Traveling California can not only be an adventure, but can also be a time consuming and exhausting experience. Meet Bakersfield, not perfectly central but it serves as a great midpoint to many destinations and is a pleasant surprise itself that’s well worth a few days for whatever the reason you stop.
Bakersfield has a lot of great options to keep you busy. While the name might not conjure up thoughts of a great beer town, it certainly should, with the Bakersfield Brewery Trail being made for those travelers who like to find great local beer.
First on your list of breweries to visit has to be 2nd Phase Brewing. If you are looking for creative craft beer that has a bit of mad scientist approach, look no further than Frank Miranda who brings his biology and chemistry background into his craft. The location of 2nd Phase Brewing is just as unique, being located in the original 1941 Sam Woo Laundry building. Frank has created a very small-town neighborhood feel to go along with the classic look of the building. When you walk in, you definitely get that feel of belonging even if it is your first visit. 2nd Phase always has a great selection of beers on tap, and they did an incredible job with their “Brews Love Lucy” West Coast Hazy IPA, which brings together very hoppy and bitter flavors blended perfectly with the citrus to finish it off. While beer is at the top of the list, 2nd Phase gets very creative with their seltzer cocktails. If you want to have a child like memory in a very adult manner, the orange creamsicle lives up to the name. There is also a Scooby Snack, Peach Island Tea and Boorracha Horchata, and you can’t go wrong with any of them.
Temblor Brewing Company not only brews award-winning beer, but their 20,000 square foot facility is home to so much more. There are plenty of taps so you will definitely find a beer you like. In addition , you will find a great menu of food options along with live music or comedians depending on the night of the week. There is always something going on to make you enjoy your beer that much more. Temblor has quite a long list of award winning beers, but make sure to try the Under a Blood Orange Sky Belgian Wit. This smooth and perfectly done Belgian Wit won a Gold Medal at the US Open Beer Championship and one taste will tell you why.
Lengthwise Brewing Company has been brewing craft beer in the Bakersfield since the mid-90’s, so it is no surprise that you can find their beer at three different locations across town. You can visit Lengthwise at their Brewery, Pub or Marketplace locations and in addition to all of their great beer, they roast their own coffee beans, which they will also grind and package for you to take home.
The Bakersfield brewery list keeps going with more great options including: Bakersfield Beer Company, Crusader Brewing, Dionysus Brewing and Great Change Brewing.
Between their own food and food trucks, their are plenty of dining options while drinking a great beer, being home to a plethora of great restaurants. Amazingly, Bakersfield is home to seven of Guy Fieri’s favorite spots that were featured in Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. These include Moo Creamery, 24th Street Cafe, Salty’s BBQ and Catering, Pyrenees Cafe, KC Steakhouse, Mama Roomba and Athena’s Greek Cafe, which if you are looking for truly authentic Greek food all the way down to the fresh and daily pastries, this is the place. Another unique, not quite fast food spot that you find many places is Freddy’s Frozen Custard. If you haven’t had frozen custard, well just imagine ice cream but ten times as rich. One last spot to check out if you are up for a movie, is Studio Movie Grill. The elevated movie experience that offers a full bar and a restaurant either at a table or at your seat as you enjoy your movie. You will not run out of things to do or places to visit while you are in Bakersfield.
Bakersfield may not have the name cache of San Diego, Los Angeles or San Francisco, but it also doesn’t have the overwhelming traffic and visitors that can make your vacation anything but. If you are looking for a great beer or just a little bit more a relaxed small town feel for a few days, Bakersfield might just be the city that is a bit more of the vacation you are looking for.
For more information, visit: Bakersfield
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