The neighborhood
North Merced, Central Valley easy.
Emerald Drive sits in North Merced, the county seat of Merced County in California's San Joaquin Valley. This guide covers the schools, the commute, the parks, and the places locals actually go, so you can picture the everyday rhythm of life at 385 Emerald Dr.
The Central Valley
Merced, California · pop. 86,333 (2020)
Schools
A clear path from kindergarten to high school.
Elementary and middle grades in this part of the city fall under the Merced City School District, and high school is handled by the Merced Union High School District. Typical assignments near Emerald Drive run through Luther Burbank, Herbert Hoover, and Golden Valley.
01
Luther Burbank Elementary
K-6
A Merced City School District campus serving North Merced elementary grades.
02
Herbert Hoover Middle
7-8
One of the district middle schools with a Gifted and Talented program.
03
Golden Valley High
9-12
The typical high school feeder for Hoover graduates within Merced Union High School District.
School boundaries in Merced are being redrawn as the district moves sixth grade to middle school, so confirm the current assignment for this parcel with the district's official boundary map before you rely on it.
Merced City SD boundary updatesGetting around
State Route 99 runs right through town.
Merced is the Central Valley's crossroads, with CA-99 as the main north-south corridor, SR 140 and SR 59 branching out, and Yosemite less than two hours east.
~45 min
to Fresno
South on CA-99, about 45 miles.
40-50 min
to Modesto
North on CA-99, about 40 miles.
<2 hrs
to Yosemite
Merced has long billed itself the gateway to the park.
~2 hrs
to Sacramento
About 125 miles up the valley, and the Bay Area is roughly two hours west.
UC Merced
The University of California's 10th campus opened in 2005 and anchors the city's east side, drawing roughly 9,100 students to its 815-acre campus and a steady stream of faculty, staff, and research energy.
A growing county seat
Merced is the seat of Merced County and added residents through the last census: 86,333 people in 2020, up from about 79,000 in 2010, with the city's recent estimates pushing past 96,000.
Local spots
Where Emerald Drive locals actually go.
Toni's Courtyard Cafe
Cafe & bakery
516 W 18th St, Merced, CA 95340
4.6 stars on Google
Jantz Cafe & Bakery
Cafe & bakery
3361 G St, Merced, CA 95340
4.8 stars, 530+ reviews
Coffee Bandits
Coffee shop
309 W Main St, Merced, CA 95340
Downtown Merced staple
Black Bear Diner Merced
Family dining
1435 V St, Merced, CA 95340
4.1 stars on Google
Sam Cafe · Thai
Thai restaurant
235 W 12th St, Merced, CA 95341
4.5 stars on Google
Wired Internet Coffee Bar
Coffee & wifi
450 W 18th St, Merced, CA 95340
Part of Merced County Office of Education
Parks & outdoors
Green space in every direction.
The backyard at 385 Emerald Dr looks out over open, parklike green space. For bigger outings, Applegate Park has been Merced's gathering place since the early 1900s.
Applegate Park
~50
Acres
1908
Designated
Zoo
Plus · fountain · lawns
Merced's oldest park, developed in part through a 1920s bequest and a 1930s WPA project, is home to the Applegate Park Zoo, the restored 1888 Laura Fountain, and the Hall of Heroes veterans memorial. Pack a picnic and claim a spot under the oaks.
See the neighborhood for yourself.
A tour of 385 Emerald Dr is also a tour of North Merced.