North Houston is known chiefly as the home of George W. Bush Intercontinental Airport, industrial parks, the busy office buildings of Greenspoint, and sleepy residential areas, but determined travelers will also find pleasant green spaces, cozy neighborhood eateries, and even a waterpark nestled among the towering pines of East Texas.

Get in

I 45 North and Highway 59 (soon to be I 69) and the Hardy Toll Road are your main arteries in North Houston. Beware that I 45 (also called the North Freeway) Is a traffic nightmare. Traffic information is at Transtar. Hwy 59 (Eastex Freeway) is usually less congested but again check Transtar before making plans. The Toll road is your best bet for a price. It uses the "Easy Tag" to prepay.

Do

• 1 Splashtown, 21300 Interstate 45 North, ☏ +1 281 355-3300, info@wetnwildsplashtown.com. Seasonal. Great water park located in the suburb of Spring next to I-45. Weekday: $40.99, Weekend: $44.99, Parking: $10. (updated Apr 2016)

• The Texas Renaissance Festival. One of the nation's largest, most acclaimed Renaissance theme parks where the sights, sounds, tastes and beauty of the 16th Century come alive every Saturday and Sunday for 8 weekends October through November, from 9AM to dusk. 

Eat

• Aloha Joe's Grill, 8550 FM 1960 Bypass Rd W, ☏ +1 281-540-0110. Authentic Hawaiian & Chamorro style food 

• Brooklyn Pizzeria, 9467 FM 1960 Bypass Rd. West (Suite 300), ☏ +1 281-446-5500. 11:00-10:00. 100% Authentic New York style pizza. 

• Nee Hao, 5797 N. Belt East, ☏ +1 281-442-3402. Mon-Sat, 11:00-8:00. Serving Chinese cuisine. 

Drink

• Revolver Bar / Sub-BOURBON SOCIAL (REVOLVER HOUSTON), 17776 State Highway 249 #28b (Nearest Intersection is Hwy 249 and FM 1960), ☏ +1 832-604-7281, hello@revolverhouston.com. Monday - Saturday 4PM-2AM. Focuses on high-end bourbons in an environment that is both relaxed and sophisticated. The menu is more extensive than the average bar, but also has elements of a lounge, patio bar and a high energy nightlife hangout on the weekend. The food menu features appetizers—including fried pickle spears and bacon blue cheese truffle fries—as well as salads, flatbreads, tacos and burgers. Chicken fried steaks are made from scratch and sold for $8 on Wednesdays. Food can also be ordered to go and everything is homemade, down to the gravy. $10-$15. 

Sleep

• Hilton Garden Inn Houston Northwest, 7979 Willowschase Blvd. Opened in the Spring of 2002, this 171-room hotel is part of Chateau Court, a 13-acre mixed-use development that includes retail space and an office village. The rooms are equipped with work desks; speakerphones and high-speed Internet access. A hospitality center in each room includes a microwave, refrigerator and coffee maker. Iron/ironing board and hairdryer are also in all rooms. The hotel is decorated with slate flooring, leather chairs, cherry wood and hand picked French artwork. 

• Marriott Houston North Greenspoint, 255 N Sam Houston Pkwy East, ☏ +1 281-875-4000. 390 newly renovated rooms and suites. Indoor / outdoor pool, whirlpool, and sauna.