Centrally located in the state, Merced offers a diverse blend of rural environments. The community provides both a convenient geographic location, less than two hours by car from Yosemite National Park, and a host of entertainment options. You will find the people in Merced friendly and the surrounding environment quite enjoyable. Billed as the "Gateway to Yosemite," Merced serves as a convenient home base for a variety of outdoor activities, allowing you to be on the sandy beaches of Monterey one day and climbing the peaks of the Sierra Nevada the next.
Fishing and water sports enthusiasts will find many opportunities close at hand, with several streams and lakes located within easy driving distance. The area surrounding Merced is rich wine and cheese country with many vineyards offering tasting rooms. Also in abundance are a variety of interesting museums focusing on everything from WWII-era military aircraft to Merced's agricultural roots. And, of course, there is Yosemite National Park, which harbors a grand collection of waterfalls, meadows, and forests that include groves of giant sequoias, the world's largest living things.
Merced is located along old US Highway 99 130 miles east of San Francisco and about 60 miles northwest of Fresno. Merced is less than two hours by car from Yosemite National Park to the east and Monterey Bay, the Pacific Ocean, and miles of beaches to the west.
