Stand at the corner of Sillect Avenue and Buck Owens Boulevard and you will see the letters of the city's name rising in neon above the road, a landmark that has turned up in films and television shows set in the area. It is a fitting first stop: Bakersfield wears its identity plainly, from its music to its oil and farm economy.
The city suits travellers driving between the southern San Joaquin Valley and the mountain passes, or anyone curious about the place that gave country music the Bakersfield sound. It rewards a day or two of curiosity rather than a long stay.
1. Bakersfield Sign
The Bakersfield Sign, also called the Bakersfield Neon Arch, stands on Sillect Avenue at the intersection of Buck Owens Boulevard. It is a landmark that has appeared in movies and television shows set in the area, and it is free to visit at any hour.
It makes an easy first or last stop. You can reach it on GET bus 45 from the downtown transit center.
2. Kern County Museum
The Kern County Museum at 3801 Chester Avenue holds 56 historic exhibits across a shady 16-acre setting. The exhibit buildings range from an 1800s log cabin to a 1936 gas station, with jails, a one-room school and Victorian era homes in between. The Lori Brock Children's Discovery Center is aimed at younger visitors.
It sits just north of downtown and is a short hop from Highways 204, 99 or 58. Picnicking is welcome on regular admission days, and some events offer free admission, including car shows, an annual antique show and Clock Tower Holidays.
3. California Living Museum (CALM)
The California Living Museum, known as CALM, is at 10500 Alfred Harrell Highway in northeastern Bakersfield. It is a zoo in a park-like setting featuring rare or endangered animals that have been hurt in some way and will never be able to return to the wild.
Allow a relaxed half day here. It pairs naturally with the other northeastern stops on this list.
4. Bakersfield Museum of Art
The Bakersfield Museum of Art at 1930 R Street, known as BMoA, has provided exhibits and educational opportunities in the visual arts to the city and surrounding communities for over 60 years.
It is a compact downtown stop, so combine it with the Fox Theater and the Bakersfield Sign rather than making a separate trip.
5. Buena Vista Museum of Natural History
The Buena Vista Museum of Natural History at 2018 Chester Avenue began with a collection of Miocene fossils from the local Shark Tooth Hill and now focuses on geology, anthropology and paleontology.
It sits on the same street as the Kern County Museum, so the two can be visited in one outing.
6. Fox Theater
The Fox Theater at 2001 H Street is a downtown venue that schedules standup comedy and musical guests. It was built in 1930 in Spanish Colonial and Art Deco styles and restored in the 1990s.
Check the schedule before you travel and build an evening around a show. It is within easy reach of the Bakersfield Museum of Art.
7. Dignity Health Arena, Theater and Convention Center
The Dignity Health Arena, Theater and Convention Center at 1001 Truxtun Avenue hosts sporting events, concerts, circuses and other shows throughout the year.
Like the Fox Theater, this is a venue to plan around rather than drop into. Look at what is on during your dates before fixing your itinerary.
8. Murray Family Farms
Murray Family Farms at 6700 General Beale Road is Kern County's major agricultural attraction, offering fresh and you-pick produce, educational and group tours, a hay wagon and picnic grounds.
It is a good counterweight to the city's indoor sights and works well as a morning outing. Bring a cooler if you plan to take produce away.
9. Bakersfield Speedway
The Bakersfield Speedway at 5001 N Chester Avenue Extension is the oldest motor racetrack in California. It is a one-third-mile clay oval racetrack featuring a full ticket of races.
Racing is an evening affair, so pair it with a daytime museum visit and keep the rest of the day light.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Bakersfield Sign on Sillect Avenue for the photograph, then drive north to the Kern County Museum on Chester Avenue and give the historic buildings and the Lori Brock Children's Discovery Center a couple of hours.
Afternoon: Stay on Chester Avenue for the Buena Vista Museum of Natural History, then head downtown to the Bakersfield Museum of Art on R Street.
Evening: Have dinner downtown and finish at the Fox Theater on H Street if a show is scheduled, or at the Dignity Health Arena, Theater and Convention Center on Truxtun Avenue if something is on there instead.
When is the best time to visit Bakersfield?
Ethnic food and culture festivals, including Scottish, Indian, Basque and Greek events, occur in the spring and summer. If you want a festival alongside the usual sights, plan for those months.
Do I need a car to get around Bakersfield?
Many of the sights sit along Chester Avenue and in the downtown core, but the California Living Museum is in northeastern Bakersfield and Murray Family Farms is out on General Beale Road, so a car makes the day far easier. The Bakersfield Sign can be reached on GET bus 45 from the downtown transit center.
Which sights are free?
The Bakersfield Sign is free and accessible at any hour. The Kern County Museum charges admission but notes that some events offer free admission, so check its website for current exhibits and special event offerings.
Can I visit the museums and the speedway on the same day?
Yes, if you keep the daytime portion short. The Bakersfield Speedway runs a full ticket of races, which makes it an evening destination, so pair it with one or two daytime stops rather than a full schedule.
Pick your dates, check what is on at the Fox Theater and the Dignity Health Arena, and start building your Bakersfield itinerary around them.