Creative Cali

An eclectic art scene, array of music festivals and abundance of outdoors activities, Bakersfield is packed with attractions for the whole family

By Visit Bakersfield
Published 25 Jan 2015, 10:21 GMT, Updated 1 Jul 2021, 15:58 BST

Here are just a few things to entertain the whole family in Bakersfield:

Entertainment
Bakersfield offers everything from live music and comedy to museums, family-fun spots and more. It's also the racing capital of California, with four active raceways. Furthermore, the city also has a number of live playhouses, as well as live music almost every night of the year at Bakersfield's many venues. 

Outdoors
Looking for some adventure in the great outdoors? Bakersfield has activities from hiking and biking to fishing and boating. The Kern River Parkway Trail is a 30-mile paved path that runs through the city. The mighty Kern River's rapids offer world-class whitewater rafting experiences for everyone from beginners to experts.

Family
Bakersfield has loads of family-friendly venues and attractions. Camelot Park has an arcade, go karts, bumper boats, mini golf and more. The BLVD has bowling, laser tag, a ropes course, arcade games and great food. Flight Fit N Fun, meanwhile, offers wall-to-wall trampolines, a climbing structure and a ninja course for the daring. 

Art Scene
Take a stroll along the Bakersfield Art Trek and discover around 100 pieces of public art and galleries. Whatever the weather, make sure to check out the First Friday Art Walk downtown, and Via Arte Street Painting Festival in
October where, using asphalt as canvas, budding artists create chalk masterpieces. 

The Bakersfield Sound
The Bakersfield Sound is a sub-genre of country music from the honky-tonks and dance halls of the area made famous worldwide by musicians like Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. In the late 1990s, another group of musicians from Bakersfield
— Korn — went on to create their own unique sound. The city is also known for its annual Jazz Festival and its weekly, free Jazz Workshop every Tuesday night.

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