Tell me about some sites worth seeing.
• Madison is home to three wineries, and two are downtown. At Lanthier Winery, a well-kept garden is a good place to sip one of the winery’s 17 wines. Down the street, a third-generation winemaker oversees Thomas Winery, housed in an 1850s brick building. North of town, Madison Vineyards’ tiny tasting room is adjoined by a covered deck with views of vineyards and a small inn.
• Manicured grounds at Lanier Mansion State Historic Site overlook the riverfront. Set in the middle of the green is the 1844 Greek Revival home of James F.D. Lanier, an Indiana hero. Guided tours are given year-round; the lawns and gardens can be booked for outdoor events.
• Learn about the saddletree — the frame for a saddle — at the Schroeder Saddletree Factory Museum, America’s only restored 19th- century saddletree factory.
• Other historic stops might include the Madison Railroad Station, noted for an octagonal waiting room and stained-glass windows; the Jeremiah Sullivan House, considered Madison’s first mansion and Dr. William Hutchings’ office and hospital, where the equipment of a horse-and-buggy doctor is displayed.
Where should we dine?
Madison has more than 50 restaurants, and many of the best are on Main Street. Top dinner choices are Crystal and Jules, with a number of “Best ofs” under its belt after only a couple of years in business. At Bistro One, raves begin over starters like homemade hummus and flavor-packed chilled soups, and they don’t end as Steak Diane, gnocchi, shrimp and grits, and other entrees are delivered.
For a meal that takes taste buds back decades, step into Hinkle’s, also on Main, whose slider-style burgers were voted one of the state’s Top 10 Super Sandwiches. At the west end of Main in the restored Trolley Barn, Sakka Blue is satisfying sushi fans.
800-559-2956
www.visitmadison.org
