Waitarere is the beach town for a small city nearby - Levin. Also there are 3 other nearby towns, all with their own features... Shannon, Otaki/Otaki Beach and Foxton/Foxton Beach. The large city of Palmerston North is only 30 minutes drive away, with airport, trains, cinemas, museums, supermarkets, and a large university.
Levin is the centre of a market gardening area. It has a good range of shops and supermarkets, and a bus stop for regional services.
Shannon is a small village which features 2nd hand and antique shops.
Foxton has a golf course, a large museum/library featuring Dutch immigration and local history. Foxton was a port and had a large flax industry. There is a working windmill that produces flour of many varieties. 5 km away is Foxton beach and a large inlet and an ocean beach. The shopping centre features a number of 2nd hand and craft shops.
OTAKI has a range of Outlet stores, market garden shops and a beach area.