Bakersfield, California

r/Bakersfield
Lived in Bakersfield
2 yr. ago
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I don't currently live there, but I grew up there. Left about 6 years ago. Might be moving back :/

CONS:

hot af, barely any trees, polluted air so you can't see the beautiful mountains surrounding you

large douchey community, but no matter where you go, people gon' suck!

as a teen didn't really seem like there was much to do but smoke pot and party, but I think that's everywhere?

beware riding your bike anywhere outside of the bike path, people will fly right past you going 70 as if you don't exist (take it from somebody who got hit by a car going ~ 50 mph)

there's way too many cookie cutter cheap housing tracks, that's kind of depressing.

PROS:

despite the hot ass air, Bakersfield summer nights are all the rage. Some of my best memories.

Bakersfield itself has pretty cool history.

Surrounded by some GEMS like tule river and driving out on Breckenridge road in the winter for a very quiet snow experience.

very close to LA, Ventura, all that crap.

when it rains the air quality is great and actually makes that place pretty dang enjoyable for a day o

DanTheMeek
Living in Bakersfield
2y ago
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Personally, other then the awful air, I've loved living here, surprising diversity (at least in my neighborhood), has a medium sized city feel at a small city price point (though prices have been skyrocketting as more and more jobs are letting people work remote, seems like lots of people migrating here from more expensive cities across the US and California), and we're very centralized in Cali such that on any given weekend I can take the wife and kids in a car, drive 2-3 hours, and see just about anything Cali has to offer, including numerous beaches. Wind Wolves Preserve and The Bluffs are both nice local places to visit if you don't want to drive far but like getting out in nature, and CALM is an awesome zoo, especially in december when they have christmas lights everywhere. I've heard people complain about the lack of clubs and late night activities, but that kind of stuff has never interested me so can't comment on it.

One other thing I'd mention, when I first moved here the city was by FAR the most right leaning city I'd ever lived in anywhere, let alone in California, but since the great "remote work migration" here, it feels like the city has become more purple then bright red. I don't have strong feelings about politics, at least not specific parties anyway, so that has never really mattered much to me, but probably worth noting since some people come here thinking since its Cali it'll be super liberal, which its not, but also some people come here having heard we were the last republican strong hold in Cali, and its not really that anymore either.

eoFlash726
Living in Bakersfield
2y ago
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There’s a lot of nightlife if you pay attention. We have 6 live theater venues, 5 movie theaters, and a multitude of venues with everything from movies to concerts (of every genre of music as well as comedy) to sports. The County Fair comes in the late summer/early fall. We have CALM Zoo, and there’s a wild cat sanctuary about an hour from town. Other events happen regularly, like car shows, the Scottish Games, music festivals, First Friday, Third Thursday, the Plein Air Festival, and the Via Arte sidewalk art. And there are museums, including the Bakersfield Museum of Art, Todd Madigan Gallery, Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame, the Kern County Museum, and the Buena Vista Museum of Natural History. There are lots of parks, and one of the largest has concerts and other events (Riverwalk). Google a specific thing for Bakersfield: we probably have it.

badgalriri1011
Living in Bakersfield
2y ago
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If you’re a young non-white queer person you’re going to deal with a lot of -isms and -obias, basically every single elected official is trash, democrats and republicans alike, NUMEROUS injustices (environmental, housing, racial, socioeconomic, etc), jobs do not pay well and many have glaring labor issues that have gone unaddressed, intense lack of art and culture, sports, public green spaces, and more

however since it’s my hometown, I do love some of the people I have met here, days after it rains, it’s BEAUTIFUL because you’re surrounded by the mountains, surrounded by so many fun nature things, so I would say I love Bakersfield for what the land and people offer but I hate the shitty power players that keep the status quo and don’t allow for change

The pros and cons of living in Bakersfield California