Things to Do in Bakersfield: Must-See Spots, Hidden Gems, and Local Favorites

Are you planning on spending a few days in the beautiful Bakersfield and wondering how to have some fun there? In this article, you’ll find the best things to do and the activities you can’t miss.

Photo by Jabez Impano on Unsplash

 

If you find yourself around central California, you should spend some fun days in Bakersfield. This lovely city is right in the southern part of the San Joaquin Valley, and it’s strongly tied to agriculture and country music. People travel there for lots of reasons, some for business, some because they can’t say no to a country concert. Road trippers tend to stop there, as it’s along Highway 99 and makes way if they’re heading to places like Yosemite, Sequoia National Park, or the Central Coast. Even if you’re not there for any of those reasons, you can always enjoy the outdoor activities and the food scene.

But before you go, do you have a way to stay connected during your whole trip? If you try using the internet like you usually do, you can get charged a lot for roaming fees. So, better buy an eSIM card and save yourself the money and the hassle, and Yoho Mobile has some excellent offers for the U. S. Don’t forget to use our promo code YOHO12 for a 12% discount!

 

Things to do in Bakersfield

Visit Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace

If you’re visiting Bakersfield because you have a sweet spot for country music, you have to visit the Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace. Not only is it iconic, but it’s quite a unique venue, with a museum and a restaurant. And it’s all Western-themed! You can learn a lot about the legacy of the Bakersfield Sound while enjoying live music with a hearty meal and refreshing beverages. In the museum, you’ll find a lot of memorabilia of Buck Owens, including guitars, stage outfits, and gold records. And of course, there’s a gift shop you can’t miss, to take the gift of country music to all your family and friends.

Photo by Ahmed Rizkhaan on Unsplash

 

Explore Kern County Museum’s Pioneer Village

So you’re interested in the history of the place? Yes, the country music is a great part, but what if we go further back to the very foundation of Bakersfield? Like many American cities in the area, the first settlers were simple and hard-working people. These pioneers lived a strict and hard life, and you can see that in the meticulously restored historic buildings in the Kern County Museum. You’ll find some of the very first buildings from the 19th century and see how they changed and evolved in the 20th century.

Special exhibits to see:

• Black Gold Exhibit: You might know that the oil industry is still quite alive and important, and here you can see exactly how it started. Admire the vintage oil derricks, the drilling equipment, and even a 1920s service station.

• Neon Plaza: You might not expect it, but neon signs are not that new, and here you can see how they looked a few centuries ago.

 

Hike at Wind Wolves Preserve

If you prefer heading outside and enjoying the warm and nice weather of the area, you have to try the trails at Wind Wolves Preserve. This 93,000-acre preserve features quite a variety of terrains, with rolling grasslands, oak woodlands, and riparian corridors. Even if you’re still new to the hiking world or prefer a nice walk over vigorous trails, you’ll find a route that suits you.

Best Trails to Explore at the Preserve

• San Emigdio Canyon Trail: This route is one of the most followed, and it offers a nice view of the canyon. It’s also popular since it is one of the few that actually has some shade in all its 7 miles.

• Tule Elk Trail to El Camino Viejo Trail: This one is a bit more strenuous, being a total of 10 miles long. Given that it’s mainly grassland and relatively flat, you can even bike through it.

• Reflection Pond Trail: You can adapt this one a lot, since there are multiple points where you can start. The end of the route will take you to a historic cattle pond that attracts a lot of wildlife.

 

Pick Fresh Fruit at Murray Family Farms

California, in general, is one of the greatest fruit producers in the U. S., and the city of Bakersfield doesn’t disappoint in that respect. So obviously, one of the best things you can do in Bakersfield is go to the Murray Family Farms to pick some nice and fresh fruit! Depending on the season you’re traveling, you can find different fruits. If you’re traveling with kids, there are other activities you can do, like riding in a tractor and visiting the Big Red Barn to buy fresh produce, homemade jams, pies, and other local goods.

What fruits can you pick by season?

• Spring: The best time to pick fresh strawberries and blueberries. Taste how sweet they are straight from the fields.

• Summer: Peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, and cherries are all in season! So you have plenty to choose from and even more to taste.

• Fall: The classic time to go fruit picking, with apples and pumpkins, but some years you can even find pomegranates.

• Winter: Less popular, but you can pick up citrus like oranges and mandarins from December to February.

Photo by Rich Smith on Unsplash

 

Best Day Trips from Bakersfield

Bakersfield has lots of fun activities and things to do, but you can also use the city as a starting point to make some amazing day trips! And we assure you that there are some really interesting places within 75 miles.

 

Sequoia National Forest

This is one of the most popular, and with good reason. First of all, it’s only about an hour and a half to two hours away, so you can easily do the round trip in a day. Secondly, the Sequoia National Forest is a very unique place, unlike any other you could imagine in California.

Things to do in the Sequoia National Forest:

• See Giant Sequoia Trees: Most of us have lived in cities all our lives, and even those experienced with the wilderness and the usual forests have never seen a tree like this. We’re talking about 2,000-year-old trees that can reach 100 feet in circumference! Saying that they’re massive is an understatement.

• Hike the 100 Giants Trails: It’s the best way to admire these ancient trees, and it’s only about 1.3 miles in a loop trail. You can even take your baby on a stroller with you.

• Fishing and River Fun: The Kern River is nearby, so you can take the whole family for an impromptu fishing trip! If you like practicing watersports, you can also rent a raft or a kayak to enjoy the river.

Photo by Vitto Sommella on Unsplash

 

Carrizo Plain National Monument

A bit further away than the Sequoias, but just as unique and magical, there’s the Carrizo Plain National Monument. You’ve probably never heard of it, as it’s considered a hidden gem of California. It’s the perfect place to frolic, and we highly suggest you visit it during the blooming season. This can be hard to catch, since it heavily depends on the rain, but it usually occurs in late March to early April. During those short days, the hills suddenly explode in color, completely covered in wildflowers; gold, purple, reds, and orange blooms, of so many species that it’s hard to keep track. It truly is a botanical and photographer’s paradise.

What else to see there:

• Soda Lake: A funny-named dry alkali lake. If you catch it after the rain, it looks more like a shallow reflective lake, and it’s pretty popular for photos and birdwatching.

• Painted Rocks: A proof that the pioneers weren’t the first ones to live in the area. This horseshoe-shaped rock is covered in ancient petroglyphs from the Chumash people. Although access is only by permit, so check the website first.

Photo by Sonia Cervantes on Unsplash

 

Why Bakersfield deserves a spot on your travel list

Surely it is not the first city you think about when planning a trip to California, but as you’ve already seen, it has a lot of character. It’s a great city with a surprising variety, from country music to incredible food, passing through a long history. But the outdoors takes the main stage with its incredible preserves to hike and unique parks to visit. No matter why you choose to visit it, you’ll find many fun and interesting things to do in Bakersfield, and we assure you that you’ll love it.