Merrick is a hamlet in Long Island located on the south shore of Nassau County, New York. Merrick is approximately 40 minutes from Manhattan. It is named after the Meroke Indians, an Algonquin tribe that was indigenous to the area. The town of Merrick is divided into two sections, North and South with Sunrise Highway a six-lane road being the dividing point.
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 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 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.
2nd-order administrative division
Primary administrative division