Kern – Nature, Culture and Special Excursions

Kern County combines impressive landscapes with places where the history of California can be experienced in an engaging way. When planning your trip, you can choose between museums and historic parks, nature reserves, wildlife viewing, desert landscapes and water sports on Lake Isabella. When searching for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Kern, it therefore helps to first determine the focus of your holiday.

Experience History and Culture Up Close

The Kern County Museum offers insights into life in Kern County through historic objects. Thousands of historic and cultural artifacts are displayed in more than 56 historic buildings. The exhibits cover everything from the California Gold Rush, settlement and development to today’s oil and agricultural industries.

Fort Tejon State Historic Park also combines history with a hands-on visitor experience. It features restored adobe buildings from the original Fort Tejon, and guided tours are also offered. The park can be reached via Interstate 5 exit 210 (Fort Tejon). Another historic landmark is the Tehachapi Loop, completed in 1876 under the direction of William Hood, a railroad engineer with Southern Pacific.

Nuestra Señora Reina de la Paz, usually called La Paz, is historically significant because of its importance to the labor, civil rights, Chicano and environmental movements of the 20th century. The visitor center is located in a replica of the original 1914 quarry building that César Chávez used as his headquarters. At the Buena Vista Museum of Natural History & Science, you can also see baleen whale, sperm whale and large sea lion specimens from the Miocene that were recovered at Sharktooth Hill.

Desert, Wetlands and Wildlife

Red Rock Canyon State Park features desert cliffs, mesas and strikingly shaped, brightly colored rock formations. The Lokern Ecological Reserve offers a different landscape experience. It encompasses about 3,100 acres of marsh, valley sink scrub and valley saltbush scrub habitats. The Wetland Discovery Trail offers a self-guided nature tour there.

In the Canebrake Ecological Reserve, hilly woodland, sagebrush and wetlands alternate; hiking and wildlife viewing are possible. The Tule Elk State Natural Reserve protects a small herd of tule elk that was once threatened with extinction. Those interested in vehicles and open landscapes will find many miles of trails and open riding areas at Onyx Ranch State Vehicular Recreation Area. The area is located in eastern Kern County next to State Route 14 on the western edge of the Mojave Desert and can be reached via Jawbone Canyon Road at State Route 14.

Water, Family Experiences and Special Access

Boating, sailing, water skiing, jet skiing, windsurfing and fishing are possible at Lake Isabella. Recreational activities at the lake are managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Families can enjoy activities at César E. Chávez National Monument such as making button pins, guided ranger tours and Junior Ranger badges. The CALM Zoo is home to more than 200 non-releasable animals from over 80 native species.

When planning excursions, note that Tomo-Kahni State Historic Park is open to the public exclusively as part of guided tours. The Kern County Fair provides a setting for educational, cultural and entertainment experiences throughout the year. This allows you to combine active days, wildlife observation and historical topics according to your interests without limiting your holiday to just one type of experience.

Choose the Right Accommodation Region

Therefore, organize your search for a holiday apartment in Kern according to the character of your planned days: culture enthusiasts should look for museums and historic sites, nature lovers for reserves and rock landscapes, while water sports can be the focus at Lake Isabella. For trips with children, the wildlife at the CALM Zoo as well as the ranger and Junior Ranger activities offer specific ideas. You can then choose a holiday apartment or holiday home based on your preferred travel itinerary.

More Places for Your Travel Planning

You can find more local pages here: Bakersfield, Ridgecrest, Mojave, Buttonwillow, Tehachapi, Delano, Lamont, Boron, Wofford Heights, Lost Hills, Taft, Rosamond, Kernville, Wasco, California City, Arvin, Lebec, Mckittrick, Shafter, Inyokern and Pine Mountain Club.

For the higher-level travel overview: California.