Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of Lake Mendota. Just walk along Observatory Drive and follow its seemingly endless gar-
dens.
Lots of UW's departments offer tours; it's best to call ahead and verify one is available.
Or log on to
http://vip.wisc.edu
for a full list of offerings.
This is the Dairy State, after all, so when you need to refuel, there is
only
the
Babcock
Hall Dairy Plant
(1605 Linden Dr., 608/262-3045,
http://foodsci.wisc.edu/
dairy_plant.php
,
7:30am-5:30pm Mon.-Fri., 11am-4pm Sat.), where you can get up-close-
and-personal looks at the creation of UW's famed ice cream; the department also makes
cheese and other dairy-related products. My personal fave is the legendary fudge-bottom
pie, but walking away without an ice cream cone is a cardinal sin. Biotechnology is a new
addition to the
agricultural campus.
But the aesthetics of the
Dairy Barn
(1915 Linden
Dr.) aren't to be missed. Designed in 1898 by a UW professor, its cylindrical style became
a world standard. Tours focusing on the university's crucial role in Midwestern agriculture,
biotechnology, and veterinary science can be arranged through the information centers.
Where State Street ends and the university begins stands the
Memorial Library
(728
State St., 608/262-3193,
http://memorial.library.wisc.edu
, hours vary). Ranking in the top
fivenationwideforitscollection(itholdsmorethanfivemillionvolumes),italsohasafew
areas with rare books. A plan to add floors to the library raised a hullabaloo, since the addi-
tion would have blocked the view of the Capitol.
Buslines(manylinesfreewithincampusareas)servejustabouteverything.Forgeneral
campus information, call 608/262-2400.
A lakeshore path runs from the popular terrace of the Memorial Union, bypasses dorm-
itories, boathouses, beaches, and playing fields, and winds up at yet another of the uni-
versity's gorgeous natural areas—
Picnic Point.
This narrow promontory jutting into Lake
Mendota is split by a screened gravel path and is popular with hikers, joggers, and bikers.
You can walk to the tip in under 20 minutes; along the way there are offshoot roads and
trails as well as firepit picnic sites. The views of the city merit the stroll.
