North Houston's forested beauty sets it apart from surrounding communities in the greater Houston area. Its natural amenities, including parks, lakes and ample green spaces, attract a mixture of residences, retail centers, employment opportunities, cultural activities, natural resources and recreational amenities. As employment centers have extended their reach to the north, the landscape has matured to accommodate a variety of land uses and activities that work together to provide a superior quality of life. For a more detailed view of the area, the North Houston Association offers their Aerial Land Use Map.
This lifestyle is due in part to the area's ample space and undeveloped land, which allows for new growth and development. These physical benefits combine with the vision of north Houston's business leaders, political officials, civic leaders and developers to make north Houston an ideal environment for both residents and employers. The proactive style of community leaders, typified by members of the North Houston Association, is the catalyst to define community values and identify civic needs. These leaders frequently seek private support and work in tandem with public resources to implement the best solution for the north Houston community's needs.
Natural Features
The most attractive qualities about north Houston are its natural resources and the degree to which they are being preserved and developed. The densely wooded areas in close proximity to recreational lakes offer residents unique living environments. Lake Houston Wilderness Park, W.G. Jones State Forest , and Sam Houston National Forest offer wilderness trails, camp grounds and picnic facilities. Lake Conroe, Lake Houston , Lake Harrison , Grand Lake , and Lake Woodlands are located in the region. Just 60 miles north is Lake Livingston, where sports fishing, boating, water skiing and sailing are popular activities. Many of the residential communities integrate hike and bike trails as recreational amenities.
Parks 
There are many public parks in the area, several of which are linear park systems along Spring and Cypress Creeks. This method of acquiring contiguous tracts of land along the creeks ensures that the waters remain in the public domain and that their banks are preserved in a natural state to protect plant and animal life. This further enhances water quality by preventing erosion and deterring unlawful discharges of undesirable materials.
Among the larger parks in the north Houston region are W.G. Jones State Forest, Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens, Meyer Park, Spring Creek Park, Roy C. Burroughs Park , Keith-Weiss Park, Jesse H. Jones Park & Nature Center, and Lake Houston Wilderness Park. Numerous other smaller parks exist in local subdivisions and cities. Both The Woodlands and the Kingwood community are home to both large and small neighborhood parks. For a complete list of parks, visit the county and city park webpages:
City of Houston Parks: http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/ourparks/index.html
Harris County Parks: http://www.co.harris.tx.us/parks/park.asp
Montgomery County Parks: http://www.co.montgomery.tx.us/parks/
Golf
Golfing is a major local recreational activity. North Houston boasts more than 50 golf courses. There are numerous private country club courses located in the area, and public courses can be found at Bear Creek, Tomball, Conroe, The Woodlands, Cypresswood and Atascocita. For a list of courses in the north Houston area: http://www.texasoutside.com/golf/houston.htm
Younger sports enthusiasts are in excellent company. Extensive youth sports activities are provided by local YMCAs and other organizations. Included are instruction and leagues for baseball, soccer, football, gymnastics and swimming.
Cultural Activities
In addition to the plays, concerts and art exhibits in nearby Houston, many cultural activities are provided in the north Houston region. The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival (WWAF) weekend event is a celebration of visual, culinary and performing arts. The Festival gives patrons the rare and special opportunity to meet and talk with artists from around the country, sample great food, enjoy live music and entertain their families.
The Lake Houston Performing Arts Council coordinates cultural performing groups in the Kingwood/Humble region. The Kingwood Performing Arts Center is the headquarters for this organization. The Tomball Regional Arts Council also offers many fine productions during the year. 
In The Woodlands, the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion for the Performing Arts hosts outdoor concerts throughout much of the year. Top popular music groups, orchestras and ballet troupes attract people from throughout the Houston region. Creighton Theater of Conroe also provides numerous productions.
The Cypress Creek Foundation for the Arts & Community Enrichment (FACE), a non-profit foundation, was established to provide sponsorship for a wide range of the highest caliber national and international classical and popular performing artists and companies.
Many of north Houston’s colleges, such as Lone Star College System, and high schools, produce high-quality cultural opportunities that are available to the public.
Weather
Houston averages 13 dates per year with low temperatures of 32°F or less and 98 dates with high temperatures of 90°F or more; temperatures rarely reach 100°F.
Typical daily maximum temperatures follow: winter: 65°F, summer: 92°F, spring and fall: 79°F. Normal daily minimum temperatures are winter: 45°F, summer: 73°F, spring and fall: 58°F. Annual average relative humidity follows: midnight 86%, 6 a.m. 90%, noon 60%, 6 p.m. 65%.
Chambers of Commerce
Many of these events center on cultural or seasonal activities and a large number of them are sponsored by area chambers of commerce. Click here of a list of the chambers of commerce in the North Houston region: North Houston Area Chambers of Commerce