Surprise, AZ Road Trips

Surprise, AZ serves as a quiet starting point in the Desert Southwest, connecting drivers to 10 outbound routes across the area. Most drives stay under 83 miles, making this area well-suited for day trips and weekend getaways. Routes from Surprise, AZ spread mainly east and north, covering a wide geographic range.

city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Trip Routes

35

Longest Drive

348.9 mi

Chinle, AZ

Quickest Drive

22m

Citrus Park, AZ

Plan Around Surprise, AZ

Popular Incoming Routes

Useful if Surprise, AZ is the arrival point and you want the strongest routes into the city first.

Chinle, AZ to Surprise, AZ 348.9 mi · 6h 37m Cottonwood, AZ to Surprise, AZ 305.1 mi · 6h 18m Page, AZ to Surprise, AZ 273.8 mi · 5h 18m Eagar, AZ to Surprise, AZ 249.3 mi · 5h 10m

Continue From Surprise, AZ

Good next legs if this city is only one stop in a longer road trip.

Surprise, AZ to Clifton, AZ 234.8 mi · 5h 6m Surprise, AZ to Tucson, AZ 142.7 mi · 2h 41m Surprise, AZ to Globe, AZ 114.4 mi · 2h 28m Surprise, AZ to Clarkdale, AZ 103.7 mi · 2h 5m

Trips from Surprise, AZ

Surprise, AZ to Clifton, AZ

234.8 mi 5h 6m

Surprise, AZ to Tucson, AZ

142.7 mi 2h 41m

Surprise, AZ to Globe, AZ

114.4 mi 2h 28m

Surprise, AZ to Clarkdale, AZ

103.7 mi 2h 5m

Surprise, AZ to Cornville, AZ

101 mi 1h 59m

Surprise, AZ to Mesa, AZ

43.3 mi 58m

Surprise, AZ to Scottsdale, AZ

38.4 mi 50m

Surprise, AZ to Anthem, AZ

28.6 mi 40m

Surprise, AZ to Deer Valley, AZ

14.6 mi 22m

Surprise, AZ to Citrus Park, AZ

12.4 mi 22m

Driving from Surprise, AZ

The typical drive from Surprise, AZ covers about 83 miles and takes around 1h 45m. The majority of routes are short drives — quick enough to finish before lunch and be back for dinner. The longest mapped route runs 235 miles (5h 6m), while the shortest is just 12 miles.

Popular Destinations

Top road trip destinations from Surprise, AZ are Clifton, AZ (234.8 mi, 5h 6m), Tucson, AZ (142.7 mi, 2h 41m), Globe, AZ (114.4 mi, 2h 28m), Clarkdale, AZ (103.7 mi, 2h 5m), and Cornville, AZ (101 mi, 1h 59m). Most destinations stay within the same state, perfect for exploring the local region thoroughly.

Planning & Costs

Regular gas in AZ currently averages around $4.95 per gallon. For the typical 83-mile trip from Surprise, AZ, budget about $16 in fuel one way, assuming 25 MPG. Longer hauls and premium fuel will cost proportionally more.

Routes tend to go east, so afternoon departures put the sun at your back on the return leg. With an average drive under three hours, you have plenty of flexibility — leave whenever it suits you.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are 10 mapped routes leaving Surprise, AZ and 25 routes heading into Surprise, AZ, covering 35 total connections. Distances range from 12 to 235 miles.

The longest mapped route from Surprise, AZ covers 235 miles and takes approximately 5h 6m. Shorter options start at just 12 miles.

The average route from Surprise, AZ runs about 83 miles with a drive time of roughly 1h 45m. This includes both short day trips and longer multi-day drives.

At current gas prices (about $4.95/gallon for regular), the average 83-mile trip from Surprise, AZ costs roughly $16 in fuel one way, based on 25 MPG. Your actual cost depends on your vehicle's efficiency.

The most popular road trip destinations from Surprise, AZ include Clifton, AZ, Tucson, AZ, Globe, AZ and Clarkdale, AZ. Each route page has detailed drive times, fuel estimates, stop suggestions, and turn-by-turn directions.

Surprise, AZ by the Numbers

Recent demographic snapshot from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Population

149,519

Median Income

$93,371

Median Home Value

$396,000

Median Age

41.6

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-year (public domain). See our methodology for details.

Traveler Guide to Surprise, AZ

Sun City is a suburb 20 miles (30km) northwest of downtown Phoenix, Arizona. It was built as a planned retirement community in Maricopa County in the 1960s. An adjacent retirement community Sun City West was built in the late 1970s; there is also a Sun City Grand. Directly northwest of the three "Sun City" suburbs is Surprise, Arizona.

1 Gold Rush Day’s, Wickenburg (take the US 60). Founded more than 75 years ago, this event celebrates Wickenburg’s heritage as a gold mining town.

Mercer's Restaurant, 9720 W Peoria Ave, Peoria, ☏ +1 623-972-0933. Pastries and pie; American breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Quality Inn & Suites Phoenix NW - Sun City, 11201 Grand Ave, ☏ +1 623 933-8211, toll-free: +1-800-253-2168, fax: +1 623 933-5062. Offers, free-wifi and breakfast but has paid parking. Is handicap-accessible and has a pool + air conditioning. $118 (Feb 2022). Best Western Plus Surprise-Phoenix Nw, 13337 W. Grand Ave, Surprise, ☏ +1 623-544-6874. $135 (Feb 2022). Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Surprise, 12477 W Bell Rd, Surprise, ☏ +1 623-850-3931. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Beautiful, clean, very well kept hotel, and helpful staff. $121 (Feb 2022). Comfort Inn & Suites Surprise Near Sun City West, 16741 N Greasewood St, Surprise, ☏ +1 480-561-2838. Beautiful and clean. Friendly staff. $149 (Feb 2022). Hampton Inn, 14783 W Grand Ave, Surprise, ☏ +1 623-537-9122. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. Attractive, modern, clean. Big TV in the lobby. $234 (Feb 2022). Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Surprise (Holiday Inn Express), 16540 N Bullard, Surprise, ☏ +1 623-975-5540. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11:30AM. $199 (Feb 2022).

Sun City Visitors Center, 16824 N 99th Ave, ☏ +1 623-977-5000, toll-free: +1-800-437-8146, fax: +1 623-977-4224, [email protected]. M-Sa 9AM-4PM (winter), 9AM-12:30PM (summer).

Travel tips adapted from Sun City (Arizona) on Wikivoyage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Content summarized; visit the source for the full article. See our methodology for how we use it.