Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Discover why Bakersfield, California is one of the most underrated cities in the state in part 1 of our travel guide to the last Woolworth’s lunch counter, the Bakersfield Sound, and classic Basque feasts. We walk downtown Bakersfield, visit historic landmarks, hear live country music, and wrap up with practical photo tips at the Bakersfield sign so you can get great vacation photos with just your phone.
In Part 2, it's all food (Basque and the unique candy) and photo tips. You can see Part 2 here: hyoutu.be/nza_dV_q-Rc?si=sJ9ZeeBpS_ObRi-W
In this episode, we start with a walking loop through downtown, anchored by the 1920s Padre Hotel and the classic Fox Theater, plus local bars, murals, and antique shops. Along the way we stop at Woolworth’s Luncheonette, the last remaining Woolworth’s lunch counter still operating in the U.S., and sit down for a grilled cheese at the original counter. We also share the civil‑rights history behind Woolworth’s and the Greensboro sit‑in, which is honored here with a mural.
From there we drive out to see another side of Bakersfield: oil wells, Lake Ming and Hart Park, and the Kern River, where locals boat, picnic, and enjoy some unexpected greenery and water in a town most people only associate with agriculture and freeways. We talk with residents about how Bakersfield has changed, why property values and culture are drawing in new communities, and even meet some local peacocks.
Then it’s time for music. We stop at venues that keep the Bakersfield Sound alive, visit Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace for a rare inside look at the now‑closed club, and hear how legendary artists like Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, and others helped create a distinctive California country style. We also tour the Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame, hear stories from a former Buckaroo, and listen to a live performance that shows how the Bakersfield Sound still lives on.
Finally, we head to the Bakersfield sign for a full photo‑tips segment. I show you how to shoot the sign wide and tight, why changing your angle (high, low, both sides of the road) matters, and how to use a selfie stick, timer, and ultra‑wide lens to get yourself and the full sign in the frame. We also talk timing and light—why showing up early gives you better light and empty streets—so you can bring home stronger photos and videos from your own Bakersfield visit.
For a full list of places, links, and more Bakersfield travel and photo tips, visit PhotoWalksTV.com and sign up for the free newsletter
Timestamps
00:00 Why Bakersfield is an underrated California city
00:39 Downtown Bakersfield walking route & Padre Hotel
01:18 Fox Theater, dive bars, murals & antique shops
03:16 Inside the last Woolworth’s Luncheonette & grilled cheese
04:42 Woolworth’s history & civil‑rights mural
06:27 Touring the Fox Theater and back to the Padre rooftop
08:05 Lake Ming, Hart Park, Kern River & local life
09:31 Peacocks, neighborhoods & Bakersfield’s changing culture
10:21 Bakersfield Sound, live country music & line dancing
12:17 Inside Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace & what’s next for it
14:15 Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame tour & live performance
17:07 Shot‑on‑a‑phone reminder & intro to photo‑tips segment
17:30 Photo tips at the Bakersfield sign (angles, lenses, selfie stick)
19:33 Timing, light & getting the street to yourself
20:27 Closing from the Crystal Palace stage & newsletter invite
🔔 Explore the world through our lens on PhotoWalksTV! Subscribe now for breathtaking journeys and photography tips.: youtube.com/@PhotowalksTV/?sub_confirmation=1
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✅ For Business Inquiries: photowalkstv@gmail.com
#Bakersfield
#BakersfieldCalifornia
#BakersfieldSound
#BasqueFood
#Woolworths
⚠️DISCLAIMER: I do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of watching any of my publications. You acknowledge that you use the information I provide at your own risk. Do your own research.
Copyright Notice: This video and my YouTube channel contain dialogue, music, and images that are the property of PhotowalksTV. You are authorized to share the video link and channel and embed this video in your website or others as long as a link back to our YouTube channel is provided.
© PhotowalksTV with Jefferson Graham
Discover why Bakersfield, California is one of the most underrated cities in the state in part 1 of our travel guide to the last Woolworth’s lunch counter, the Bakersfield Sound, and classic Basque feasts. We walk downtown Bakersfield, visit historic landmarks, hear live country music, and wrap up with practical photo tips at the Bakersfield sign so you can get great vacation photos with just your phone.
In Part 2, it's all food (Basque and the unique candy) and photo tips. You can see Part 2 here: hyoutu.be/nza_dV_q-Rc?si=sJ9ZeeBpS_ObRi-W
In this episode, we start with a walking loop through downtown, anchored by the 1920s Padre Hotel and the classic Fox Theater, plus local bars, murals, and antique shops. Along the way we stop at Woolworth’s Luncheonette, the last remaining Woolworth’s lunch counter still operating in the U.S., and sit down for a grilled cheese at the original counter. We also share the civil‑rights history behind Woolworth’s and the Greensboro sit‑in, which is honored here with a mural.
From there we drive out to see another side of Bakersfield: oil wells, Lake Ming and Hart Park, and the Kern River, where locals boat, picnic, and enjoy some unexpected greenery and water in a town most people only associate with agriculture and freeways. We talk with residents about how Bakersfield has changed, why property values and culture are drawing in new communities, and even meet some local peacocks.
Then it’s time for music. We stop at venues that keep the Bakersfield Sound alive, visit Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace for a rare inside look at the now‑closed club, and hear how legendary artists like Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, and others helped create a distinctive California country style. We also tour the Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame, hear stories from a former Buckaroo, and listen to a live performance that shows how the Bakersfield Sound still lives on.
Finally, we head to the Bakersfield sign for a full photo‑tips segment. I show you how to shoot the sign wide and tight, why changing your angle (high, low, both sides of the road) matters, and how to use a selfie stick, timer, and ultra‑wide lens to get yourself and the full sign in the frame. We also talk timing and light—why showing up early gives you better light and empty streets—so you can bring home stronger photos and videos from your own Bakersfield visit.
For a full list of places, links, and more Bakersfield travel and photo tips, visit PhotoWalksTV.com and sign up for the free newsletter
Timestamps
00:00 Why Bakersfield is an underrated California city
00:39 Downtown Bakersfield walking route & Padre Hotel
01:18 Fox Theater, dive bars, murals & antique shops
03:16 Inside the last Woolworth’s Luncheonette & grilled cheese
04:42 Woolworth’s history & civil‑rights mural
06:27 Touring the Fox Theater and back to the Padre rooftop
08:05 Lake Ming, Hart Park, Kern River & local life
09:31 Peacocks, neighborhoods & Bakersfield’s changing culture
10:21 Bakersfield Sound, live country music & line dancing
12:17 Inside Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace & what’s next for it
14:15 Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame tour & live performance
17:07 Shot‑on‑a‑phone reminder & intro to photo‑tips segment
17:30 Photo tips at the Bakersfield sign (angles, lenses, selfie stick)
19:33 Timing, light & getting the street to yourself
20:27 Closing from the Crystal Palace stage & newsletter invite
🔔 Explore the world through our lens on PhotoWalksTV! Subscribe now for breathtaking journeys and photography tips.: youtube.com/@PhotowalksTV/?sub_confirmation=1
🔗 Stay Connected With PhotowalksTV.
👉PhotowalksTV newsletter: photowalksTV.com
👉Website: jeffersongraham.com
👉Facebook: facebook.com/PhotowalksTV
👉Instagram: instagram.com/photowalkstv
✅ For Business Inquiries: photowalkstv@gmail.com
#Bakersfield
#BakersfieldCalifornia
#BakersfieldSound
#BasqueFood
#Woolworths
⚠️DISCLAIMER: I do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred from you acting or not acting as a result of watching any of my publications. You acknowledge that you use the information I provide at your own risk. Do your own research.
Copyright Notice: This video and my YouTube channel contain dialogue, music, and images that are the property of PhotowalksTV. You are authorized to share the video link and channel and embed this video in your website or others as long as a link back to our YouTube channel is provided.
© PhotowalksTV with Jefferson Graham
