Takoma Park’s Still Point Spa offers yoga and more for your relaxation. Treat yo self!

Weekends are opportunities for adventure. A great idea for a weekend outing is a Sunday morning or afternoon in downtown Takoma Park, which is only a 15-minute drive and 5.5 miles away from College Park.

The best part about downtown Takoma is how adorable it is. I recommend Sundays because of the year-round farmers market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the market square, which is lined with cute little stores full of chic, creative accessories, gifts and clothing. All the items sold at the market are local, making the diversity of the products even more impressive. You can do all your grocery shopping at one time, as the market has at least three booths selling dairy products (including cheese, yogurt, milk and eggs), three selling meat/poultry and two with baked goods, not to mention a whole slew of local farmers selling fruits and vegetables.

I love to find produce I have never tried or known existed in order to inspire some imaginative cooking, and the Takoma market never disappoints. (My past finds include Okinawa purple sweet potatoes, huckleberries and blue ballet squash, just to give a few examples.) One produce stand had 14 apple varieties, and another had 10. One table had seven different kinds of radishes. The vendors are very friendly and happy to answer any cooking questions you might have. It is hard to walk away from the market without a bag full of produce and goodies and even harder to leave without sampling the cheeses and slices of fruit set out for tasting.

There is something for everyone in the shops surrounding the market square. Now and Then is a delightful little boutique that sells nifty handbags, scarfs and imaginative items you might give at a wedding shower. The Magic Carpet is stuffed full of knickknacks ranging from silly to beautiful. The Covered Market has a Turkish and Moroccan theme, carrying lanterns, carpets, textiles and other exotic items, while Polly Sue’s has some lovely vintage dresses.

If you decide to make your trip in the early to mid-morning, a great option for brunch would be the new Takoma Bistro (directly adjacent to the farmers market), which reminds me of a modish Parisian cafe. Breakfast items include Nutella-filled German pancakes, chocolate-banana French toast, omelets, ham and cheese pancakes and a Swiss muesli (a cold oat, yogurt and fruit concoction). If you choose to go in the afternoon, then a lunch stop at Roscoe’s Pizzeria is a must. This brick-oven pizzeria‘s decor is charming, and the pizza is delicious. My favorites are the veggie-topped Harvest pizza and the ruspante with added pepperoni for an extra zing. If you are more in the mood for a hole-in-the-wall type of atmosphere, try Mark’s Kitchen just a few doors down. Mark’s is a quirky little place that fuses diner and Korean food. Word on the street is they know how to put out both a great bibimbap (a spicy Korean rice and veggie dish, often topped with egg and/or meat) as well as classic milkshakes.

For the ladies, if you want to make a day of it, you can take your girlfriends to relax at The Still Point Spa: a new-age location where you can get massages, facials, waxes, makeovers and, if you’re really feeling daring, acupuncture.

The best way to end your adventure is a trip to Capital City Cheesecake — right next to the spa — where you can indulge in one or two of their mini-cheesecakes (I recommend the salted caramel pecan.) or something else from their cafe menu. Capital City Cheesecake is in a spacious store with multiple floors filled with comfortable couches and chairs — plenty of space for you to sit, unwind and sip a drink while snacking on a delectable cheesecake of your choosing.

So take control of your weekends, recruit a few friends and head to Takoma Park for a memorable day of fun, food and relaxation.

diversions@umdbk.com