Choose Your Own Adventure in Bakersfield

It can be difficult to accommodate different interests and appetites on vacations. But if you’re trying to decide what to do in Bakersfield, you’ll find this California city has something to offer everyone. Bring along animal lovers, foodies, culture cravers and outdoor adventurers—you’ll find fun for every taste (and budget), all conveniently located near hotels in Bakersfield.

1. Get in touch with art and culture at Bakersfield Museum of Art

Discover California's rich arts history at the beautiful Bakersfield Museum of Art.

As the center of art in Kern County since 1956, the 17,400-square-foot Bakersfield Museum of Art continues to thrive. For culture lovers, this is the perfect opportunity to dive into the state’s rich arts history without breaking the bank—admission is just $10. Check out the permanent collection of 19th-century California artists, and enjoy the diverse temporary exhibitions, which have included plein air artists from Oakland known as the Society of Six, Yvonne Cavanagh’s ceramic series “Liminal Space” and Horace Bristol’s “Dust Bowl” photographs. On select evenings, make plans to attend an artist lecture followed by a cocktail party with the curators. The museum also sponsors the family-friendly Via Arté Italian Street Painting Festival each autumn, where you can watch hundreds of artists transform the pavement into mesmerizing, colorful works of art—all created from chalk.

2. Go play outside at River’s End Rafting

Go whitewater rafting at River's End Rafting & Adventure Company and tackle the rapids.

Get wet and wild on the water with River’s End Rafting & Adventure Company. Located on a working ranch on the Kern River, the excursions feature stunning views of the Central Valley. If you’re unsure about what to do in Bakersfield, take your pick of fun experiences here—go whitewater rafting, take a more leisurely kayaking trip or pan for gold in the shade. Prices range widely, depending on the activity and the number of people in your group, but discounts are offered on Mondays.

3. Explore nature and the wild at Wind Wolves Preserve and California Living Museum

Aid in conservation while experiencing California’s native flora and fauna at Wind Wolves Preserve. There are guided hikes, films in the San Emigdio Canyon Sunset Theater and free outdoor activities for parents and kids. Keep an eye out for tule elk, which have been recently reintroduced to the park. Bears and California Condors are also in residence. Look for strands of native cactus and blue and valley oak. Farther uphill there’s juniper, ponderosa pine and big cone spruce. The weekend offerings at the preserve are free due to generous donations from the public, so consider a contribution to pay it forward.

You can visit even more native wildlife at the 14-acre California Living Museum (CALM) just 20 minutes east of Bakersfield. Animals that cannot be released into their native habitat are housed in this Zoological Association of America-accredited park, including black bears, bighorn sheep, bobcats, mountain lions, owls, eagles, reptiles and shorebirds. Admission is just $10, $5 for kids and free for veterans.

4. Indulge your inner scientist at Buena Vista Museum of Natural History & Science

The Buena Vista Museum of Science and Natural History is a fun place to get to know Bakersfield's past.

Go back in time at the Buena Vista Museum of Natural History & Science. The museum features fossils from Kern County’s Sharktooth Hill, a bone bed nestled in the rolling western foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Ogle at 15-million-year-old Mako and Tiger Shark teeth fossils or explore exhibits highlighting rare fossils, petrified wood, precious minerals and gemstones and a recreated Yokuts village. You can also attend lectures on reptiles or opt for the adults-only nights featuring fun science experiments. For die-hard prospectors, look into museum-sponsored Paleo Digs at Ernst Quarries near Sharktooth Hill. Bring the whole family—admission is $8, with various special rates available. And admission is just $2 on the third Thursday of each month.

5. Enjoy the food and the view at the Petroleum Club

Looking for a special evening on the town? Don’t miss Petroleum Club’s restaurant on the top floor of the Stockdale Tower. Take in panoramic views of the city and the sunset while you dine on delicious fare from Chef Michael Kelly. Pair your dinner with selections from the full-service bar and finish the meal with one of pastry chef Mayra Portillo’s delectable concoctions.

6. Feel the need for speed at Kern County Raceway Park

On your mark, get set and go to Kern County Raceway Park and its half-mile tracks.

If you’re an adrenaline junkie or sports lover, Kern County Raceway Park should make your list of things to do in Bakersfield. Featuring three tracks—dirt, asphalt and Moto-X—the year-round events here will satisfy any racing fan. Marvel as NASCAR champions and sprint car competitors show off their driving skills and the agility of their vehicles. Tickets range from $10–$30.

7. Experience old-fashioned fun at Murray Family Farms

There’s something for every season at Bakersfield’s Murray Family Farms. You’ll find everything from pumpkins and apples to elderberries and sea beans. Never heard of a sea bean? Visit the farm or the website to find out when the rare harvests are in season, so you can experience them for yourself. Fruit picking, farming techniques, wagon rides and corn cannons—your ideal farm adventure awaits! Family owned and family run, this is the perfect place to bring the kids for good, clean fun.

8. Listen to live music in a legendary location at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace

Catch live music several times a week at Buck Owens' Crystal Palace.

Buck Owens, beloved country singer and former Hee Haw host, opened up his Crystal Palace in his adopted hometown in 1996. Owens oversaw construction of the music hall—which also became a nightclub, restaurant, museum and store—and performed here weekly until his death in 2006. Today, it’s still a classic stop for visitors exploring the best of Bakersfield. Tap your toes to live music, dance, enjoy a meal and view Owens’ memorabilia, including his suits and guitars. Come on over and have a ball at this hometown hero’s landmark and appreciate his legacy.

9. See a live performance at the historic Fox Theater

You simply can’t miss downtown Bakersfield’s stunning Fox Theater for a night of entertainment. The historic 1,500-seat venue features Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, Art Deco interior design and construction that even withstood a 1952 earthquake that leveled most of the city. The former 1930s movie palace now stages a variety of live events and performances throughout the year after a massive restoration. You can dance the night away at a concert featuring major pop, rock and country acts; marvel at the lifts and leaps at a ballet; and laugh until you cry at a stand-up comedy show. Check the Fox Theater schedule to suit your entertainment fancy in an unforgettable, shake-proof venue with a dash of nostalgia.

10. Get a taste of pioneer life at Kern County Museum

Kern County Museum is your gateway to the 19th century.

Just five minutes north of downtown, the Kern County Museum offers the history of Bakersfield and the surrounding region. As you make your way through the museum’s 16 acres and 56 buildings, relish in what life was like in the mid-19th century pioneering days. Go to class in a one-room schoolhouse, peruse the goods of yesteryear in a general store and proclaim your innocence in an old city jail. Additional exhibits highlight the pivotal role of oil in the region and the bright neon signs of local businesses. If you’re traveling with kids, the Lori Brock Children's Discovery Center offers interactive fun where they can play the part of firefighters, scientists and doctors.

11. Catch a show or cheer on the home team at Rabobank Arena, Theater and Convention Center

The options are endless during a visit to the Rabobank Arena, Theater and Convention Center. This sprawling multi-purpose venue in downtown Bakersfield hosts sporting events, touring Broadway musicals, family-friendly stage shows headlining concerts of the hottest musical acts, performances by the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra and large-scale conferences. The approximately 10,000-seat Rabobank Arena offers sports enthusiasts a chance to root for the home teams of the minor league hockey Bakersfield Condors and California State University, Bakersfield’s men’s basketball squad. If you’re attending a corporate convention or want to catch a theatrical performance, you’ll be in the 3,000-seat Theater and Convention Center. On the entertainment, sports and business spectrum, you can’t top this venue.