Providence RI to Madison- Any other New Englanders out there? (transplants, college)

[goodbyeprovidence]

Hi all! My husband is considering a faculty position at UW Madison and we are trying to get a feel for what moving to Madison would be like. A bit about us - we are 30, both have PhDs, are a biracial couple, and are what would generically be called liberal in our political views. We like outdoor activities and being in nature, a variety of ethnic foods (Vietnamese, Indian, etc), cultural/arts/music events, and some low key night life (not clubbing but more like a nice relaxed bar kind of place). I grew up in New Mexico, went to college in Arizona, and have been in New England (Boston then Providence) for 10 years. My husband has lived in New England all his life. We would be moving from Providence, RI.

Are there any New England transplants that would be willing to share some of their opinions+experiences moving to Madison?

Also, I am wondering if someone can tell us about the winters compared to New England winters. According to the Wikipedia, Providence and Madison are in the same type of climate, though it looks like Madison gets colder in the winter but is cooler in summer by 5-10 degrees. How do they compare?

EDIT: Moderator/Admin could you please move this to the Madison forum? I see I accidentally posted it in the state wide forum and don't want to double post. Thanks!