Things to Do

The best things to do in Bakersfield

Country music history, wildlife encounters, river trails and one of California’s best small-city museums — Bakersfield rewards a closer look.

Kern County Museum

Walk through more than 50 historic buildings at Pioneer Village and trace the stories that shaped Kern County.

See the Bakersfield Sound celebrated where it still lives, with music, memorabilia and dinner under one roof.

Follow miles of easy trails through a restored riverside landscape with bluffs rising above the Kern River.

Meet native California wildlife, from black bears to desert bighorn sheep, in a shaded canyon setting.

Catch a concert or classic film beneath the glowing art deco marquee in the heart of downtown.

Bring a picnic, rent a paddleboat and spend an unhurried afternoon beneath cottonwoods by the river.

Keep exploring

Tell her who you’re with, what you like and how much time you have.