Tenney Park — Attraction in Madison

In the heart of nature's embrace, a park serene, Where the Yahara River's waters gleam, so clean. Beneath the azure sky, a haven of peace, A gentle breeze whispers secrets, never to cease.

Bridges of wood, they gracefully span, Inviting all to wander, woman and man. The river's embrace, a tranquil delight, Reflects the world in shimmering light.

Along the banks, a few souls recline, Their fishing lines dancing in the sunshine. In the quiet, they find solace and rest, With hopes of the river's treasures, the best.

Birds in chorus, their melodies trill, Nature's orchestra, so perfectly still. In this picturesque haven, worries dissolve, A treasure trove of beauty, where problems resolve.

So come, wanderer, to this place so fair, Where Yahara's embrace is beyond compare. In this park of dreams, let your spirit take flight, And find in its beauty, pure...

First off, this is a great 4-season park. Plenty of space to play or relax, fish or drop your kayak in the yahara. And in summer, a nice beach across the road. That said, in rating the ice skating available -- this is still mostly good. Plenty of skating space, including a separate rink for hockey, etc. Staff in the warming hut are also very friendly and helpful on even the busiest days. Prices are also reasonable for rentals. Where I take away stars is in the organization of it all. There's one window for all concessions, and little direction about how to navigate the rental/return process. Am I in a rental line? A return line? Concession line? Is it the same line? It just turns into a horde of people. I feel this is what could use...

This is a really cool rink! You can go almost all the way around the little doughnut-shaped pond so it's much more interesting than the usual circular or oval-shaped rinks. I tried going on a warmer day the first time, and the line for skate rentals was probably going to be about an hour+, hence the sans-skates picture. The next time on a weeknight there was no line whatsoever, so that seems to be the better way to go. Rentals are inexpensive and seem like decent quality skates with two options--hockey or figure skates. The hockey skates were pretty loose around the leg for me unfortunately, felt pretty unstable. I think I'll likely go with the figure skates next time, which seem to have a more snug fit from...