Bakersfield, California

From the lush San Joaquin Valley to the surrounding Tehachapi Mountains, Bakersfield is at the heart of central California's panoramic landscape. Named after a field that was provided by Colonel Thomas Baker for travellers and their livestock, Bakersfield at one time was literally Baker's field. Today, agriculture still plays a vital role in Kern County (where the city is located), with farmers producing everything imaginable, including, citrus, carrots, cotton, grapes, almonds, and milk. But Bakersfield is not simply a sleepy little farming community – with a population of 247,057, it is the 13th-largest city in California.

Bakersfield and Kern County do have a certain energy to them: from massive oil production to wind turbines, a large portion of power comes from the area. At present, Kern County produces more than 500,000 barrels of oil per day, which accounts for approximately 10% of America's total oil production (or 1% of global production). Similarly, near the Tehachapi Mountains east of Bakersfield, more than 5,000 wind turbines make Kern County the world's largest producer of wind-generated electricity. That's a lot of power!

Beyond industry, Bakersfield is a fantastic place to live. The city averages 273 sunny days per year and has temperatures ranging from 37F (2C) to 99F (37C). A range of different immigrants to the community have brought wonderful culinary traditions with them. In particular, Bakersfield is known for its excellent Mexican and Basque restaurants. In terms of things to do, Sequoia National Park is relatively close to the city and offers visitors an exciting opportunity to see some of the largest, most majestic trees in the nation. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the many nearby canyons of central California are populated with scraggly sycamore, sage and Joshua trees. In the summer months, these areas provide excellent location for meteor watching. For those interested in water-based activities, the Kern River Valley offers Lake Isabella.

Bakersfield is approximately 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of Los Angeles.

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