River Heights, Riverbank, CA

River Heights follows Patterson Road, the commercial strip where Riverbank goes out to eat and catch a movie. Cool Hand Luke's Steakhouse, at 2505 Patterson Road, has rustic Western decor, a menu built on steaks and seafood and a chicken potpie soup that diners mention often, and weekday hours that start at four in the afternoon, and Galaxy Theatres Riverbank IMAX next door at 2525 has an IMAX screen, reclining seats and beer and wine at the snack bar. Panaderia Velasco, at 2761 Patterson Road, is the bakery stop for Mexican pastries, and the strip fills out with Habit Burger & Grill, McDonald's, Taco Bell and Carl's Jr., the fast-food names locals use daily. Behind the road the blocks turn residential, with the same stucco, ranch-style and Craftsman mix seen across town. Parks are not inside the boundary, so a game of catch means driving over to the parks in neighboring Howard or River Cove. The river and boat ramp at Jacob Myers Park are only a short drive away, off Santa Fe Road, and open into the evening. Groceries are easy because Grocery Outlet sits right across the line in Howard, and the larger supermarkets of the Crossroads district are in the other direction. Highway access and the city's main shopping streets are both close, which is why the road is busy most evenings. StanRTA buses run through town, but the area is built for driving. The trade for that convenience is traffic and noise along Patterson Road, especially on movie nights and weekend evenings. Away from the strip the side streets quiet down quickly. River Heights is where the city's evenings out tend to start, with quieter residential streets only a few turns away.