A Living Ghost Town…read more We took another detour to check out this historic mining district. We thought it was a ghost town but there are actual residents living and working the businesses along Butte Avenue (which is like their Main Street). Randsburg was once a mining town with a rich history. It is located between SoCal and the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. We parked right outside the General Store, which is the town's claim to fame. Unfortunately, we were told by its next door neighbor, the Rock and Crystal shop, that it closed its doors in early January this year. Bummer! I spent some time at this crystal shop, I got to know the gentle and sweet owner as we chatted a little bit, I purchased some items. We walked over to the infamous "Joint" and ordered cheeseburgers and a couple of sodas. Inside has a huge bar, a couple of pool tables, music, TV, and good ole Cali ghost town hospitality. We sat outside at their outdoor patio... they seemed surprised to see a couple of Asians walk in LoL! Randsburg is a cool place to visit. A genuine Old West gold mining town with all the original buildings still in tact and some of them still in use. Check out the genuine storefronts... these aren't fake. We also stopped at the City Jail. There are two cells inside with mannequin props. The cell on the left is a Dancehall gal standing next to a poem telling one of her stories. The one on the right houses a miner who just had a little too much to drink. The museum was closed. Review #2994

Beautiful historic town.... So much history and quite a lot to look at in the beautiful desert.read more

This was actually a lot of fun for my friend and I. Unfortunately, we didn't stay as long as we…read morewanted to as it was very hot and we were ill prepared. I think the website could do with giving people a better idea of what to bring to be better prepared to handle the hotter months. I really enjoyed the tour at the beginning where you can see all the research areas going on. The area is honestly huge and it's really cool looking at it all from a distance. Definitely wanna come back when it's not as hot now that we have a better idea of what to expect and what we should bring (also after I workout more so I can be better at digging for a longer time).

We had such a great time!…read more It's $40 for adults & $30 kids up to 12. They do not allow kids under 5. We learned the teeth are from 14-16 million years ago. Tools are provided. And while they don't have guarantees, they essentially said it's 100% you'll find some type of tooth or bone. I found 3 Mako Teeth and my son found a stingray tooth and we think hook tooth shark. A few weeks ago a kid found a megalodon tooth. While not common it's a 1 in 100 chance and you can keep it. Essentially you can keep anything you find unless you find skull, which then gets tagged for museum use. There was a boy scout troop with us, and they can coordinate with the museum for a tour and complete a merit badge. For cub scouts, my son earned his Earth Rocks badge for Arrow of Light. Bring a hat, lunch, jacket and hand sanitizer. There is 1 porta potty so come prepared :) I highly recommend, we had a great time.

It's expensive, crowded and the people are rude. Don't waste your time. The yell at you and heard…read moreyou around like animals.

My 6 year daughter loves this diamond in the rough Gem store. Lots of things for kids and adults…read morealike to enjoy. If your kids are into minerals, rocks, or gold panning this place is for you! We got the $35 bucket of gem and 3 pounds of paydirt. My daughter had a blast for hours looking for gems and gold. I highly recommend this place.

I have had the Desert Tortoise Natural Area (DTNA) on my list of places to visit for a few years…read more Since I was camping nearby, I jumped at the opportunity. Passing through sleepy and imprecisely-named California City then on to the sandy Randsburg Mohave Road, it became clear why the desert tortoise -- California's official state reptile -- has been facing extinction. Housing has encroached and off-road vehicles play in this habitat seemingly disconnected from the consequences of their actions. Reaching the DTNA, the large amount of special fencing at the perimeter illustrates the amount of effort required to protect these animals. A gravel parking lot, pit toilet and small interpretive kiosk are the only amenities so come prepared for the visit and the weather. Interpretive brochures are available on the trails to lend perspective and, perhaps, more importantly, lower expectations. I walked all of the flat trails and aside from some small lizards and long-eared rabbits, I saw no tortoises or even the really venomous Mohave green rattlesnakes. If you're into creosote bushes, though, this is the place for you. Unfortunately, there's not much to inspire taking out the camera. So, did I like my experience? Well, I wasn't sure but I sorted this out as I sat watching the sunset back at my campsite. It's not about the visitor at all: it's about the tortoise. It's reassuring to know that this protected area exists and that many volunteers and experts have devoted so much of their time to the cause of saving the tortoise. That feels good. Selfishly, I'll be back in the Spring when the desert flowers are blooming and maybe I'll be lucky to see a tortoise or two basking in the milder temperatures.

Call it a bit of beginner's luck but my three children and two nieces, ages3-15, and I had a great…read moreexperience. We got some guidance from Ms. Sharon on some earlier tortoise sightings and took that loop. We saw plenty of lizards, including a couple horned lizards, caterpillars, gopher and rattle snakes, empty tortoise burrows and finally just before turning to head back, a desert tortoise. Mission accomplished! He was burrowed but we still saw him. Yes the bathroom isn't that great but it was clean in general. Don't look in the whole, lol. It's a fine piece of construction for an outhouse. I believe I saw a sidewinder just outside the preserve fence while I was trying to find the entrance. It was moving so fast and peculiar from average snake. Tip: stay on Randsburg-Mohave Rd to get to entrance.

A LITTLE LATE but COMING ALONG! Bakersfield is late to the party when it comes to education,…read moregrowth, and social development. However, I have hope for Bakersfield as it's got a lot of history and has endured difficult years. I'm surprised with how big this city is! I can officially say that Bako is my introduction to Kern County and I found it delightful. It's got a community that is proud of its oil industry and civic expansion. My favorite places to visit are the Kern County Museum and Dignity Health Arena. I'm a sucker for historical sites and hockey. Further, you'll find a Cal State University and many great hotels. Bakersfield has a variety of activities on Yelp too! There's a bunch of highly recommended restaurants, eateries, and coffee houses all over town. There's a large Hispanic community, I'm hopeful Bakersfield will become more diverse as more families move in. Traffic is manageable but ever growing. There's a couple of highways and a freeway passing through the city which is key to navigating around. Parking around Bakersfield is affordable and easy to find. Lots of lots are free to use!

Bakersfield is located just off Highway 99. The drive from the San Fernando Valley takes you…read morethrough the mountains and the infamous Grape Vine. I actually enjoy this scenic drive which takes me past Magic Mountain, Santa Clarita, Lake Castaic, Gorman then to the California State Route 99. As long as there is no snow it is a smooth ride. Once you exit there are several restaurants with LA prices. Don't think because you are our of LA things are cheaper...they are not. Bakersfield is quite large ranking #9 in the sate of CA. It is on the Kern River. Not far from the Sequoia National Forest. This is the midway point where I tend to meet one of my dear friends. It's easy for both of us to get here. They also have some great farms & fresh produce available. Worth taking a day trip here...

Sherman Pass, the northern most pass over the sierras until Tioga Pass some 200 miles north. It is…read morethe 3rd highest pass over the sierras at 9,200 feet and is one damn windy road. It is a really interesting road, at some points you feel like you are on the moon, in south america, out in the middle of no where, somewhere that a wildfire just burned, or a beautiful sierra meadow. Like I said it is a very interesting way to get over the Sierras, just be ready for several hours of hairpin turns and nobody coming the other direction. Camping: it is obscure yes, but Troy Meadows is a VERY nice campground with no one around. its right off Sherman Pass too! GPS: 36.064070, -118.239262

I have been over Sherman pass six times in the last ten years. It is everything the first reviewer…read moresays and more. I have always made a point of traveling West to East as I know that is the most scenic direction. I like to start with breakfast at "The Cracked Egg" in Kernville and do lunch in at "The Grill" in Lone Pine. You can take as many days as you want to do this three hour drive. Supplies at Murphy Flats and Hungry Bear restaurant. Truly a wonderful drive!

Unlike other white, powdery magical substances, Boric Acid is actually good for you…read more It preserves food, makes fireworks, cleans jewelry. Boric acid mixed with water is an acne treatment. Used in the ear it helps with ear infections. It kills fungus and athlete's foot (just apply the powder straight). It is antibacterial and can be used as an aseptic. And (my personal favorite) stick a gel cap full in your yoni a few nights in a row and you will be yeast infection free. Don't be thrown by it's labeling as a rat/bug killer. Boric Acid is an amazing thing.

Boric Acid. Obliterates pests, gives mule teams a thing to drag across the desert, and finally…read moregives even Yelpers lost in the desert something to click into while resting after four hours of enfevered driving. Thanks, Boric Acid!

All the times I've visited Kingsburg, and only this year did I stumble upon the Historic Kingsburg…read moreJail! I was wandering down the main street, Draper Street, which has many alleys that cut through mid-block, some of which are being turned into dining areas or covered walkways where one can just sit for a moment. In one of the alleys, George Boyle Way, there was an informational sign which led me to the other end of the short alley. This opened up onto an area where I found the base of the Coffee Pot Water Tower, a large public park and the back of the fire department. And, the Historic Kingsburg Jail! A small white block building, with a delightful and well done painting of an escape in progress, I found a building that's a small museum of local law enforcement in the early 1900s. The building is open apparently 24 hours a day, and is video monitored for security - but it is the original jail, and is as hard-looking to break INTO as it was to break out of, mural notwithstanding . . . The building consists of a whole 2 jail cells and a small office, all off a small hallway heated by an old fashioned stove. Thick - VERY thick! - walls give a cool environment when sunny out - probably as cold in the winter?! The cells and office have been turned into dioramas by volunteers, and the effects are cool! A few articles posted around the walls flesh out the early history of the jail and a few of the local law enforcement men who kept Kingsburg safe in those early years - two of whom lost their lives in such service. Overall, the Kingsburg Historical Society has done a great job of keeping a small, out of the way building from simply being closed up and left to decay. Their efforts are worth a quick side trip, and I'm glad I stumbled upon this hidden gem of history!

This historic jail is right beneath the water tower that looks like a coffee pot and behind the…read morefire station. I think the jail is open 24/7. There appears to be a security camera that must be connected with the fire station. It's an adorable little place with period specific furnishings.

If you don't know about the thousands of wild parakeets living in the downtown area of Bakersfield,…read morethen you're in for a treat. Living in Oleander for much of my life I was exposed to these beautiful creatures on many occasions. It became a natural part of my childhood to see these brightly colored birds hanging in the palm trees and eating seeds and berries off the local foliage. It never occurred to me that they weren't just a natural part of the environment. These aren't your normal pet store parakeets. These are rather large and can be over a foot in length, so they aren't too difficult to spot. They often travel in groups as well, so if you see one you'll likely see quite a few. The story goes, back in the 70's there was a giant wind storm that blew off an aviary's roof leaving many birds to escape. These parakeets were one of the more successful to bread and adapt to the area. They're lively and enjoyable creatures to watch. They aren't invasive or harmful to pets, plants or people. You'll likely find them in the evenings coming back to their roosts in places with large tall trees like Oleander (Beale Park) or the large trees on California/Union near Food Maxx. It's definitely a sight to see, and something unique to Bakersfield!