Merrick

Merrick is a quiet, suburban town along the South Shore of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population of Merrick was 22,097. Merrick offers something for everyone. There are small starter homes, such as capes available in North Merrick. These might be 2-bedroom houses with one bathroom. As you travel south, the homes get larger and more expensive. The houses on the water are generally the most expensive and expansive, with docks in the backyard. There are also beautiful, stately homes in the Merrick Woods section.

Merrick is ten minutes away from Jones Beach, where people go to relax and occasionally see first-rate concerts at their stadium.

Merrick also has many houses of worship. There are five temples, two Roman Catholic churches (Sacred Heart and Cure of Ars), a Greek Orthodox church and the Indian Mar-Thoma church. Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield of Ben and Jerry's, Lindsay Lohan, singer Deborah Gibson, designer Michael Kors as well as Season 10's American Idol contestant Robbie Rosen come from Merrick.

Merrick has two libraries. Both of them are state-of-the-art facilities, one in South Merrick and the other in North Merrick.

There are at least four ways to get to Merrick. You can travel by car, train, bus or boat.

The Long Island Rail Road stops in Merrick, centrally located on Sunrise Highway and Merrick Avenue.

By car, you would take the Meadowbrook Parkway to exit M9 (Merrick Road) or M8 (Sunrise Highway).

Although there are bus routes that travel through the community, it is probably not the best way to get around. The N51 stops at the Merrick train station and runs through many towns as it reaches it final destination, Roosevelt Field shopping mall. There are other buses that run along Merrick Road stopping every few blocks.

You can also reach Merrick by boat. There is a marina that runs along Whaleneck Drive. You can dock your boat there for the day or season.

Having a car is the best way to get from place to place in town. The whole town is 5.2 mi (8.4 km) so walking is an option too. There are many shops and restaurants on Merrick Avenue and Merrick Road. You can park your car and easily walk from store to store. There are many, non-metered municipal parking lots, so parking, especially on weekends is not a problem.

• Merrick Cinemas. A movie theater with four screens and stadium seating. 
• The Stage Theater. A local theater featuring musicals, plays and children’s shows-affordably priced. 
• Merrick Street Fair. Held at the Merrick Station parking lot twice a year. This fair features local vendors, great food and rides for children and adults too. 
• Merrick Park. A small park located just off Merrick Road. It features basketball courts, tennis courts, soccer fields and baseball fields. Merrick Park has its own 9-hole golf course. Reservations are required for golfers. 
• Norman J. Levy Park & Preserve. This Town of Hempstead park is a plant and wildlife sanctuary with hiking trails and a view of Atlantic Ocean. It also features a kayak launch into the original Meadow Brook. The park is located south of Merrick Road just east of the Meadowbrook Parkway. 
• Cammanns Pond. Located on Lindenmere Drive and Merrick Road and backs up to Norman J Levy Lakeside School. A beautiful pond that is also home to the neighborhood geese. There are benches to sit and relax on as well as to feed the ducks from. 

Merrick offers an abundance of places to eat ranging from every imaginable fast-food establishment; McDonalds and Burger King are across the street from each other to more upscale and expensive eateries. There is something for every budget.

• La Piazza. Not just a great pizzeria, a great Italian restaurant as well. Often considered by residents to be one of the best there is. 
• The Boat House. A restaurant on the water with beautiful sunsets where you can enjoy good “surf n’ turf” from Memorial Day through Labor Day. In addition to hamburgers and fries, they offer a delicious array of fresh fish, including lobster too. 
• Pastrami King. A non-kosher deli that is not only a good place to eat, offering huge sandwiches and hearty soups, but catering too. The restaurant is now run by the son of the original owner who began the business in Brooklyn, New York. 
• Brooks and Porter. An upscale steak house featuring the finest cuts of beef as well as sushi and fresh fish. Pricey too. 
• Xaga. Asian fusion and sushi restaurant. They offer soups, salads and cooked chicken, shrimp and pork dishes as well as raw fish platters. 
• La Strada. An excellent Italian restaurant featuring a brick oven for pizza and generous portions of classic Italian dishes. 
• George Martin's Grillfire. American fare in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. Grillfire is famous for its complimentary pretzels before dinner and cotton candy at the end of the night. 

• Jugs ‘N’ Strokers. A neighborhood bar and eatery featuring live music every Wednesday through Saturday. Thursdays is Band Search night, featuring Long Island’s hottest new bands. The menu is very affordable. 

• Bellmore - One town east with two movie theaters and many restaurants. In addition, Bellmore has a comedy club, The Brokerage. They offer two shows on Friday and Saturday nights. There is a two-drink minimum in addition to price of show.
• Freeport - One town west Freeport is famous for its Nautical Mile, lots of restaurants, shopping and fishing boat tours. Many of the restaurants have live music during the summer months with outside patio seating.