One of the Best Train Museums that we have visited. Located in a Train Depot, it is beautifully…read moredone with displays, artifacts, and Train Memorabilia from the past. Super friendly Staff who really show their passion for trains & the history that surrounds them. They have a nice gift shop where you can find a gift for the train enthusiast in your life, or pick up something for yourself. If you are lucky a train will pass through and you can sit on the platform and feel the history as it passes you by, go see the Tehachapi Loop to complete your visit to Train Town USA.

What a fantastic find! We were driving from Bakersfield to Las Vegas when a sudden winter storm…read moreforced us to take a break in Tehachapi. Honestly, it turned out to be the highlight of our trip. We pulled into the Tehachapi Depot Railroad Museum to escape the snow and were immediately greeted by Diana at the front desk. She was so incredibly welcoming and warm, which was exactly what we needed after that drive! We ended up getting a tour from Paul, and he was phenomenal. His knowledge of the local railroad history and the famous Tehachapi Loop is next-level. He didn't just show us artifacts; he told stories that made the whole experience come alive. The museum is beautifully maintained and full of unique memorabilia--even if you aren't a huge 'train person,' the passion of the volunteers like Paul and Diana makes it worth the stop. It's free to enter, but we highly recommend leaving a donation to support this local gem. Total 5-star experience!

Awesome history, awesome tour!!! Even a little spooky in some dark corners. If you love history…read moreand want to walk through it this is an amazing stop. Always friendly staff here to walk you through . A full, growing collection of history. This walkthrough is a flash back in time. From the sight to the smells. This is a must stop and see place!

Today I visited the Errea House Museum and was warmly greeted from Carole Peck the Docent. I can't…read morebelieve that all of my kids have been here on field trips but I have never been. Carole gave me a lot of information about the history of the house and the original family that lived in it. The house was located 4 1/2 miles from where it sits now on Green Street. It was moved here around 1900. In 1952 Tehachapi had a devastating earthquake and the damage to this area is estimated at 60 million dollars and tragically lives lost. This house stood amazingly in one piece and the only damage was to the open porch in the rear of the house. The water tank in the back yard collapsed on it. It was explained to me that the original structure was built without the use of wall studs. The house is now owned by the Tehachapi Heritage League and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 29, 1997. Everything in the home has been donated from the time period of the 1900's. The calendar on the kitchen wall was actually from 1921. When you walk in the door to the left is a beautiful grandfather clock from 1785 and it still keeps perfect time. Every Christmas the Errea house is decorated and they have items available to purchase. I am looking forward to checking that out next year.

Tomo-Kahni (translated "winter village") was the site of a Kawaiisu Native American Village. The…read moreHistoric Park is located along a ridge in the Tehachapi Mountains. The site can only be accessed by guided tours which are held two Saturdays per month during the spring and fall months. On the 1.5 mile walking tour you'll get to learn about the Kawaiisu people and how they used to live. You'll also learn about some of the native plants, such as the ephedra plant which was used to make a stimulating tea and the burned charcoal was used to make decorative tattoos. You'll get to see various bedrock mortars where the would crush acorns into their staple meal. You'll pass by large boulders covered in vibrant and colorful neon green and orange lichen. The tour ends at the Ceremonial Cave, also known as Creation Cave or the Teddy Bear Cave. It's really more of a rock shelter. Inside there are well preserved pictographs. The cave is said to be guarded by a supernatural grizzly bear that lives within the rock face that guards the cave from unworthy intruders. Overall it was a vary enjoyable visit. The tour starts at 8:30 AM at the Tehachapi Museum. After a 30 min orientation you'll caravan to the site. We got back to our car around 1pm. The fee for the tour is $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 6- 16. There is also a $10 registration fee. You can call 661-946-6092 for tour information and reservations.

This museum is so neat! The docents (who are all volunteers btw!) are knowledgeable and funny, and…read morethey kept my Girl Scouts' interest with no issue. The exhibits are beautiful and interesting, and there are interactive elements to some displays. I was stunned by the Yokuts display, which had a full replica of a traditional Yokut home. An extraordinary, nearly-complete fossil found locally is on display. The bottom floor also has a fun exploratory area for kids! It's great! Highly recommend this museum to all ages.

Great idea and lots of wonderful information. The pros is the cost is affordable for family. Lots…read moreto discover on 2 floors. The cons it can use a deep cleaning and new display ideas.

It wasn't really a festival more like a street fair they had very little Apple focusesread more

This years apple festival has 80 vendors with everything you can imagine. Candles, essential oils,…read morepurses, jewelry, home decor, clothing and so much more. Don't forget to buy some apples while you are there. You won't go hungry, lots of delicious food and a carnival for the kids. My son is having a great time on the rides. Eating lots of junk food too. If you didn't make it out today, don't worry it will be open tomorrow too.

If you're in the area, and espcially if you're a train enthusiast, visiting the Tehachapi Loop…read moretrain track is worth a stop. It's free to visit the historical landmark recording this engineering feat, where you'll also have a good view of the loop. It's not guaranteed that you'll see a train pass by (I didn't!) but it's still worth seeing. Free admission and free parking at the historical marker.

We completely lucked out in getting to the overlook moments before a long freight train passed by…read more The loop isn't just one big loop, it goes around and around and the train coils around the tracks like a snake. It truly was an engineering feat and it is still in regular use. We also noticed that the plaque recognized the efforts by Chinese laborers from Guangdong for building this loop. They were previously erased from history but I am glad their contributions are now acknowledged after so many years.

We stopped here on our road trip and it was a nice little museum! The staff were nice and it was…read morevery clean. The bathrooms were also very clean and comfy for a potty break. There were tables in the front you could eat a little picnic at too, if you brought a lunch. As for the exhibits, it is mainly for older kids and adults because it's a lot of reading and adult history. But my kids who are 3 and 6 liked looking at the planes on the ceiling and outside. They got to sit in the jet plane cock pit and also see what a machine gun looked like up close. That was educational for my older son. It was free to enter, not busy, and parking was easy on the street. So, a nice little pit stop to stretch our legs. Spent about 10-15 mins here and then went to the mule museum right next door for another 10-15 minutes. So stop by if you pass through!

This place was amazing! So cool. It looks little on the outside but it was packed with so many…read moreinteresting things. The woman working was so friendly, talked us and our kids through fun little tid bits. Wish we had longer to spend there

Explored Silver City Ghost Town's creaky saloons and mining cabins--perfectly preserved…read more100-year-old relics felt frozen in Gold Rush days, with cool artifacts everywhere. Affordable entry, haunted vibes added thrill (booked lantern tour next), short drive from Lake Isabella made it an easy adventure. Bodfish hidden gem for history buffs!

We're traveling in an RV & went to Bakersfield because a friend lives out there. Found this cool…read moreplace on Yelp & decided to give it a try. We brought the families & it was a WONDERFUL experience! I even got some cool antiques to put in my RV from the gift shop. I loved the history of the place. I loved that we could bring our dog also.

This is such a peaceful and welcoming National Monument located in Keene, CA, just east of…read moreBakersfield. This National Monument has a visitors center, museum, gift shop, a beautiful walking trail with flowering plants and trees as well as a path with various cacti. In the warmer months it's easy to spot lizards and rabbits, as well as having year-round birds and squirrels. You can learn about civil rights, agricultural labor history, and how Cesar formed a Union that is still in existence today. The Park is located in Kern County (the southernmost county of the California agricultural belt) just 30 minutes east of Bakersfield, in the mountains below Tehachapi. It was the first location of the Union headquarters he formed, the United Farm Workers (UFW). His office has been preserved within the museum exactly how it was the day he passed away. Cesar, and his wife Helen, lived and are buried within the Monument (his dog is buried with them too!) in a beautiful and serene garden. Their house is on the property and was left the way Helen had it the day she passed away. There isn't access inside their home, but they do allow special events in their courtyard area that you'd need to inquire about. Entrance and parking are both free to the public, but you can make donations if you'd like. I love visiting this Monument a few times a year, as it's so peaceful and calming. We usually bring lunch and sit at one of the many picnic tables provided.

Nice grounds, but kind of awkward to visit after recent events. Also, you couldn't really walk…read morearound the national monument with the private residence housing. The museum was nice though!