I’m going to submit an idea right now that at first blush, might seem a little jarring. It might not fit with your preconceived notions or past experience. You might say to yourself, “Wait, what? Hmmmm. I never thought about it like that!”
Allow me to suggest the next time you are talking with family or friends about a place to go for a long weekend or a getaway vacation, you humbly but confidently suggest … Madison, Indiana. Yes, our little hometown that we often take for granted, or sometimes can’t see the forest for the trees, is one of America’s premier small town getaway spots.
Stay with me on this, and think about it. When you are evaluating a destination to hang out with family and friends, you want a place that checks all the big boxes that everybody wants. You want great shopping, lots of dining options, stuff to do during the day (like walking historic streets and looking at amazing houses) and stuff to do in the evening (like live music!) As an added bonus, if there’s something for the kids (like a brand new pool or riding in golf carts) that’s icing on the cake.
I actually have personal experience with this exact scenario. Several years ago my extended family was looking for a place to get together and spend a long weekend. My family lives in Louisville and Lexington and New Albany. So we wanted something within an hour or two drive. Somewhere that checked all the boxes for activities, shopping and dining. And as the various towns and state parks were suggested, it slowly dawned on me. None of the places had as much to offer as Madison, not by a long shot.
So we rented a big house downtown with bedrooms for everybody (including me and my wife!) We made some dinner reservations and rented some golf carts. We went to the museums and attractions in town that we locals usually never go to. We looked at Madison with outside eyes, and it was amazing. We had such a great time that we’re now ready to do our fourth annual “Madison Staycation” with the family.
Here’s another example. My daughter Kay (MCHS Class of ‘06) who now lives in Louisville, was in a conversation with some women friends about where to have a bachelorette party. Again it was the same general discussion, no more than a couple hours drive, great hotel and home rental options. Lots of stuff to do, especially nightlife. Kay suggested Madison!
Well, the group of ladies came a couple weeks ago (during the weekend of “The Big Rain” actually) and they had an epic time. They reported back to Kay about conga lines at Mad Paddle, an out of the way dive bar with Karaoke that turned out to be super fun and friendly (probably First Street Saloon?) And amazing lodging right downtown (they stayed at the East Main Lofts across from the courthouse.) They thanked Kay for her great idea and said they’d be coming back more often, now that they know what Madison has to offer.
And that’s another attitude adjustment you might have to make if you are a long time resident. Madison is now action packed 52-weeks a year, not just Regatta and Chautauqua and maybe a couple other weekends. One look at this weekend’s music calendar (25 shows between Wednesday and Sunday!) and you’ll see what I mean. Madison is hopping year round now.
So I’ll leave you with this entreaty. Become a Madison Ambassador. Sing the praises of our special town every chance you get. Take a moment to “Look her over” with a fresh perspective and understand that we really might be one of the very best small town getaway options in this entire region of the country. Let’s get the word out!
HOT TIP OF THE WEEK:
Is it just me, or does it seem like the Weekly Music Calendar has been flat-out BLOWING UP lately?! I’m counting 25 live music events between Wednesday and Sunday. And as an added bonus, I just got wind of an every Tuesday Trivia Night at Mad Paddle Brewery. So that takes us up to 6 days of the week with something fun going on in the evening. Monday can be your day of rest!
Sharp eyed calendar watchers will notice that The Lighthouse is back open for the season, and they are kicking things off on Wednesday with the venerable Bee Camp Bottom Boys, Karaoke on Thursday, and Stoned Gnomes on Saturday. It’s so great to have our floating restaurant and bar back in the game!
What else? Crystal up at Tailgators tells me they have a brand new band playing Saturday, so check that out. Red Bike has the annual Guitar Summit which is super groovy and always popular (get your tix at MadTixEvents.com). Every venue is in full swing already, and the weather is just now warming up. It’s gonna be a fantastic summer music season!
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