East Oakdale, East Oakdale, CA

East Oakdale lies along the Stanislaus River on the east side of Oakdale in Stanislaus County, where the valley floor starts to roll toward the foothills. The river is what the area is organized around, and almost every road out here bends toward it eventually. About 1,300 homes are spread over more than five square miles, so density is low and the setting reads as rural rather than suburban. Ranch land and vineyards fill most of the map, with the river bottom beyond it, and driveways tend to be long. The river parks are the best reason to live out here. Orange Blossom Recreation Area on Rodden Road is part of the Stanislaus River Parks system, and Valley Oak Recreation Area farther along is a small, shaded spot with cottonwoods and valley oaks, walking trails and picnic areas, plus river access for fishing and boating. Knights Ferry, with its historic wooden covered bridge, is a short drive away. Food runs to a few distinctive stops on State Route 120. Oakdale Cheese & Specialties has made Gouda here for four generations and runs a market and bakery that sells sandwiches, open from nine to six every day. Bloomingcamp Ranch bakes from scratch a short way along the highway, and Marsella Family Vineyards pours wine by appointment. Everyday errands go into Oakdale proper, a few minutes west. Raley's and Save Mart handle groceries, and restaurants line the downtown streets. The highway carries nearly all traffic, so a car is part of daily life here. The tradeoff for the room and the river is that nothing in East Oakdale is within walking distance of a shop, so every errand is a drive. Most days the best view is the one from a riverbank, and the parks make sure you can get to it.