Spring is in full bloom. The weather is beautiful and all you need is an excuse to be outside and enjoy it.

For a nice change of pace, try the Dallas Farmers Market.

Located down on Pearl Street, it’s close enough to go on a whim, yet once you’re there you feel a world away from campus.

The market isn’t just for purchasing plants and produce.

Feel free to meander through the stalls, sampling the local fruits, veggies and homemade goodies.

The real draw of the market is the specialty food building. Inside you will find a vast assortment of locally made food and treats.

There are canned fruits, made-from-scratch jellies, and homemade fudges and breads.

For lunch, plan on a stop at the Old World Deli, which has an array of creative versions of hot dogs and sandwiches.

The hot dogs are served with their version of relish that falls somewhere between a sweet pickle relish and jalapeno jelly.

Perhaps their best offering, however, is the Reuben.

The sandwich is served open faced with a very generous portion of corned beef atop two slices of rye bread, a heaping mound of sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and a drizzle of their specialty dressing.

All these ingredients combine to form a huge sandwich, definitely big enough to share, all for only $6.99.

After sampling desserts from various vendors, make a final stop at Ain’t No Mo! Butter Cakes.

This cleverly named kiosk is owned and operated by a husband and wife duo who know a thing or two about cake baking.

At least a dozen varieties of individual serving cakes are available, along with a wide assortment of toppings including strawberry, dulce de leche, caramel, lemon and many more.

While the Dallas Farmers Market may be a trek for some who are more fond of the Park Cities area, fresh food and stellar dishes awaits those who aren’t afraid to travel.