Kern Magazine’s Nonstop Edit: 📍San Francisco
Fresh destinations, direct routes and stays worth the trip.
By Kathleen Hokit. Published on November 8, 2026
From Meadows Field, San Francisco is under two hours away by nonstop flight, with holiday lights, waterfront traditions and a sustainability-minded hotel stay waiting at the other end.
For Bakersfield and surrounding Kern County communities, the City by the Bay is closer than it looks.
United’s nonstop flight from Meadows Field Airport (BFL) to San Francisco takes about 1 hour and 23 minutes, putting holiday lights, waterfront traditions and a Nutcracker with a San Francisco twist under two hours away. Check BFL’s airlines and destinations page for current flight schedules, then pack your layers and get ready for a festive escape.
Credit: Clèmente Proust
A Holiday by the Bay
San Francisco gives the holidays its own coastal spin: cool air off the water, cable cars climbing decorated streets and city lights reflected across the bay. Downtown and the waterfront become a string of festive stops, with plenty to enjoy between a holiday meal and the evening’s main event.
Credit: Dan Lynch
Ready to take your holiday plans nonstop? From glowing garden walks to waterfront traditions, these 2026 San Francisco happenings are worth building a trip around. Then check out our Nonstop Edit hotel pick, a stay that gets the green light from our sustainability meter.
Skate beneath the Union Square lights
The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square is open daily through Jan. 18, 2027. An hour on the ice is a festive way to take in the heart of downtown, and the season includes themed skate nights and free weekend lessons for beginners who enter the lottery.
Credit: Dllu
Make a night of the waterfront
From Nov. 23 through Jan. 10, PIER 39 brings holiday décor, music and shopping across more than 70 stores and seasonal food to the waterfront. The 60-foot tree-lighting celebration is Dec. 3, from 5 to 9 p.m., with live music from The Death & Taxes Swing Band, a visit from Santa, merchant specials and the first snowfall at the PIER during the celebration. The event page also lists a $15 all-day parking rate for the tree-lighting night.
Courtesy of Pier39
The festivities continue after opening night: look for Santa and free activities on Festive Fridays, Dec. 4, 11 and 18, and watch snowfall in the Entrance Plaza every half hour from 5 to 10 p.m. nightly, Dec. 4 through Jan. 10.
Aquarium of the Bay is also planning River Otter Snow Days on Dec. 15 and 28.
Check PIER 39’s holiday page for updates before heading over.
Courtesy of Pier39
See the city through a Nutcracker lens
San Francisco Ballet’s Nutcracker returns Dec. 4–27 at the War Memorial Opera House. Set in 1915 San Francisco during the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, the production gives the holiday classic a local backdrop; a sensory-friendly performance is scheduled for Dec. 27.
Get your tickets here.
San Francisco War Memorial Opera House. Credit: Kevin Payravi
San Francisco War Memorial Opera House. Credit: Frank Schulenburg
Follow the lights at the zoo
For a family night out, San Francisco Zoo & Gardens is bringing back ZooLights with a brand-new, two-month light experience. From Nov. 6, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027, more than one million lights will transform the grounds into 14 themed zones, with glowing tunnels, oversized holiday decorations, animal-shaped displays and a botanical path lined with giant flowers. The frosty zone brings the photo ops, including towering icicles, a frozen forest and an ice throne, while San Francisco icons like the Golden Gate Bridge and a cable car add a local touch.
There’s more to explore than the lights. Guests can wander through the illuminated Dinos Rule! exhibit, play on light-up swings and seesaws, or spot neon penguins and sea lions. Special nights add their own twist, with events such as bingo, silent disco, trivia, a family glow rave and visits from Santa and Dickens carolers on select dates.
ZooLights runs from 5:30 to 9 p.m. and requires a separate ticket from daytime Zoo admission. The event is closed Mondays and Tuesdays through Dec. 15, then opens nightly through Jan. 3. Tickets are $30 for adults and $21 for children ages 2 to 11, with discounts for Zoo members.
Courtesy of San Francisco Zoo and Gardens
Take a nature walk with a holiday glow
At Lightscape, San Francisco Botanical Garden gets a festive after-dark makeover.
Follow a timed-entry trail through the garden as a million lights, glowing art and music bring the paths to life. The mile-long walk takes about 45 minutes, and tickets for the 2026 season run Nov. 20 through Jan. 3., 2027. Reserve ahead, especially for popular dates.
Planning to be in San Francisco on Dec. 13? Don’t miss the free “250 Years on the Presidio” guided walk at 11 a.m. An NPS guide leads a half-mile stroll through the Presidio’s natural landscape and history. It’s a daytime walk, so you can save Lightscape for after dark.
One Flight, One Check-In: 1 Hotel
Kern Magazine’s Nonstop Edit pick: 1 Hotel San Francisco
Green flags? This stay has receipts. 1 Hotel San Francisco (Embarcadero) earns Kern Magazine’s pick for bringing sustainability into the details.
Its LEED Gold certification and energy-saving systems include LED lighting, added insulation, HVAC energy recovery and advanced monitoring, while the hotel says it uses carbon offsets to help reduce its operational footprint.
Redwood reclaimed from the former San Francisco Bridge appears in the elevator landings, and salvaged barn wood makes up the lobby floor. Filtered water taps on every floor and reusable bottles in guestrooms help cut single-use plastic.
The hotel also highlights locally sourced sustainable linens, non-toxic organic mattresses and its “1 Less Thing” program, which lets guests leave gently used clothing for local charity partner St. Anthony’s.
The sustainability story continues at Terrene, where seasonal dishes feature local, sustainably sourced ingredients, including produce from the rooftop chef’s garden. The garden’s neighbors? On-site beehives.
For a festive night out, the Winter Greenhouse transforms Terrene’s covered, heated patio into a lantern-lit seasonal hangout with evergreens, mulled wine, festive cocktails and zero-proof drinks. It runs Dec. 1 through Jan. 8 from 4 to 10 p.m., with winter bites like Cowgirl Creamery fondue and Acme bread. Reservations are encouraged.
Credit: Pavel Danilyuk
The Embarcadero location puts the Ferry Building close and Pier 39 about 1.5 miles away. Guests can walk, use the hotel’s electric bikes or request a fully electric Audi e-tron house car, which offers drop-offs within a two-mile radius on a first-come basis.
For ZooLights, beyond that zone, guests can ask about reserving an e-tron test drive for up to four hours once during their stay or arrange separate transportation.
Back at the hotel, the 24-hour Field House has Peloton bikes, cardio equipment and weights, with fitness classes, personal training and select rooftop classes.
Add Bamford Wellness Spa, pet-friendly stays and skyline and bay views, and this city base brings both local character and a lighter-footprint point of view. The hotel currently lists a $48 daily amenity fee per room, before tax, which includes house-car service, electric bikes, fitness and wellness experiences, and filtered water taps.ich includes house-car service, electric bikes, fitness and wellness experiences, and filtered water taps.
Courtesy of 1 Hotel San Francisco
Ready to book your next nonstop adventure? Start at home with Meadows Field Airport (BFL), where a welcoming local terminal makes getting on your way feel refreshingly easy. United Airlines flies nonstop from Bakersfield to San Francisco, so your Bay Area getaway can begin right here in Kern County. Find flights and plan your next trip with Fly BFL.
