Overview
The region of Southwest Wisconsin is in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Wisconsin.
1 sights
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Southwest Wisconsin
Norskedalen Nature and Heritage Center
Located 3 miles north of Coon Valley. Open year-round, Norskedalen is set amidst 440 acres of wooded coulee along Poplar Creek and has over 6 miles of trails making it a great place to experience the beauty of the driftl…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 82°F; winter lows dip to about 12°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jun and Jul. (climate data from nearby Madison)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- MSN Dane County Regional Truax Field, Madison — 31 mi away. Directions
- DBQ Dubuque Regional Airport, Dubuque — 71 mi away. Directions
- MKE General Mitchell International Airport, Milwaukee — 105 mi away (major hub). Directions
Southwest Wisconsin is most easily accessible by I-90 (from Rockford or LaCrosse), I-94 (from Milwaukee or Eau Claire), US 151 (from Dubuque, IA or Appleton) or US 12 and 14. I-43 terminates in Beloit. Madison is served by a regional airport. Portage, Columbus, and Wisconsin Dells have daily Amtrak service.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Sample 3-day trip
- Day 1: Beaver Dam — Dodge County Historical Society, Waterworks Park, Beaver Dam Family Center Ice Arena.
- Day 2: Green County — Edelweiss Chalet Country Club, Swiss Center of North America, New Glarus Brewing Company.
- Day 3: Greater Madison Area — Little Americcka Amusement Park, Aztalan.
Built from the best-covered destinations in this region; open each for its own day plan.
Places in Southwest Wisconsin
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Locally, the region is referred to as being one of two separate regions: South Central Wisconsin or Southwestern Wisconsin. South Central Wisconsin is anchored around Madison, while Southwestern Wisconsin is much more rural and is anchored around La Crosse and the Mississippi River.
Regions
Cities
- Beloit - city along the Wisconsin/Illinois border
- Baraboo - charming city with circus roots and natural wonders in the Baraboo River Valley
- Janesville - "Wisconsin's Park Place" on the Rock River
- La Crosse - city along the Mississippi River and home to unique topography
- Madison - capital of Wisconsin and home to the University of Wisconsin's flagship campus
- Prairie du Sac - considered, along with its neighboring city, Sauk City, to be the 'gateway to the Lower Wisconsin River'
- Spring Green - home of architect Frank Lloyd Wright and the mysterious House on the Rock.
- Stoughton - unique suburb of Madison with Norwegian Heritage
- Wisconsin Dells - a major tourist draw focused on natural and man-made attractions
Get in
Southwest Wisconsin is most easily accessible by I-90 (from Rockford or LaCrosse), I-94 (from Milwaukee or Eau Claire), US 151 (from Dubuque, IA or Appleton) or US 12 and 14. I-43 terminates in Beloit. Madison is served by a regional airport. Portage, Columbus, and Wisconsin Dells have daily Amtrak service.
Get around
Much of Southwest Wisconsin is only accessible by car but can be reached relatively easily from the interstates or US 151. Madison, Janesville and Beloit have local public transportation systems as well.
See
See Norskedalen Nature and Heritage Center
Located 3 miles north of Coon Valley. Open year-round, Norskedalen is set amidst 440 acres of wooded coulee along Poplar Creek and has over 6 miles of trails making it a great place to experience the beauty of the driftless region of Wisconsion. Norskedalen also preserves the heritage of the area with guided tours of an authentic, fully furnished, 1880s pioneer log farmstead, built by the Norwegian immigrants to the area and a museum. There are also special events throughout the year.
Itineraries
Nearby
Spring Green
City / town · 30 listings · 9 mi away
Prairie du Sac
City / town · 3 listings · 11 mi away
Baraboo
City / town · 16 listings · 18 mi away
Dodgeville
City / town · 8 listings · 22 mi away
Richland Center
City / town · 7 listings · 24 mi away
Verona
City / town · 27 mi away
Wisconsin Dells
City / town · 46 listings · 27 mi away
Madison
City / town · 101 listings · 30 mi away
My experience
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