Bakersfield California is the county seat of Kern County. The population of this oil-producing county is about 365,000 people. You will find the summers to be very dry and hot, while the winters are milder, very seldom seeing snow. Agriculture, healthcare, and oil are some of the industries that you will find in Bakersfield. You will also find some very interesting places to visit in Bakersfield. Below are some great places to put on your “must visit” list on your next vacation to Bakersfield!
BAKERSFIELD MUSEUM OF ART
This fine arts museum is made up of four separate galleries. The permanent collection consists of local artist’s works, as well as rotating art exhibits. The Walter Osborn family funded this museum in the memory of their daughter, Marion Osborn Cunningham, opening it in 1956. Originally called the Cunningham Art Gallery, the name was changed in 1990. This art museum has two large galleries as well as two smaller galleries, classrooms, a banquet hall, and a garden of sculptures, with a total of 17,400 square feet of space.
ADDRESS-1930 R St
PHONE-661-323-7219
BUCK OWENS’ CRYSTAL PALACE
Buck Owens is known as a successful country music singer and songwriter. He had a band called “Buckaroos”, and achieved 21 No. 1 hits on Billboard of Country Music charts. His Crystal Palace is a music hall he opened in 1996. It is still considered a great venue for country and Western music, has a museum all about Buck himself, and a wonderful steak restaurant. Make sure and put this place on your list of places to visit!
ADDRESS-2800 Buck Owens Blvd
PHONE-661-328-7560
KERN COUNTY MUSEUM
If you are looking to find out more about Kern County’s rich history, make sure and stop by this museum on your visit! A wide range of fun and entertaining exhibits are available, as well as special events and programs for both children and adults! Founded in 1941, it holds thousands of historically and culturally important artifacts. There are 16 landscaped acres, and 56 historic buildings that are original. Some of the interesting exhibits include Native American exhibits, railroad exhibit, agriculture and mining exhibits. You can learn a lot from a visit to this museum!
ADDRESS-3801 Chester Ave
PHONE-661-437-3330
CALIFORNIA AREA LIVING MUSEUM
This large park, opened in 1983, covers 14 acres of land and is home to more than 80 different types of animals. Also called CALM, the California Area Living Museum holds animals that cannot be rehabilitated or released back into the wild. These animals may have been injured, and just can’t survive on their own. Kids are sure to enjoy a visit to CALM. Some of the most popular exhibits include the black bear open air exhibit, birds of prey, a mammal house, deer yard and a reptile house. There are also some endangered native species that you can spot through out the museum.
ADDRESS-10500 Alfred Harrell Highway
PHONE-661-872-2256
MURRAY FAMILY FARMS
You will find a creative mixture of fun and an actual working family farm at Murray Family Farms. You can see firsthand the hard work it takes to bring delicious fruits and vegetables to the local grocery store. This organic fruit and veggie farm is 70 acres large, and grows strawberries, stone fruit, blackberries, citrus, artichokes, and pumpkins, just to name a view. You can tour the farm on a tractor-driven hay wagon, you can pick your own fruit, then head over to the butterfly house. You can also take wagon train, or even complete a fun maze! A petting zoo is also on the farm, and you can purchase fresh preserves, pies and smoothies from their Red Barn.
ADDRESS-6700 General Beale Rd
PHONE-661-330-0100
FOX THEATER
The Fox Theater was opened in 1930, and is the main venue for performing arts in Bakersfield. It is also host of various events including ballets, dance recitals, and music performances. The architecture is incredible at this theater, as well. The exterior was originally built in the feeling of the Spanish Colonial Revival style, and inside the theme was Mediterranean. However, after a remodel, the inside was made to look more like Art Moderne. It was slated for demolition in 1977 after being open for 47 years. However, a group of business people formed a foundation to help save the theater, and restoration of this great theater began in 1994. It can be rented for special events, weddings, and more! A beautiful location that is sure to be a great place for many different events!
ADDRESS-2001 H St
PHONE-661-324-1369
RABOBANK ARENA, THEATER, AND CONVENTION CENTER
This performing arts venue and convention center was built in 1962. It was one of the first structures in the city to be built in a modern type style. Originally, it was known as the Bakersfield Civic Auditorium. The Convention Center was completed in the year 1980, and 1993 brought the completion of the adjacent hotel. After an additional expansion in 1998, a 10,000 seat sports arena was added. There are various events held here, including Disney on Ice events, and many cooperate events.
ADDRESS-1001 Truxtun Ave
PHONE-661-852-7300
