At a Big Ten school like the University of Wisconsin, winning the tailgate is almost as important as winning the game itself. But, in a city on an isthmus like Madison, space is at a premium, so the traditional parking lot tailgate scene is a little less common compared to other schools in the region.
The lack of space forces the thousands that flock to Madison on game days to get a bit more creative with their pre-game parties. Here are a few of the most popular places for Badger fans to start off their Saturday.
Mifflin Street
Mifflin Street is a personal favorite spot to tailgate before a Badger game. As one of the most popular regions for students living off-campus, Mifflin Street is always bustling on game day.
Known for its three-story houses and big gravel parking lots, Mifflin Street is the most traditional tailgate scene you will find in Madison.
The one downside to tailgating on Mifflin Street is its distance to Camp Randall Stadium. Most of the houses and popular tailgate spots are more than a mile away from the stadium, which is a bit inconvenient.
But, the mile-long hike from Mifflin Street to Camp Randall is one of the best parts of game day. The streets get progressively more crowded the closer you get to the stadium, and the entire 20 minute walk is rowdy.
Dayton Street
Dayton Street is an addition to the Mifflin Street tailgate scene, as this is the street that most students choose to walk from Mifflin Street to the stadium. While it does have a tailgate scene of its own with some parking lots closer to Camp Randall located on this street, it is known more so for the sidewalk parties that happen on the walk from Mifflin Street to Camp Randall.
While smaller, the parking lots on Dayton Street close to Camp Randall are some of the most popular places for non-students to have a traditional tailgate with grills and yard games.
Langdon Street
Langdon Street is a popular spot amongst students because of its proximity to the majority of the fraternity and sorority houses on campus.
The tailgate scene here is arguably the wildest on campus as the majority of the fraternities will host big pre-game parties, typically with a live band or DJ.
With just 14% of students at the university participating in some sort of Greek life, the majority of students will not be able to access these parties. But for those that are involved in fraternity or sorority life, this is typically the spot to go before a football game.
Regent Street
Regent Street is probably the most busy street in Madison on a game day due to its location near Camp Randall Stadium, the Southeast residential neighborhood and dozens of bars and restaurants.
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Most of these bars and restaurants will block off their parking lots and turn them into tailgate lots of their own. It’s a great spot to get a pre-game brat or watch some of the other football games going on. With the lack of traditional parking lot tailgating near the stadium, spending your pre-game at a Regent Street bar or restaurant is a very popular choice.
Lathrop Street
Just off Regent Street is Lathrop Street. This street is just one block west of Camp Randall Stadium and is another very popular spot for students to tailgate. Like Mifflin Street, there are large student houses on this street that tend to host pretty rowdy pre-game parties. There are also some fraternity and sorority houses either on or just off of this street.
The abundance of student housing in this area typically draws a crowd and can be a great option for a student oriented tailgate right next to the stadium.
While these are far from the only places to tailgate on a football Saturday in Madison, they are a few of the best spots2 to get ready for a Wisconsin football game.
