Hotels in Bakersfield: Art, History and Nature

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Editor's Choice

Pure Luxury

“Call me spoiled - but I love to be treated like a queen when traveling. Only the best is good enough for me. Hotels that make my vacation a dream of luxury and seduction are my choices. Pay attention to the (violet Medal) for luxury accommodation.”

Tatjana Herzegova, Kiew, Ukraine

Editor's Choice

Sustainable Travel

“There is only one earth and we should go out and see it. I like hotels, which look for sustainability. It is not only protecting the ecology, but also taking care for the local business and culture. I recommend the medal for eco accomodation. Let’s protect our earth. Sustainable travel is travelling with responsibility.”

Markus Lenk, Düsseldorf, Germany

When planning a stay in Bakersfield, you can start by choosing from several interests: art and history, California wildlife, cycling, and Basque restaurants and wine. These choices can also help when looking for a hotel: consider which themes are really important for your trip. Cultural offerings range from works of art and historical objects to music history; CALM Zoo and Kern River Parkway Trail offer different experiences. Food and drink add Basque restaurants and a Wine Trail between Bakersfield and Tehachapi to the mix.

Art, History and Music

Bakersfield Museum of Art offers a wide range of art experiences by exhibiting and preserving works of art. Educational programs, community outreach, and special events round out its offerings. Kern County Museum focuses on historical objects and stories from life in Kern County. The museum displays thousands of historical and cultural artifacts in more than 56 historic buildings across 16 landscaped areas. This lets you choose between an art-focused theme and a look at historical objects and stories from Kern County.

The Bakersfield: A Journey Through Time Historical Trail includes more than 25 stops and takes you to historic sites around the city. The Bakersfield Sound offers a different perspective on history: Bakersfield was its birthplace in the 1950s and 1960s. A subgenre of country music, the Bakersfield Sound combines twangy guitars, drums, fiddle, and steel guitar. The trail and the music history appeal to different interests: historic places on the one hand, and the origins and sound of a music genre on the other.

Wildlife and Cycling

CALM Zoo combines education, visitor experiences, and conservation with an introduction to California’s ecosystem. Its features include native California wildlife and walk-through outdoor experiences. Many of its more than 250 animals cannot be released into the wild. Education and conservation are therefore as much a part of its focus as the visitor experience.

Kern River Parkway Trail offers another way to plan your stay: there are several free parking areas along the route. You can cycle individual sections or ride the entire trail in one day. The options differ in how much you ride; check parking conditions before you arrive.

Basque Restaurants and Wine

Bakersfield is home to the largest concentration of Basque restaurants in the United States. If dining options matter when choosing a destination, this restaurant scene stands apart from the cultural and nature-focused themes. Individual restaurants and their operations may change, so check what is currently available when making specific plans.

The Bakersfield Kern County Wine Trail connects tasting rooms, wine bars, and vineyards in designated American Viticultural Areas between Bakersfield and Tehachapi. While the restaurants offer a Basque focus, the Wine Trail brings together different types of wine destinations. Participating locations may change, so check in advance which ones are currently part of the trail.

Discover more destinations: Mojave, Shafter, Taft, Lost Hills, Rosamond, Kernville, Delano, Pine Mountain Club

Back to the main travel overview: Kern.

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