I used to date a girl in Madison & spent a lot of time there. Loved it, especially State Street and having beers at the Memorial Union on Lake Mendota.
On the flip side, I remember there was one WI city (Racine?) just over the border than became a welfare magnet because WI offered better benefits than IL. Maybe they got smart and fixed that. I also know several people who live in WI (Madison area) and they likewise love it.
While I grew up in the Midwest, I find it kind of boring in general. Especially because I like beaches and skiing. My biggest regret is that there are no Walker Bros pancake houses where I live.
My Wilmette house is half a mile from Walker Brothers. I worked there in high school. I may have bussed your table if you were there in the ‘70s.
Lake Michigan is in my back yard, but the beaches are white half the year. People here will drive their cars out on the lake to fish. There is skiing here too as long as you don’t like long runs and you don’t mind skiing in -5 degrees.