route back to Delafield.  Lunch and showers await before departure.