With over 60 community gardens around Madison, there is a wide range of plot sizes and amenities to suit anyone's needs. All of the gardens have a different feel, and with varying degrees of involvement from each community they can serve as a hub for social, educational, and family activities. Below, we highlight five of the most unique community gardens in the Madison area.

Atwood

The Atwood garden has 110 plots and works with the Goodman Community Center to offer youth programming. Located along the Isthmus bike path between Jackson St. and Waubesa St., this is one of the oldest community gardens in Madison. 

Bock

Located north of Middleton on the southeast end of the Bock Community Forest, this land was acquired for

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Eight members of the Mad City Dream Homes and RE/MAX Preferred teams volunteered with Habitat for Humanity of Dane County for a build day in Fitchburg this spring.

They joined Habitat construction site supervisors Greg Kazda, Allissa Tway, and Chad Moen and regular volunteer Greg Louden by installing siding and flooring in two Habitat homes along Unity Lane in the Renaissance On The Park neighborhood.

One of the future homeowners, Tara Rai, was working right alongside the group as he often does -- well exceeding the minimum amount of sweat equity hours required by Habitat. Tara said his wife likes to garden and plans to plant tomatoes and potatoes in their backyard, and his daughter and son are looking forward to having their own bedrooms.

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Do you feel like you’re always running behind - like there’s never enough time in the day? You know you need to take care of yourself and find ways to relax and stay sane, but with everything on your to-do list, there’s never time. We may even look enviously at others thinking, “they have it so much easier than I do. Look at how much time they have to spare in the day!”  Sara Ifert, owner of Go Simple Wellness, says there is hope! "The reality is that we all have the same 24 hours in a day. It’s up to us how we spend that time, for the most part." Lack of time is one of the biggest challenges Ifert's clients have when it comes to creating a healthier lifestyle or finding better balance. There’s no time to cook a meal, work out, read that book, get sleep,…

Whether you enjoy running, walking, skating, or biking, the Madison area offers countless paths to explore.

Fitchburg is one of 18 communities in Wisconsin that has been named a Bicycle Friendly Community by The League of American Bicyclists since 2012. For a map of the trails in this growing city, click here.

Fitchburg is also home to the area’s first bike roundabout, which can be accessed from the Allied-Dunn’s Marsh Community near Arrowhead Park. Here you’ll have the option to connect to five paved trails depending on which direction you take from the roundabout.

• Badger State Trail (pass required): 40-mile trail from Fitchburg south to Illinois border

• Capital City State Trail (pass required): 17-mile trail from Fitchburg

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Madison parks can be used in every season, so there is something to enjoy no matter how cold it gets! There are 13 locations around town offering outdoor ice skating, with five maintained by Madison Parks, seven through the Adopt Ice Partnership, and one by both. West side rinks (nine) outnumber the east side (four), but all have their own unique set-up and charm. In comparison, Milwaukee (a city over twice the size of Madison) offers eight locations for outdoor ice skating.

The most important part of skating is having physical skates. If you don’t own a set, you will need to rent a pair. Elver Park, Tenney Park, and Vilas Park are the three facilities that offer ice skate rentals, staffed warming shelters, restrooms, and concessions, so we

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The holiday weekend is here, and if you're still finishing your shopping, several Madison area businesses have great options to please everyone on your list!

For the foodie:

REAP Food Group is offering their annual "Taste of Wisconsin" store through today.  Visit their office on 306 East Wilson Street, and take advantage of all kinds of locally grown treats. Create your own gift basket, and take pride, knowing that you're supporting sustainable, local agriculture. The gift recipient will love the delicious assortment of foods like granola, pickles, beets, sunflower oil, popcorn and more! Pair it all with a Love Wisconsin coffee table book, and your gift is sure to please. 

REAP Food Group is a non-profit in Madison, dedicated to growing good

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With Christmas music taking over the radio before Thanksgiving and many trees and lights up shortly thereafter, it's safe to say the holiday season is here. Many Dane County communities are already planning wintry events for the first part of December, including these listed below - with or without snow. Be sure to check out the websites for detailed schedules and associated costs.

Cambridge Classic Christmas
When: November 30-December 2
Where: Downtown Cambridge
What: Santa and Mrs. Claus come to Cambridge in time for the community Christmas tree lighting Friday evening. Saturday features horse drawn wagon rides, caroling, shopping, and crafts, and Sunday morning is breakfast with Santa.

Victorian Holiday Weekend
When: November 29-December 2
Where:

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As the holiday season begins and the snow starts falling, South Central Wisconsin is full of places to go to enjoy a night out.

Holiday Light Show in Janesville

Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville is just a short drive from Madison, but offers one of the largest light displays around.  The gardens include 20 acres of beautiful scenery and, beginning this weekend, they will light it all up for evening enjoyment. This year's display will include more than 500,000 lights, a record for the gardens. Walk through the paths, enjoy more than 100 lit archways, search for the decorated evergreens (there are more than 100!), see decorated garden obelisks, and all kinds of individual displays. Santa occasionally makes a stop at the Rotary Gardens, and is

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Here's a new spin on trick-or-treating- Cave of the Mounds is encouraging guests to bring their costumes underground. This weekend, through Wednesday, October 31, all ages are invited to explore the hidden treasures that sit beneath Blue Mounds.Cave of the Mounds is located roughly 30 minutes southwest of Madison. The cave was first discovered by accident in 1939, when miners blasted through the limestone hiding it. Since then, the cave was designated a National Natural Landmark, and areas of the cave were opened for visitors to tour and explore the magnificent paths underground.  Today, visitors can tour the cave, study the fossils found inside, and enjoy biking and hiking trails surrounding the cave's entrance. 

This weekend, visitors will enjoy

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As the seasons change from summer to fall, be sure to catch the leaves turn into their brilliant red, orange, and yellow hues. Check back for updates using the fall color report map at TravelWisconsin.com, which estimates that the Madison area will reach peak in mid-October. There are several spots throughout our Dane County Parks that we recommend for autumn color viewing, but these three stand out for their elevated, expansive views of the tree-filled landscape.

Lake View Hill Park

1202 Northport Dr., Madison: This park is home to the highest point on Madison's north side with gorgeous views of Lake Mendota and downtown. After meandering around the Dane County Human Services building (the former sanatorium) and checking out the newly restored

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