Atwater

City / town · California

Atwater

Best timeFeb–May, Oct–Nov
From you
Nearest airportMCE · 7 mi
On this page

Overview

Atwater is a city in Merced County, California.

1 sights · 1 things to do · 1 places to eat

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Best things about Atwater

Castle Air Museum

50 historic World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam Conflict aircraft on display, ranging from a humble 12 ft (3 m) long Kawasaki KAQ-1 Drone to the awe inspiring 185 ft (56 m) wingspan of an eight engine Boeing B-52D Stra…

Bellevue Bowl

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: Feb–May, Oct–Nov. Summer highs reach about 96°F; winter lows dip to about 36°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jan and Feb. (climate data from nearby Merced)

Jan: 2.4 in rain2.4"Jan: high 56°F, low 37°F56°37°JanFeb: 2.2 in rain2.2"Feb: high 62°F, low 39°F62°39°FebMar: 1.8 in rain1.8"Mar: high 68°F, low 42°F68°42°MarApr: 1.1 in rain1.1"Apr: high 74°F, low 45°F74°45°AprMay: 0.6 in rain0.6"May: high 83°F, low 52°F83°52°MayJun: 0.1 in rain0.1"Jun: high 91°F, low 58°F91°58°JunJul: 0.0 in rain0"Jul: high 96°F, low 62°F96°62°JulAug: 0.0 in rain0"Aug: high 95°F, low 61°F95°61°AugSep: 0.1 in rain0.1"Sep: high 90°F, low 56°F90°56°SepOct: 0.6 in rain0.6"Oct: high 80°F, low 49°F80°49°OctNov: 1.0 in rain1"Nov: high 66°F, low 41°F66°41°NovDec: 1.9 in rain1.9"Dec: high 56°F, low 36°F56°36°Dec

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

  • From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
  • MCE Merced Regional Macready Field, Merced — 7 mi away. Directions
  • SCK Stockton Metropolitan Airport, Stockton — 51 mi away. Directions
  • FAT Fresno Yosemite International Airport, Fresno — 63 mi away (major hub). Directions

Atwater is located along California State Route 99 allowing access to Atwater from Fresno to the south and Sacramento to the north.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.

Sample 1-day itinerary

Day 1

  • Morning Castle Air Museum
  • Lunch Jantz Cafe & Bakery
  • Afternoon Bellevue Bowl

Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.

Food for you

Cuisine (tap to filter)

What to ask about, for your diet

    Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder

    Map

    Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.

    Get in

    By car

    Atwater is located along California State Route 99 allowing access to Atwater from Fresno to the south and Sacramento to the north.

    See

    See Castle Air Museum

    50 historic World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam Conflict aircraft on display, ranging from a humble 12 ft (3 m) long Kawasaki KAQ-1 Drone to the awe inspiring 185 ft (56 m) wingspan of an eight engine Boeing B-52D Stratofortress.

    📍 5050 Santa Fe Drive🕒 May 1-October 31 9AM-5PM; November 1-April 30 10AM-4PM; Closed New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day💲 Adults: $10, Seniors (60 & up): $8; 6 - 17: $8; 5 and under: Free; Active Duty Military Personnel (with I.D.): Free☎ +1 209 723-2178
    MapsWebsite

    Do

    Eat

    Go next

    Fresno- 99 South. About 1 hour 10 minutes away.

    Yosemite National Park- 99 South to 140 East. About 2 hours away.

    Sacramento- 99 North. About 2 hours away.

    San Francisco- 99 North to 120 West to 5 South to 205 West to 580 West to 80 West. About 2 1/2 hours to 4 hours away, depending on traffic.

    Nearby

    My experience

    Write about your trip here. Notes save automatically in this browser as you type; back them up from My journal.