want to ride my bicycle

Houston's citywide bike ride goes west with 45-mile route for 2025

For the first time in a decade, the annual Houston bike ride Tour de Houston will travel westwards.

Photo courtesy of Tour de Houston

The sun never sets on those who ride into it, and that's what will happen at the 2025 Tour de Houston bike ride. For the first time in a decade, the route will head west. The event takes place on April 13.

Presented by the Apache Corporation, an oil and gas company, the annual ride began in 2007 as a way to celebrate the beauty and diversity of Houston neighborhoods.

There are three routes available for riders: 10 mile, 20 mile, and 45 mile. Beginning and ending at Discovery Green and Avenida Plaza in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston, riders will travel west through downtown, Memorial Park, Tanglewood, Piney Point Village, Bunker Hill Village, and Briar Forest all the way to Highway 6 before returning. Last year, thousands of Houstonians rode south from downtown towards Clear Lake.

Mayor John Whitmire announced the new route in a press conference Monday morning.

“I thank Apache for their continued support of Tour de Houston, which showcases our great city in a unique way, and for helping us achieve our beautification and reforestation goals through RePlant Houston,” Whitmire said. “This is a ride for everyone, regardless of age or ability, and I hope cyclists from across our area and visitors alike make plans to join us for this year’s event on April 13.”

RePlant is a program through the Houston Parks and Recreation Department that increases the amount of canopy trees in the city. Intense heat from climate change has damaged many trees in the Houston area, and their shade helps cool the blistering ground temperatures in the summer. All proceed from the Tour de Houston go toward the RePLant project.

“Apache is honored to continue our partnership with the City of Houston in supporting this cherished annual tradition,” said Apache CEO, John J. Christmann IV. “The Tour de Houston bike ride showcases our city’s historic neighborhoods and benefits the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, directly supporting reforestation and the enhancement of green spaces throughout our community. Since 2005, the Apache Corporation Tree Grant Program has granted more than 5 million trees for planting throughout the U.S., with over 460,000 planted in the greater Houston area. We look forward to seeing our fellow Houstonians and Apache team members along the route once again.”

For the first time this year, riders will also be able to enjoy live music at rest stops along the route. Stops will offer bike mechanics, refreshments, and other entertainment for riders who need a pick-me-up along the road. More information and instructions to pay the $45 registration fee can be found at Tour de Houston's website.

family values

Houston ranks as 7th most affordable U.S. metro for raising a child

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Raising a child is not an easy or inexpensive feat, but a new study has determined Houston parents have the 7th lowest childrearing costs in the country.

SmartAsset's latest report, "Cost of Raising a Child in Major U.S. Metros – 2026 Study," calculated year-over-year changes in the annual cost of raising a child (factoring in childcare, additional housing costs, food, transportation, medical costs and other necessities) in the 48 largest U.S. metro areas. MIT's Living Wage Calculator was used to compare the living costs of a household with two working adults and one child to that of a childless household with two working adults.

Childrearing costs in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands have grown 3.37 percent since last year, totaling $22,605 for a family of three in 2026. That's only $737 more than what it took to raise a child in 2025, and it's $1,209 higher than what it took in 2024.

This is how SmartAsset broke down the annual cost for raising a child in the Houston area:

Cost of childcare: $10,265
Cost of food: $1,721
Other expenses: $10,619

Houston ranked 42nd in SmartAsset's national list of cities with the highest childrearing costs in 2026, making it the No. 7 most affordable U.S. metro.

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont in California topped the list with the highest childrearing costs in the U.S., at $43,171. The cost for raising a child in this California metro soared nearly 11 percent higher since last year.

Memphis, Tennessee ranked dead last as the most affordable U.S. metro for raising a child in 2026. Families will spend less than $20,000 to raise a child in Memphis, only 3.24 percent more than what was needed in 2025.

Raising a child in other Texas metros
It may come as no surprise that Austin is the most expensive place to raise a child in Texas, and it appeared as the 31st most expensive U.S. metro for families. Parents will spend nearly $25,000 to raise a child in the state's capital city, which is $703 higher than it was a year ago.

Two other Texas metros join Houston among the top 10 most affordable U.S. metros for raising a family: San Antonio-New Braunfels (No. 3) and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (No. 10). Childrearing costs in San Antonio add up to $21,393 annually, and Dallas-Fort Worth parents will spend $23,340 to raise their children in 2026.

The top 10 most affordable U.S. metros for raising a child in 2026 are:

No. 1 – Memphis, Tennessee ($19,922)
No. 2 – Nashville, Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tennessee ($21,216)
No. 3 – San Antonio-New Braunfels ($21,393)
No. 4 – Birmingham, Alabama ($21,684)
No. 5 – Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, Virginia ($22,314)
No. 6 – Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Georgia ($22,470)
No. 7 – Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands ($22,605)
No. 8 – Richmond, Virginia ($22,658)
No. 9 – Louisville/Jefferson County, Kentucky ($23,270)
No. 10 – Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington ($23,340)

family smartasset reports livability houston pasadena the woodlands