There is something extraordinary to sitting outside on a pier in the waning sun of a late summer evening, along the shore of a beautiful lake, enjoying the company of good friends and sipping a drink or two. Options for such an environment are slim around campus, especially if you want the benefits of a full-service bar. Fortunately, we have the Edgewater Hotel pier.

The Edgewater is one of Madison’s most famous and sophisticated hotels. Walking inside the hotel lobby, you may feel as if you are stepping into a swanky time machine from another era. The décor, although somewhat dated, is rich and luxurious. The transformation from the hectic world outside with its hurried pace is immediate. This is a place where you will be spoiled.

In many ways, the Edgewater pier is something of a secret. To reach the pier, you must take an elevator down to the confusing seventh floor. It is easy to get lost, and many will wonder where they are actually going. The confusion eventually subsides as you walk through the glass doors and are greeted by a large pier on the lake.

We find a very inviting setting mixed with a certain degree of self-indulgence. White plastic patio tables, which are fastened to the pier itself, are neatly laid out, with some featuring an umbrella with the Edgewater’s trademark green-and-white color scheme. Upon taking a seat, one of the cheery waitstaff dressed in a red-and-white shirt comes and takes your drink order. The vibe is certainly vacation-like, and this is your lakeside resort.

With little time to contemplate, your beverage is promptly served. Arriving in plastic cups, which is the law for a drinking establishment on a pier in Madison, the drinks are solid and consistent. Individually, the drink itself might not be spectacular. In an environment such as this, however, a bad drink will taste good, and a good drink will taste great. To this end, my Bombay Sapphire martini might have been the best I have had in quite some time.

The sentiment is shared. By all accounts, the drinks were satisfying among our group. Although not as comprehensive a drink selection as a State Street bar, nobody seemed to mind. The drinks also have a tendency to be slightly over-priced. A bartender jokingly referred to the inflation as a “scenery and wildlife-fund premium.” At the Edgewater, it appears, the mood and setting grab hold, and it is near-impossible to find fault.

With a vodka-lemonade, Captain and Coke, or one of any number of beers, it is easy to settle into world of carefree bliss on the pier. The mood is totally relaxed and friendly.

Boaters have docked along side the pier to have a few drinks. A couple on vacation sits back and soaks in the sights. Businessmen socialize over something other than business. Far from snobby, the general attitude is fun and engaging.

It is also not a noisy place.

“The sound of conversation fills the air,” Chris LePage describes.

Apart from voices, most sound is limited to the hypnotic crash of waves against the rocks, a cry from a seagull above, or the pitter-patter of a duck patrolling the pier, looking for a handout or two.

The pier also offers a tremendous vantage point to take in the sights on Lake Mendota. You might see 70-plus sailboats in a regatta, as we recently did when the E-Scow Nationals were held here a few weeks ago. You might also see the occasional wake-boarder or water-skier. And you might see our very own UW crew team out for practice. Most of all, you’ll see the campus — the Red Gym, the Terrace, Science Hall, College Library, and the flag on top of Bascom. Although not far away, the detached perspective is simply amazing.

More importantly, there are the sunsets. At this time of year, the sun is setting almost over University Bay, shimmering on the lake below. No two are ever alike, which is easily one of the pier’s greatest assets. The atmosphere, although always relaxed, is always changing. In many ways, regardless of how many times you have been to the pier, each visit feels like the first time, as something will always be different from the last.

With summer’s conclusion rapidly approaching, the opportunity to enjoy this environment will soon subside. The Edgewater pier, perhaps the most idyllic retreat from campus, will serve its last drink of the season this weekend, and we are left to anxiously await the opportunity to return once we are free from winter’s chilly grip.

Bartime will take a break from the campus scene and head over to Madison’s west side for drinks at Otto’s Bar, tonight, Friday, Sept. 20, at 7:30 pm. Otto’s is located at 6405 Mineral Point Rd. and can be reached at 254-8109. Cheers!