Bakersfield Museum Of Art
Located in Central Park at the corner of R Street and 19th Street, the Bakersfield Museum of Art is a fine arts museum that is made up of four galleries. The museum’s permanent collection mainly consists of works by local artists, and this collection is supplemented by rotating art exhibits. Founded in 1956, the museum was mostly funded by the Walter Osborn family in memory of their daughter, Marion Osborn Cunningham. The museum was originally called the Cunningham Art Gallery and was changed to its current name in 1990. The 17,400 square foot museum consists of two large galleries and two small galleries, classrooms, a banquet hall, and gardens which display sculptures.
Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace
Buck Owens was a country music singer and songwriter. With his band Buckaroos he had 21 No. 1 hits on the country music Billboard charts. He completed his Crystal Palace as a music hall in 1996. Today, it is still a venue for country and Western music, a museum to Buck Owens, and a popular steak restaurant. Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace is one of the best things to do in Bakersfield, California. The museum has Buck’s guitars, fancy suits, memorabilia and everyday objects. The restaurant is known for its great brunches and has special menu for concert days; they serve American favorites and comfort food.
Kern County Raceway Park
Kern County Raceway Park is a 0.5 mile (0.80 km) oval race car track that opened in 2013 as a replacement for the Mesa Marin Raceway. The capacity of the stadium is 5,000 seats, and there are 21 VIP suites in the grandstand for fans to view the races. There are also 18 concession stands in the park. The capacity of the stadium can be expanded to 17,000 seats for special events. The park holds events such as NASCAR’s Whelen All-American Series as well as the K&N Pro Series West and car shows.
The Rabobank Arena
The Rabobank Arena, Theater & Convention Center is a performing arts venue and convention center located on Truxtun Avenue in Bakersfield. Originally built in 1962, it was formerly known as the Bakersfield Civic Auditorium and the Bakersfield Convention Center and was one of the first structures to be built in the modern style in Bakersfield. In 1980 the Convention Center was completed, and in 1993 the adjacent hotel was finished. Later, in 1998, the center was further expanded to include a 10,000 seat sports arena. The center hosts a large variety of events such as “Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream,” the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra, “A Taste of Home,” and many more.
Camelot Park
Located on Oak Street, Camelot Park is a family-fun park filled with attractions and events for children of all ages. Some of the attractions include bumper boats, go-karts, kiddie rides, mini-golf, and much more. There are also many arcade games for children such as “Big Bass Wheel,” “Deal or No Deal”, “Haunted Hotel,” “Spin N Win,” and many others. The park hosts events like “First Friday Fellowship Night,” “The Ultimate Group Package,” and “All Night Play.” Camelot Park is a popular place for birthday parties: these parties include rides, arcade games, food, and a host or hostess.
The Mark, Bakersfield
Brick walls, dark red leather chairs and boots, soft lights and good art on the walls create an atmosphere of luxury and comfort at the Mark, an upscale restaurant located in the meticulously restored 1900’s building next to downtown Bakersfield’s Padre Hotel. The Mark offers excellent international cuisine with the focus on high quality grilled meats and fresh seafood – mostly good old classics with several delightful surprises such as Oysters Fernandez with chorizo, peppers, fresh lime, cilantro and saffron butter. Their wine list is excellent and extensive. If you are looking for unique date ideas in Bakersfield, this is a great place to try. There is live Jazz on Fridays and Saturdays in the bar, often featuring well-known musicians.