Book Flights to Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield — California's ninth-largest city and the southern San Joaquin Valley's commercial hub — is the birthplace of the Bakersfield Sound (the country music style of Buck Owens and Merle Haggard), gateway to the Kern River's world-class whitewater, and the nearest major city to Sequoia National Park. Surrounded by oil fields, farmland, and the rugged Tehachapi and Temblor ranges, Bakersfield is an authentic California working city with genuine cultural character and outstanding access to Sierra Nevada wilderness.
Meadows Field Airport (BFL) is served by United Express, American, and Alaska. Los Angeles International (LAX, 2 hours south) is the most practical alternative for more airline options. FareOptic compares all routes to find the cheapest Bakersfield airfare.
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Why Visit Bakersfield, California?
Buck Owens' Crystal Palace, Kern River whitewater, California's native wildlife, spring wildflowers, and gateway access to Sequoia — Bakersfield rewards visitors with authentic California character well off the standard tourist trail.
Buck Owens' Crystal Palace
Honky-Tonk Heritage — Home of the Bakersfield SoundBuck Owens' Crystal Palace — a restaurant, museum, and live honky-tonk music venue on Buck Owens Boulevard in Bakersfield — is the spiritual home of the Bakersfield Sound: the rawer, guitar-driven, non-Nashville country music style developed by Buck Owens and Merle Haggard in Bakersfield's oil-worker honky-tonks in the late 1950s–1960s. The Crystal Palace hosts live music Friday and Saturday nights with the Buck Owens Band, and the museum section displays Buck's personal memorabilia, instruments, and the history of the Bakersfield Sound.
Live Music
Friday and Saturday nights at the Crystal Palace with the Buck Owens Band performing classic Bakersfield Sound material in the original honky-tonk atmosphere — the most authentic country music bar experience west of Nashville, in the city where American country's most distinctive regional style was created
Kern River and Whitewater Rafting
California's Best Whitewater — Class IV and VThe Kern River — flowing from the southern Sierra Nevada through Kern Canyon 25 km east of Bakersfield — is California's finest whitewater river: 34 Class IV and V rapids in the Forks of the Kern (permit required, remote) and the more accessible Upper Kern offering daily commercial rafting trips from Kernville (80 km northeast of Bakersfield). The Kern Canyon is also extraordinary for hiking, camping, and fishing.
Best Access
Whitewater Voyages and other operators run daily commercial rafting trips on the Upper Kern from Kernville (80 km northeast of Bakersfield) throughout summer — Class III–IV water appropriate for first-time rafters, in dramatic granite canyon scenery
California Living Museum (CALM)
California's Native Animals in a Desert Botanical GardenThe California Living Museum (CALM) — a combination zoo, botanical garden, and natural history museum on Alfred Harrell Highway in Bakersfield — displays only California-native animals that cannot be released to the wild: black bears, mountain lions, golden eagles, tule elk, coyotes, condors, and over 200 species in natural habitats. The 14-acre facility is designed around native California plant communities and is one of the most regionally specific zoos in the US.
Best Exhibit
The California Condor exhibit at CALM houses one of the most accessible viewing opportunities for this critically endangered bird in the US — Bakersfield is within the condor recovery zone, and wild condors from the Tehachapi Mountains occasionally soar over the city
Merle Haggard and Bakersfield Sound Heritage
The 'Okie from Muskogee' — American Music LegendBakersfield was the adopted home of Merle Haggard (1937–2016) — one of the greatest American country artists and the defining voice of working-class California. Haggard grew up in a converted railroad boxcar on the outskirts of Bakersfield's Oildale neighborhood and spent much of his youth at the San Quentin State Prison (he was present when Johnny Cash performed there in 1958, the inspiration for his own decision to pursue music). The Merle Haggard Drive, the Oildale neighborhood, and the legacy of songs like 'Mama Tried' and 'Working Man Blues' permeate Bakersfield's cultural identity.
Cultural Note
The Bakersfield Sound (Buck Owens + Merle Haggard) was country music's anti-Nashville movement of the 1950s–60s — rawer, more electric, more honky-tonk than the polished Nashville Sound — and directly influenced artists from Dwight Yoakam to contemporary Americana. Understanding this context transforms a visit to the Crystal Palace
Temblor Range and California Trail Running
Desert Mountains West of the San Joaquin ValleyThe Temblor Range — a 100-km chain of dry desert mountains on the west side of Bakersfield's San Joaquin Valley — offers outstanding trail running, mountain biking, and spring wildflower viewing (February–April) in a landscape completely different from the farmland on the valley floor. The Carrizo Plain National Monument (90 km west) is one of California's finest and least-visited wildlife reserves: 246,000 acres of natural grassland with the highest concentration of endangered species in California.
Spring Wildflowers
In El Niño years (high winter rainfall), the Carrizo Plain National Monument produces some of California's most spectacular wildflower blooms (February–April) — fields of goldfields, owl's clover, and purple lacy phacelia covering the valley floor in color visible from the Temblor ridge above
Kern County Oil Heritage and Museum
California's Black Gold — Oil Capital of the WestKern County produces more oil than any other county in California — and California is the third-largest oil-producing state in the US. The oil derricks visible on the hills surrounding Bakersfield represent one of the oldest and largest petroleum regions in the American West, dating to discovery in the 1860s. The Kern County Museum (in Bakersfield's Pioneer Village, 16 acres) preserves 54 historic structures and tells the full story of Kern County from Indigenous cultures through the oil boom and agriculture eras.
Pioneer Village
The Kern County Museum's outdoor Pioneer Village (54 original historic structures relocated to the museum grounds) is one of California's finest regional history complexes — the oil derrick collection, 19th-century homestead, and boxcar similar to Merle Haggard's childhood home are the most evocative exhibits
How to Find Cheap Flights to Bakersfield
Los Angeles (LAX) Is 2 Hours South — Often Cheaper Total Than BFL
Bakersfield Meadows Field (BFL) has limited airline options. For travelers coming from outside the Southwest, flying into LAX (2 hours south on I-5) often provides cheaper total fares with more airline choices. Compare the cost of BFL connection vs. LAX flight + car rental to drive north on FareOptic before booking.
United Express Is BFL's Primary Connection — Book Through United.com or FareOptic
United Express (SkyWest Airlines) handles most BFL commercial flights via Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO). Book as a single United ticket to ensure baggage transfer and connection protection. The LAX–BFL flight is only 45 minutes — a fast and efficient regional connection.
Visit in February–April for Wildflowers and Comfortable Temperatures
Bakersfield summers are extremely hot (38–43°C in July–August). The best visiting weather is February–April: wildflower season in the Carrizo Plain and Temblor Range, mild temperatures for outdoor activities, and spring Kern River rafting levels. Fall (October–November) is also pleasant.
A Rental Car Is Essential — Bakersfield Has Minimal Public Transit for Visitors
The Kern River (rafting, hiking), Carrizo Plain National Monument, Kernville, and Sequoia National Park (3 hours northeast via CA-178 and CA-65) all require a car. Major rental companies serve BFL airport. Bakersfield is a car-centric city with limited walkable tourist infrastructure.
Airlines Serving Bakersfield (BFL)
United Airlines
Primary Carrier — Los Angeles and San Francisco HubsUnited Airlines (via United Express operated by SkyWest) provides the primary commercial service at Bakersfield Meadows Field Airport (BFL), connecting through Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO). From LAX and SFO, United's full domestic and international network is accessible.
Key Routes
Bakersfield BFL to Los Angeles LAX (multiple daily, United Express, 45 min); BFL to San Francisco SFO; BFL to Denver DEN; BFL to Chicago ORD via LAX or SFO; BFL to Houston IAH via LAX
American Airlines
Phoenix and Dallas Hub ConnectionsAmerican Airlines connects Bakersfield through Phoenix (PHX) and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), providing access to American's full network for Southwest and national connections. American Eagle regional jets handle BFL operations.
Key Routes
Bakersfield BFL to Phoenix PHX (American Eagle); BFL to Dallas DFW; BFL to Las Vegas LAS; connections to Charlotte CLT, New York, and international destinations via DFW and PHX
Drive from Los Angeles — 2 Hours North
Most Practical Alternative for Most TravelersLos Angeles International Airport (LAX, 185 km south) and Burbank Bob Hope Airport (BUR, 160 km south) offer significantly more airline options and often lower total fares than Bakersfield BFL, especially for transcontinental or international itineraries. The drive from LA to Bakersfield via I-5 (Tejon Pass) or CA-99 is approximately 2 hours.
Key Routes
Los Angeles LAX (2 hrs south via I-5/CA-99): all major airlines, hundreds of routes; Burbank BUR (1.75 hrs south): Alaska, Delta, Southwest, United, American — particularly good for San Fernando Valley travelers
Things to Do in Bakersfield, California
Essential Info for Your Bakersfield Trip
State
California (CA) — Kern County, southern San Joaquin Valley
Currency
USD — US Dollar
Time Zone
PST (UTC-8) / PDT (UTC-7) in summer
Airport Code
BFL — Meadows Field Airport (8 km from downtown)
Nearest Major Airport
LAX — Los Angeles, 185 km south (2 hrs via I-5); more airline options
Sequoia NP
~3 hours northeast via CA-178/CA-65 — world's largest trees
Kern River
Rafting from Kernville, 80 km northeast — Class III–IV, May–Sep
Emergency Number
911
Most Popular Airlines
Best Airlines for Domestic & International Routes
Frequently Asked Questions on Travel to Bakersfield
Everything you need to know about booking cheap flights to Bakersfield, California
What airport serves Bakersfield, California?
Meadows Field Airport (IATA: BFL), also known as Bakersfield Airport, is located approximately 8 km northwest of downtown Bakersfield. United Express (SkyWest), American Eagle, and Alaska serve BFL. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX, 185 km south, 2 hours by car) offers far more airline options.
Is it better to fly into Los Angeles instead of Bakersfield?
For most travelers, yes — LAX (2 hours south on I-5) has far more airlines, more direct routes, and typically lower base fares than Bakersfield BFL. Compare total cost of BFL connection vs. LAX flight + car rental on FareOptic. Burbank BUR (1.75 hours south) is also a practical alternative.
What is the Bakersfield Sound?
The Bakersfield Sound is a rawer, more electric, guitar-driven country music style developed by Buck Owens and Merle Haggard in Bakersfield's oil-worker honky-tonks in the late 1950s–1960s. It was country music's anti-Nashville movement and directly influenced Dwight Yoakam, Emmylou Harris, and countless contemporary Americana artists.
What is the Kern River like for whitewater rafting?
The Kern River offers California's best whitewater — from Class III–IV commercial rafting on the Upper Kern (accessed from Kernville, 80 km northeast of Bakersfield) to Class V expert-only Forks of the Kern wilderness run (permit required). Commercial rafting trips on the Upper Kern run May–September; book with Whitewater Voyages or Sierra South.
What is the Carrizo Plain National Monument?
The Carrizo Plain (90 km west of Bakersfield) is one of California's largest and least-visited natural areas — 246,000 acres of native San Joaquin Valley grassland with the highest concentration of California endangered species: pronghorn antelope, tule elk, San Joaquin kit fox, condors, and grassland birds. Spring (February–April) wildflower blooms in heavy rain years are among California's most spectacular.
Can I visit Sequoia National Park from Bakersfield?
Yes — Sequoia National Park (world's largest trees by volume) is approximately 3 hours northeast of Bakersfield via CA-178 through Kern Canyon to Porterville and CA-190 to the park entrance. Kings Canyon National Park is adjacent. Combine the drive through Kern Canyon with a Sequoia visit for a spectacular Sierra Nevada day trip.
What is the best time to visit Bakersfield?
February–April for spring wildflowers (Carrizo Plain) and comfortable outdoor temperatures. May–early June for Kern River rafting at peak flow. October–November for fall weather and fewer crowds. Avoid July–August (extreme heat, routinely 40–43°C). The Kern County Fair (October) is a local institution.
What is Bakersfield's Basque heritage?
Bakersfield and the Kern County region have one of the largest Basque communities in the United States — descended from Basque sheepherders who settled the San Joaquin Valley in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Noriega Hotel (oldest Basque restaurant in California, founded 1893) on Sumner Street serves traditional Basque family-style dinners — a genuine local institution.
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