You have found yourself in Bakersfield for 24 hrs, now what? Consult the list below! It weaves bits and pieces of quintessential Bakersfield together to create one delightful day!
Stay at The Padre Hotel (because it’s pretty swanky), Oleander + Palm’s AirBnB (still super swanky, but more budget-friendly), OR the Cedar Studio!
Breakfast time! Wake up and eat at 24th St. Cafe OR…
Head to Smith's Bakery on Union Ave. for a donut (the vanilla one with chocolate icing and crushed nut toppings is my favorite) ... and buy a few smiley face cookies for later
Drive up Union Ave. onto Panorama Drive to see The Bluffs
Drive from The Bluffs to Ethel’s Old Corral to take a picture in front of Bakersfield’s own muffler man, the Indian Warrior
Drive from Old Corral Cafe to Hart Park to see the peacocks and feed the ducks/geese
Take Alfred Harrell Highway around to the 178 and head back downtown
Eat at a place of your choosing (e.g Luigi's (Italian), Sequoia Sandwich Co., Radio Sandwich, Los Tacos De Huicho (Mexican), Nuestro Mexico, Jin Sushi, Primetime BBQ, Mama Roombas (Caribbean food), Jake's Tex-Mex, Moo Creamery, Temblor Brewing or The 18hundred)
...or if you want to explore more because you’re still STUFFED from breakfast/lunch grab a coffee at Cafe Smitten, grab a glass of wine and a snack at Campo Bar + Bottle, take a peek in at The House of Flowers or Oleander + Palm’s brick-and-mortar (to peruse some seriously cute vintage items!)
If you’re still craving something to do, visit antique stores on 19th St., scour second-hand goods at In Your Wildest Dreams, or Junkatique, search for good music at Going Underground Records or World Records, stop by our local music shops Bakersfield Sound Co. or Front Porch Music, orrrr visit CALM Zoo, The BMOA, or The Kern County Museum
Drive to the following places for a fun and photo-worthy stop (Giant Shoe, Sleeping Boy Mural, The Chlorophyll Wall, Rio Acai Bowls Mural)
Relax at your hotel/Airbnb for a bit
Eat dinner at Wool Growers (Basque Food, with its family-style dining, has deep and awesome roots here in Bakersfield, so you’ll want to experience it)
Catch a live show, Flix Film Festival or Cults/Classics movie at The Historic Bakersfield Fox Theater
Enjoy yummy dessert at Dewar's (it’s like a step back in time, complete with the best ice cream you’ll probably ever have) or Rosemary’s
If you’re a party animal, visit Alley Cat, Sandrini's, Tiki-Ko, The Botanist, or The Padre’s Prairie Fire
If you find yourself here on the second Saturday of the month enjoy Bakersfield’s Second Saturday — which “highlights the good things Downtown Bakersfield has to offer each Second Saturday of the month”.
Lastly, if you’re into niche California History, specifically Bakersfield-centric, watch this episode of Huell Howser visiting Bakersfield.
I hope you love your time in Bakersfield as much as I do! I mean, it’s pretty charming, so ENJOY!