El Nido (Spanish for "The Nest") is a census-designated place[4] in Merced County, California.

[2] It is located 11 miles (18 km) south of Merced at an elevation of 141 feet (43 m),[2] on California State Route 59.

[3] El Nido was founded early in the 20th century when the development of irrigation enabled intensified farming of the area.

The US Army built the Potter Auxiliary Field (1942-1945) to train World War II pilots in El Nido.

[5] The town has a post office, a tavern, a general store, a volunteer fire department, and an elementary school.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP covers an area of 3.3 square miles (8.5 km2), all of it land.

There were 105 housing units at an average density of 31.9 per square mile (12.3/km2), of which 48 (51.1%) were owner-occupied, and 46 (48.9%) were occupied by renters.