Bakersfield – Travel guide at Wikivoyage (2024)

Bakersfield is a city in Kern County in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Bakersfield is famous for being the home of country music singers Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, and has the nickname "the country music capital of the West Coast."

Bakersfield is one of the fastest growing larger cities in the United States. Bakersfield has a population of approximately 323,000 and a metropolitan area of approximately a half million. Bakersfield is also the birthplace of Korn, one of the best selling and most popular heavy metal bands of the last 25 years. Bakersfield has also produced its share of American football players such as Joey Porter, Frank Gifford, and David Carr. Bakersfield is a very conservative, religious city compared to most of the state.

• 1 Bakersfield Sign (Bakersfield Neon Arch), Sillect Ave at the intersection of Buck Owens Blvd (GET bus 45 from the downtown transit center). 24hrs. A landmark sign that's sometimes seen in movies and TV shows set in the area. free. (updated Sep 2021)
• 2 Buck Owens' Crystal Palace, 2800 Buck Owens Blvd, ☏ +1 661 328-7560. The legendary country music performer might have passed, but look for other country artists performing at the venue throughout the year. Memorabilia from Buck's career is found all over the walls. (updated Jun 2015)
• 3 California Living Museum (CALM), 10500 Alfred Harrell Hwy. 9AM-4PM daily. This zoo is in a park like setting in northeastern Bakersfield. It features rare or endangered animals that have been hurt in some way and will never be able to go back to the wild. Adults $9, Seniors $7, Children (3-12) $5, Children (under 3) free. (updated Jun 2015)
• 4 Kern County Museum, 3801 Chester Ave, ☏ +1 661-437-3330, bebe@kerncountymuseum.org. W-Su 9AM-4PM. A great place to visit, with 56 historic exhibits in a lush shady 16-acre setting. The historical exhibit buildings include everything from an 1800s log cabin to a 1936 gas station, with jails, one-room school, Victorian era homes and everything in between. The Lori Brock Children's Discovery Center is great fun for the kids. Outstanding special events are offered all year. Just a short hop from Highways 204, 99 or 58 this is great stop just north of downtown Bakersfield. Check out the website for more information on current exhibits and special event offerings. Admission is charged, but $8 for adults is a bargain. Picnicking is welcome on regular admission days, and some events offer free admission. Car shows, an annual antique show, and Clock Tower Holidays are all worth the visit. Adults $10, Seniors $9, Students (13-17) $9, Students (6-12) $8, Children (3-5) $7, Children (under 3) free. (updated Aug 2021)
• 5 Bakersfield Museum of Art, 1930 R St, ☏ +1 661 323-7219, info@bmoa.org. T-Sa 10AM-4PM. For over 60 years, BMoA has provided outstanding exhibits and offered unique educational opportunities in the visual arts to Bakersfield and its surrounding communities. $10/adult, $5/concession. (updated Aug 2021)
• 6 Buena Vista Museum of Natural History, 2018 Chester Ave, ☏ +1 661 324-6350. Th-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su Noon-4PM. Originally centered on a collection of Miocene fossils from the local Shark Tooth Hill, it now focuses on Geology, Anthropology, and Paleontology. $8/adult, $6/senior, $6/teenager, $4/child. (updated Aug 2021)

This city will never be a premier tourist destination, but there are things to do. Ethnic food and culture festivals - including Scottish, Indian, Basque, and Greek - occur in the spring and summer.

• 1 Murray Family Farms, 6700 General Beale Rd, ☏ +1 661-330-0100. Kern County's major agricultural attraction offers fresh and you-pick produce, educational and group tours, a hay wagon and picnic grounds. (updated Jun 2015)
• 2 Mechanics Bank Arena, Theater and Convention Center, 1001 Truxtun Ave. Hosts sporting events, concerts, circuses, and other shows throughout the year. (updated Jun 2022)
• 3 Fox Theater, 2001 H St, info@thebakersfieldfox.com. The downtown Fox Theater schedules standup comedy and musical guests. Built in 1930 in Spanish Colonial and Art Deco styles, and restored in the 1990s. (updated Sep 2020)
• CSUB Jazz Events. CSUB Jazz club workshops, coffee shop appearances, etc.
• 4 Bakersfield Speedway, 5001 N Chester Ave Ext, ☏ +1 661 393-3373, fax: +1 661 393-7085. Bakersfield Speedway is the oldest motor racetrack in California. It is a 1/3-mile (0.5-km) clay oval racetrack featuring a full ticket of races. (updated Jun 2015)

Large shopping centers and strip malls are abundant. Small, locally owned antique shops are found in the Downtown and Old Town areas.

• 1 The Marketplace, 9000 Ming Ave (Near the CSU Bakersfield campus). Relatively upscale shopping mall, home to a 14-screen movie theater, a Vons grocery store, several restaurants, and numerous shops. (updated Jun 2022)
• 2 Northwest Promenade, 9300 Rosedale Hwy. A sprawling collection of major retailers and restaurants including Target, Kohls, Home Depot, Cost Plus World Market and CVS Pharmacy. (updated Jun 2022)
• 3 Valley Plaza, 2701 Ming Ave (In the southwest), ☏ +1 661-396-2801. The only indoor mall in Bakersfield. It is also one of the nation's first such malls, dating back to the 1960s. Home to Target, the Apple Store, JCPenney, Forever 21, H&M, Macy's, and numerous small shops and restaurants. (updated Jun 2022)

There are numerous chain restaurants throughout the city and in its shopping centers, but there are also plenty of delicious local places to sample. Good Basque food is easy to find. Bakersfield has what is most likely the largest single cluster of Basque restaurants in California. --try Benji's, The Pyrenees or Woolgrowers. Italian food fans might enjoy Rosa's, Luigi's, or Uricchio's. There are several Thai restaurants that have opened in the last couple of years, while Japanese and Indian cuisines are popular as well.

• 1 Woolworth Diner, 1400 19th St, ☏ +1 661 321-0061. M-Sa 10:30AM-4PM, Su Noon-4PM. One of the last original, functioning lunch counters of the defunct Woolworth department store. Serves burgers, hot dogs, milkshakes, floats, ice cream and fries. (updated Sep 2021)
• 2 Mama Roomba, 1814 Eye St (Downtown), ☏ +1 661-322-6262, mamaroomba@yahoo.com. M–F 11AM–10PM, Sa 5-10PM. Caribbean. (updated Jun 2015)
• 3 Flames & Skewers, 1201 24th St (Downtown). Middle Eastern. (updated Jun 2015)
• 4 24th Street Cafe, 1415 24th St. A favorite breakfast spot serving hearty American food. (updated Jun 2015)
• 5 Dewar's Candy Shop, 1120 Eye St, ☏ +1 661 322-0933. 10AM-9PM. A local ice cream parlor and candy shop that has been featured on the Travel Channel on several occasions. Make sure that you try one of their famous black and whites and don't forget to buy a box of Dewar's chews on your way out! (updated Jun 2022)

Bakersfield's bar and club scene is primarily centered in the downtown area around the intersection of 19th St & Eye St, but most microbreweries are bit further out. There is a Brewery Trail with prizes after checking in at a few breweries.

• Lengthwise Brewing Company, 7700 District Blvd, ☏ +1 661-836-2537. Microbrewery that serves up reasonably priced beer and pub style food.
• Temblor Brewing Co, 3200 Buck Owens Blvd Ste. 200, ☏ +1 661 489-4855. Su-Th 11AM-9PM, F-Sa 11AM-11PM. Happy hour is Tu-Th 2-6PM & all day Sunday & Monday. (updated Sep 2021)

• 1 Best Western Hill House, 700 Truxtun Ave, ☏ +1 661 327-4064, toll-free: +1-800-300-4230, fax: +1 661 327-1247. (updated Jun 2015)
• 2 Courtyard Bakersfield, 3601 Marriott Dr, ☏ +1 661 324-6660, fax: +1 661 324-1185. $119-149. (updated Jun 2015)
• 3 Homewood Suites by Hilton, 1505 Mill Rock Way, ☏ +1 661 664-0400. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. (updated Jun 2015)
• 4 Marriott at the Convention Center, 801 Truxtun Ave, ☏ +1 661 323-1900. (updated Jun 2015)
• 5 Motel 6, 1350 Easton Dr, ☏ +1 661 327-1686, fax: +1 661 327-2337. (updated Jun 2015)
• 6 The Padre Hotel, 1702 18th St. Check-in: 1PM, check-out: 11AM. This upscale boutique hotel offers five unique food and beverage venues. Has great transit access, with the Greyhound station one block away. (updated Dec 2019)
• 7 Residence Inn Bakersfield, 4241 Chester Ln, ☏ +1 661 321-9800, fax: +1 661 321-0721. (updated Jun 2015)
• 8 SpringHill Suites Bakersfield, 3801 Marriott Dr. (updated Jun 2015)
• Vagabond Inn Bakersfield North, 6100 Knudsen Drive, ☏ +1 661 392-1800. (updated May 2016)
• Vagabond Inn Bakersfield South, 6501 Colony Street, ☏ +1 661 831-9200. (updated May 2016)

Bakersfield is a relatively safe city with a murder rate that has been mostly on the decline since 2005. Most of the homicides happen within area code 93307. Property theft and drug activity have seen a sharp increase within the city and there are certain parts of the city that are dangerous even during the daytime. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive (formerly named Lakeview Ave, and turns into Cottonwood Rd), Union Ave, parts of East Bakersfield and areas surrounding the Kern County fairgrounds and South High School are plagued by gang violence and can be very dangerous. The Bakersfield suburb of Oildale (which shares its borders with Bakersfield at the Kern River) has a bad reputation for racism and poverty. However, attitudes towards minorities have improved significantly over the years in Oildale. Drug use and related crimes are still an issue.

• Fort Tejon State Historic Park – A visit to the early days of European settlement is provided by Fort Tejon which dates back to 1854 and is easily accessed from I-5, lying between the shops of Grapevine and the hamlets of Lebec and Frazier Park.
• Keene – Located east on Highway 58, Keene is home to the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument, which contains the headquarters and grave site of the famous labor leader. Another attraction is the Tehachapi Loop, which is just outside of town and is a favorite of railroad fans around the world since the engineering wonder is one of the few places where a train can be seen passing over itself.
• Kern River Canyon – A scenic drive via Highway 178 follows the lower Kern River.
• Tehachapi – Further east on Highway 58, Tehachapi is home to a massive wind farm.
• Wasco – Bakersfield's neighbor to the northwest is known as the city of roses, with 55% of all roses grown in the USA grown in and around Wasco. Its annual spring Rose Festival attracts visitors from all over southern California.
• McFarland – North of Bakersfield on Highway 99, McFarland is a small farming community that may be best known for the high school cross-country team that inspired the 2015 movie McFarland, USA.
• Buttonwillow – This town is west of Bakersfield on Highway 58, offers lodging options and services, and is home to the Buttonwillow Tree, a state landmark that gave the town its name.
• Taft – An oil town southwest of Bakersfield that offers food, gas, and lodging services. Taft is also home to the West Kern Oil Museum and a replica of Sutter's fort that was built in 1940 as a Depression-era project.
• Maricopa – This oil & agriculture town is southwest of Bakersfield and was the site of one of the largest oil spills in history when the Lakeview Gusher unleashed nine million barrels of oil onto the surrounding countryside.
• The Grapevine – The Grapevine is a corridor along I-5 that is south of Bakersfield and is home to the outlets at Tejon and a slew of traveler-focused restaurants and hotels for the thousands of cars traveling on the interstate.
• Lake Isabella – About an hour's drive east of town on Highway 178, the Kern River/Lake Isabella area is popular for fishing, kayaking, camping, and boating activities, and in winter there is downhill skiing at Alta Sierra-Shirley Meadows.
• Los Angeles – The second biggest city in the United States is less than a two-hour drive south of Bakersfield on Highway 99 then Interstate 5. Take Amtrak, Greyhound or Flixbus to the City of Angels.

Routes through Bakersfield

Sacramento / Emeryville ← Wasco ←	NS	→ END
Santa Margarita ← Buttonwillow ←	WE	→ Keene → Barstow
Fresno ← McFarland ←	NS	→ The Grapevine → Los Angeles via
END ←	WE	→ Inyokern → Death Valley N.P.