The friendly country villages along State Highway One, welcome travellers with tempting food options, local produce and craft outlets. Pokeno is a favourite stop for families and is well known for the size of the ice creams provided by the local ice cream shop and locally produced bacon.
The settlement of Mercer, beside the Waikato River has a well deserved reputation for its cheese shop and gourmet products as well as being the perfect place to break your journey north and take advantage of a range of eateries in the Food Court.