Updated Location Guide
September 13, 2023
Finally, the Location Guide has been updated! Over the last year I’ve explored so many new places so I wanted to add them to my list of favorite Madison area locations for family photos. In this guide you’ll be able to see some of the photos I’ve made in each of these places, along with some key factors to consider (location, parking, walking required, space for your kids to run around, available bathrooms, etc). I hope this will help you select the best place for your family photos!
YOUR HOME
Believe it or not, my very favorite place to do family photos is in your backyard! Kids are so much more relaxed in their own home, which makes it easy to capture their authentic personality. And let’s be honest, it’s less stressful for parents too. You don’t have the hassle of loading them into the car and making sure you brought all the pieces of their outfit that you want. You be right by your closet when the baby spits up all over your shirt. And you’ll have easy access to bathrooms, snacks, and toys if one of your kids needs to take a break for a moment. I know what you are thinking, “My house isn’t nice.” Don’t worry about that. Your house is not the subject of the photos- your family is. We can pile everyone onto your bed and make some great memories.
UW Arboretum
2880 Longenecker Drive, Madison, WI 53713
The UW Arboretum is a great location for your winter, spring, and fall photos! The mosquitoes can get a little out of control here in the summer, so I don’t usually recommend that. This is my absolute favorite location in May when the Magnolia and Crabapple trees are in bloom. It is gorgeous! Easy parking at the visitor center, lots of space for your kids to run around, and bathrooms available when the visitor center is open (Monday-Friday from 9:30am-4pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 12:30am-4pm). You will have to do some walking at this location.
Picnic Point
2003 University Bay Drive, Madison WI 53706
Picnic Point is a great place for photos any time of year! You have beautiful trails, a few small beach areas, the lake, lovely colors in the fall, and wildflowers in the spring and summer. Plus they just added lots of additional parking, which is fantastic. You will have to walk at this location and there are no convenient bathroom options.
Allen Centennial Garden
620 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI 53706
Allen Centennial Garden is beautiful and compact! This is a great option to get a variety of settings without having to do lots of walking. There are tons of flowers, a bright red bridge, a nice grassy space, cute little benches, stone work, and a koi pond (this is a kid favorite). There are no public bathrooms available here, so keep that in mind. And this location charges a $30 photography fee; so if you want to do photos at Allen Centennial Garden that fee will be added to your invoice.
Wingra Park
824 Knickerbocker Street, Madison, WI 53711
This is one of my favorite summer time locations! It’s right on the lake and absolutely beautiful. It’s great for portraits or candid family fun. If you are doing a Storytelling session Wingra Park is perfect because you have lots of activity options. You can swim, fish, play on the playground, rent a boat from Wingra Boats, go to the Chocolate Shoppe for ice cream, have a picnic, or play soccer/frisbee.
Monroe Street Murals
2531 Monroe Street, Madison, WI 53711
These colorful murals on Monroe Street will add a pop of color to your family photos. With two different murals right across the street from each other you get multiple options without having to travel. Plus they are right by the Chocolate Shoppe so you can get some ice cream after your session, or during! Lots of color and ice cream, your kids will love it!
Aldo Leopold
330 Femrite Drive, Monona, WI 53716
Beautiful location for fall photos! Tons of trees with bold fall colors and you don’t have to walk to get to them. This is a great option if you are bringing grandparents that may not be very mobile because there is convenient parking right by ideal locations. There is also a lovely prairie you can walk into for more variety if you want to walk around.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
3330 Atwood Avenue, Madison, WI 53704
Olbrich Botanical Gardens is one of my favorite places in Madison. It is absolutely gorgeous! Not only will the gardens look beautiful in your photos, but your family will have a wonderful time exploring the unique plants and flowers in each section. Olbrich does require a photo permit and a $40 photography fee. If you want to do photos here I’ll need at least two weeks to request the permit and the $40 fee will be added to your invoice.
Owen Conservation Park
6021 Old Sauk Road, Madison, WI 53705
Owen Conservation Park is on a hilltop overlooking Madison’s west side. It has lots of trails that take you through both the prairie and woods and it looks beautiful any time of year. My favorite part of this park is a secret playground hidden in the woods. The surprise of finding a playground here is always a big hit with the kids.
Lakeview Park
6300 Mendota Avenue, Middleton, WI 53562
Lakeview is another great park for both formal portraits or a storytelling session. There is so much to do at this park- playground, splash pad, pond for fishing, lots of space to run around, beautiful wildflowers, and weeping willow trees. This park is great for a longer adventure because it has a really nice public bathroom and shelter for having a picnic.
Hilldale Murals
726 N Midvale Blvd, Madison, WI 53705
Another great option if you want murals in your family photos is Hilldale. There are five different murals in that commercial area, plus lots of fun activities like giant chess, yard games, and sweet treats. Hildale is a great spot if you want to explore and get some more candid photos. Then when you are done with photos you can get lunch or dinner at one of the Hilldale restaurants.
Olin Park
1156 Olin-Turville Court, Madison, WI 53715
Olin Park provides a variety of background options in one place. You have the lake Monona with a nice little beach, open space for kids to run around, and a beautiful wooded area with wildflowers. There is also a playground here, which is a big hit with the kids for after their photos (or during, I love that too).
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA)
227 State Street, Madison, WI 53703
The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art is the perfect location for the winter when you don’t want to be outside in the cold. There are huge glass windows that let in tons of natural light. And if you want to pop outside for a quick second you are right on state street with a great shot of the capital in the background. MMoCA charges a $25 photography fee; so if you want to do photos here that fee will be added to your invoice.
Pope Farm Conservancy
7440 Old Sauk Road, Verona, WI 53593
Pope Farm Conservancy has a lovely farm landscape with a variety of crops growing, tall grass, rolling hills, and some wooded areas as well. In August there is a field of sunflowers in bloom, which makes it a very popular location for photos. This is a great location if you have active kids that need space to run around. It’s not a great location if you are not interested in walking.
Vilas Park
702 S Randall Avenue, Madison, WI 53715
Vilas Park is right by the Zoo! So if you have kids, you know what I’m talking about. There are cute ponds, open space for running around, a sweet little bridge, and lots of trees that look lovely in the fall. And since it is right by the zoo and a Playground you can stop there after photos, OR we can just start there and take photos of you family having fun.
Marsh Woods Park
5399 Marshwoods Drive, McFarland WI 53558
If you live out in McFarland and don’t want to come into Madison, Marsh Woods Park is a great option. This park includes a wooded area, prairie, large pond, and a boardwalk that wraps around a giant weeping willow tree. It’s beautiful and peaceful!
Yahara River
2025 Yahara Place, Madison, WI 53703
The Yahara River is the perfect way to add some water to your photos without all the wind you get right on the lakes. There are even nice little spots your kids can dip their feet in the water, which is always a source of delight. There is plenty of street parking available so you won’t have to walk far, but there are not public bathroom options.
Tenney Park
1414 E. Johnson Street, Madison, WI 53703
Tenney Park sits right where the Yahara River feeds into Lake Mendota. If your kids like boats they will love this park because there is a working lock they can watch. This park has also has a beach, playground, multiple bridges, and plenty of space for kids to run around. The fall colors look really nice here and in the winter it’s a popular ice skating spot with a warming shelter and public restrooms.
Epic Campus
1979 Milky Way, Verona, WI 53593
Epic is a place like no other. If you’ve never been you should definitely check it out. Each building on the vast campus has a unique theme and every single detail goes along with that theme. It’s pretty wild! It feels more like an amusement park than a software company. The beautiful grounds are great for family photos and the themed building are a big hit with kids, especially Harry Potter fans. If you want to do photos here come prepared to walk. This place is big!
Stricker's Pond
7214 Longmeadow Road, Madison, WI 53717
Stricker’s Pond is right were Madison runs into Middleton. It has a walking path that goes all the way around the pond and takes you through both open and wooded areas. There is a playground along the way and several benches to stop and enjoy the view. Great location for families that live in Middleton or the west side.
Westmorland Park
4114 Tokay Boulevard, Madison, WI 53711
Westmorland Park is beautiful year round. There are beautiful wildflowers in the spring and summer, gorgeous leaves in the fall, and it is a great place to sled and/or ice skate in the winter if you want some action photos (which are my favorite)! Plus, there is a playground and public bathrooms here.
Enchanted Valley Acres
5047 Enchanted Valley Road, Cross Plains, WI 53528
Enchanted Valley Acres is a great way to get your family photos while you enjoy a family tradition- cutting down your Christmas tree. Not only is the tree farm is a lovely background for your family photos, but when you do your family photos here, your children will have the memory of finding the perfect Christmas tree. And believe me, that will mean more to them than any of the photos you take at a park.
Hann’s Christmas Farm
848 Tipperary Road, Oregon, WI 53575
Hann’s Christmas Farm is another great location for a tree farm session. Plus, Hann’s has an adorable little shop where you can get hot cocoa or cider, lots of yummy treats, and choose the newest ornaments to put on your Christmas tree. AND Santa is at Hann’s Christmas Farm, so you can see him and knock that off your list too!
