Anyone heading to Bakersfield next month?? My first time in California driving up Saturday morning from Ventura
Hey 52, For a first time drive up to Bakersfield, most will take Highway 126 to the I-5 North from Ventura. We did that route back in 1968. But, several years ago, we drove for the 3rd time, FROM TAFT, South on Highway 33 through the back roads. We went all the way inside of some beautiful So Cal mountains (curvy roads within Los Padres National Forest) to Ojai. (From there, it was a short drive to Ventura north.) From Ojai, we went back north along the Coast Highway 1 (at the Ventura connection) to stay in Montecito for a couple of days. If the direct route to Bakersfield is necessary for you, then connect with the I-5 North as soon as possible out of Ventura. But, as long as you are visiting So Cal, take in what it has to offer in the way of scenery and cool driving roads. Not many people take Highway 33 as it is taxing, but the mountain scenery, especially this time of the year, with the recent snow and rain, should be very green and beautiful. We were just in Ojai in November 2018 and took the road (33)back to Ventura and the Coast Highway North to Mussel Shoals (a memory tour for us) and on to Santa Barbara. For us, the Coast Highway is always preferable to driving on that hectic I-5 North or South, after all, it is an ordinary freeway we have used a million times going to Bakersfield and points North. Jnaki So, if you have the time, that back road (Highway 33 North to Taft) from Ventura is a better drive. But, it will take some leisure driving time. It is not a speedy road like 80 mph on the I-5.