Vilas Park Beach — Local services in Madison

The beach itself was pleasant with warm water and no crowds. However we had not noticed until we had already been in the water that the beach was closed due to high bacteria levels, the only indication being a small sign just about the size of a peice of printer paper on the back of the lifeguard stand. No ropes or anything. This is really more of a city issue rather than that of the beach itself. My wife and baby both got sick with stomach issues after our trip and now we wonder of if it was from exposure to the water or just a big going around. Look up the status of the water before you go in and check the water for algae blooms as the Madison...

It's a nice free beach right outside the zoo. Lifeguards aren't always present and it's a chill spot. It has ropes to divide shallow water from deep which helps with mid aged kids like mine 8-1O because even though they swim they know how far they can go. It's a safe lake not like the great lakes even if it's windy. It's not crystal clear but not disgusting and I'm kinda picky about lakes I swim in or let my kids but I sure wouldn't want a mouthful of...

This is an awesome beach! I highly suggest it in the Madison area. The beach has very nice sand and not many rocks in the water. There are a few picnic tables, a grassy area and trees for shade. It is alway well kept with no garbage around. The bathrooms can just seem gross but they are nice for public beach restrooms. The lifeguards are all great as well, I have bever had a bad experience with the . This is my #1 choice for public...