After a great time in Cincinnati, we continued North. We had a wedding to attend in Minnesota, and planned to camp along the way. During a gas stop we pulled into a Starbucks to do a little campsite research. We’ve found that grabbing a coffee and some free Wi-Fi on the road has worked out pretty well so far.
Starbucks research break
That night we ended up camping in Delphi, Indiana along the Wabash and Erie Canal Trail. For $14/night it was quiet, had flush toilets, hot showers and was nestled in a sleepy little town in the middle of Indiana.
Our camp spot for the night. Delphi, Indiana Wabash and Erie Canal
The next day was a bit of the same. Headed North, Starbucks, research. Based on how much further we wanted to drive and the direction we were heading, we figured we would end up somewhere around Wisconsin Dells. Unlike Indiana, this area had a TON of parks and camping options. We also found out that we were near several of the most popular outdoor attractions in Wisconsin. Our options were sounding good, until we saw the prices. Most places were charging $40 to $75 per night to camp! Even the $30 primitive camp sites had an additional $10 “vehicle fee” just to enter the park.
Our limited budget left us pondering three options. Option #1 was to drive wayyy past the popular areas and find something we could afford. Option #2 was a reasonably priced “adults only” campground that looked like a field next to a bar…and unfortunately the bar was closed. Option #3 was to bite the bullet, break the budget, and camp with the thousands of families who flock to these camping attractions in the summer. None of these options seemed appealing so I added option #4 – spend our campsite money on food and booze and camp for free in a Walmart parking lot! Jenna was in so we high-fived, did a little jig and started our search for the closest “foodie” destination.
Madison, Wisconsin is a great city/college town with tons to do and eat.
We chose Madison. It’s the capital of Wisconsin, has a rich history and a beautiful waterfront; but more importantly it’s full of delicious beer and cheese! We planned our walking tour as follows: Babcock Hall Dairy Store for ice cream, The Old Fashioned for cheese curds and beer, Dotty Dumplings Dowry for a cheeseburger and more beer, and Fromagination for extra cheese please. If you’re thinking this plan sounds like a recipe for high cholesterol, you are correct. The ice cream was delicious, as were the curds. But by the time we finished our beers and a greasy basket of fried cheese I was ready for a nap in a bean bag chair. Not to worry, in true fatty style, we walked a couple extra blocks to get our appetites back for the famous Dotty cheeseburgers…and it was worth it. With slowed heartbeats we hobbled back to the truck vowing to return for some Fromagination goodness and the other delicacies Madison has to offer.
Babcock Hall Dairy store is run by the university and has amazing ice cream and award winning cheeses.
Can’t go to Wisconsin and not get cheese curds! The Old Fashioned
Dotty Dumpling’s Dowry is known for their burgers and will not disappoint!
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Walmart Camping
Using this site we searched for a luxurious Walmart parking lot and hit the road. We set up camp at the far side of the lot near a couple truckers and fell asleep to the sound of “falling prices”. Option #4 was a win.
We chose option 4. Eat and drink to our hearts content and sleep in the Walmart parking lot. I’d say it was a success!
Living in style