Bakersfield
Discover Bakersfield
Bakersfield is a city in Kern County in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Bakersfield is famous for being the home of country music singers Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, and has the nickname "the country music capital of the West Coast." Bakersfield is one of the fastest growing larger cities in the United States. Bakersfield has a population of approximately 323,000 and a metropolitan area of approximately a half million. Bakersfield is also the birthplace of Korn, one of the best selling and most popular heavy metal bands of the last 25 years. Bakersfield has also produced its share of American football players such as Joey Porter, Frank Gifford, and David Carr. Bakersfield is a very conservative, religious city compared to most of the state.
Taste of Bakersfield...
There are numerous chain restaurants throughout the city and in its shopping centers, but there are also plenty of delicious local places to sample. Good Basque food is easy to find. Bakersfield has what is most likely the largest single cluster of Basque restaurants in California. --try Benji's, The Pyrenees or Woolgrowers. Italian food fans might enjoy Rosa's, Luigi's, or Uricchio's. There are several Thai restaurants that have opened in the last couple of years, while Japanese and Indian cuisines are popular as well. Bakersfield's bar and club scene is primarily centered in the downtown area around the intersection of 19th St & Eye St, but most microbreweries are bit further out. There is a Brewery Trail with prizes after checking in at a few breweries. Bakersfield is a relatively safe city with a murder rate that has been mostly on the decline since 2005. Most of the homicides happen within area code 93307. Property theft and drug activity have seen a sharp increase within the city and there are certain parts of the city that are dangerous even during the daytime. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive (formerly named Lakeview Ave, and turns into Cottonwood Rd), Union Ave, parts of East Bakersfield and areas surrounding the Kern County fairgrounds and South High School are plagued by gang violence and can be very dangerous. The Bakersfield suburb of Oildale (which shares its borders with Bakersfield at the Kern River) has a bad reputation for racism and poverty.
Climate
Bakersfield has a hot desert climate. Summer temperatures average around 99 °F (37 °C) during the day and 72 °F (22 °C) at night. Some particularly hot and sweltering summer days can see highs exceeding 105 °F (41 °C) and overnight lows above 81 °F (27 °C). 35.4379-119.05461 Meadows Field (BFL ) (11 mi (18 km) north of downtown Bakersfield along Hwy 204 & 99, at Exit #30 (Merle Haggard Dr) of Hwy 99). A major airport for commercial flights serving Bakersfield and the communities in the lower part of the San Joaquin Valley. The passenger terminal is on the opposite side of the runways from Hwy 99 via Merle Haggard Dr. It is served by: (updated Apr 2020) Meadows Field is also an international airport, although there are no international carriers. However, the airport is capable of handling international private planes, both arriving and departing. Rental car facilities are available at the airport. Taxis, Uber and Lyft are available outside the terminal.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple Options35.4379-119.05461 Meadows Field (BFL ) (11 mi (18 km) north of downtown Bakersfield along Hwy 204 & 99, at Exit #30 (Merle Haggard Dr) of Hwy 99). A major airport for commercial flights serving Bakersfield and the communities in the lower part of the San Joaquin Valley. The passenger terminal is on the opposite side of the runways from Hwy 99 via Merle Haggard Dr. It is served by: (updated Apr 2020) Meadows Field is also an international airport, although there are no international carriers. However, the airport is capable of handling international private planes, both arriving and departing. Rental car facilities are available at the airport. Taxis, Uber and Lyft are available outside the terminal. There is no bus service to the airport. The primary alternative for arrival by plane from more destinations, with multiple airlines is 33.9425-118.4080562 Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) 120 mi (190 km) south in Los Angeles....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Bakersfield is a car-based city with poor mass transit options, so driving your own car or renting one is probably wise. However, if you are intrepid and determined to save money, the city bus can be used. Biking is not a typical mode of transit, but it can be done. However, most bike lanes are on arterial roads with multiple car lanes and high speed limits. The downtown core of Bakersfield is very small and walkable, with shopping centers and parks. This city will never be a premier tourist destination, but there are things to do. Ethnic food and culture festivals - including Scottish, Indian, Basque, and Greek - occur in the spring and summer. Large shopping centers and strip malls are abundant. Small, locally owned antique shops are found in the Downtown and Old Town areas. There are numerous chain restaurants throughout the city and in its shopping centers, but there are also plenty of delicious local places to sample. Good Basque food is easy to find.
Where to Stay
Bakersfield is a relatively safe city with a murder rate that has been mostly on the decline since 2005. Most of the homicides happen within area code 93307. Property theft and drug activity have seen a sharp increase within the city and there are certain parts of the city that are dangerous even during the daytime. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive (formerly named Lakeview Ave, and turns into Cottonwood Rd), Union Ave, parts of East Bakersfield and areas surrounding the Kern County fairgrounds and South High School are plagued by gang violence and can be very dangerous. The Bakersfield suburb of Oildale (which shares its borders with Bakersfield at the Kern River) has a bad reputation for racism and poverty. However, attitudes towards minorities have improved significantly over the years in Oildale. Drug use and related crimes are still an issue.
Money & Budget
Large shopping centers and strip malls are abundant. Small, locally owned antique shops are found in the Downtown and Old Town areas. There are numerous chain restaurants throughout the city and in its shopping centers, but there are also plenty of delicious local places to sample. Good Basque food is easy to find. Bakersfield has what is most likely the largest single cluster of Basque restaurants in California. --try Benji's, The Pyrenees or Woolgrowers. Italian food fans might enjoy Rosa's, Luigi's, or Uricchio's. There are several Thai restaurants that have opened in the last couple of years, while Japanese and Indian cuisines are popular as well.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Bakersfield is a relatively safe city with a murder rate that has been mostly on the decline since 2005. Most of the homicides happen within area code 93307. Property theft and drug activity have seen a sharp increase within the city and there are certain parts of the city that are dangerous even during the daytime. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive (formerly named Lakeview Ave, and turns into Cottonwood Rd), Union Ave, parts of East Bakersfield and areas surrounding the Kern County fairgrounds and South High School are plagued by gang violence and can be very dangerous. The Bakersfield suburb of Oildale (which shares its borders with Bakersfield at the Kern River) has a bad reputation for racism and poverty. However, attitudes towards minorities have improved significantly over the years in Oildale. Drug use and related crimes are still an issue.