Origin
Sun Lakes, AZ
Late night in Sun Lakes on Sunday
Local time
1:02 AM
MST
Current temp
90°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sun Lakes, AZ to Surprise, AZ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
51.8 mi
83 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 7m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 17m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sun Lakes, AZ
Kris Møklebust
Surprise, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 51.8-mile drive from Sun Lakes to Surprise, Arizona, takes about 1 hour and 6 minutes, making it an easy day trip. You'll spend about 69% of your journey on the highway, with a fuel cost estimated at $10. This route stays within the Desert Southwest region, offering a consistent landscape. It's a practical option for getting from point A to point B without much fuss, perfect for a quick relocation or a visit between these two Phoenix-area communities. Given its short duration, no overnight stops are necessary.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Papago Freeway | 15 mi | 17m |
| Maricopa Freeway | 12 mi | 13m |
| Agua Fria Freeway | 8.8 mi | 10m |
| Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway | 5.5 mi | 6m |
| Grand Avenue | 4.7 mi | 8m |
| East Riggs Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| North Nash Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Papago Freeway
— 15 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sun Lakes, AZ and Surprise, AZ.
1
Start on East Bud Court
144 ft
·
10 sec
·
East Bud Court
2
Turn left onto South Glenburn Drive
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
South Glenburn Drive
3
Turn left onto East Foster Avenue
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
East Foster Avenue
4
Turn left onto East Palomino Place
182 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Palomino Place
5
Turn right onto South Dobson Road
0.2 mi
·
33 sec
·
South Dobson Road
6
Turn left onto East Riggs Road
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
East Riggs Road
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto I 10
5.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 10
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the slight left lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on I 10
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
·
Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
13
Continue on I 10
10 mi
·
12 min
·
Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 133B
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on AZ 101 Loop
8.8 mi
·
10 min
·
Agua Fria Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 11
Toward US 60
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn left onto US 60
4.7 mi
·
8 min
·
Grand Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
18
Turn right onto West Greenway Road
212 ft
·
10 sec
·
West Greenway Road
Use the right lane.
19
Turn left onto Santa Fe Drive
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
Santa Fe Drive
Use the left lane.
20
Turn right onto North Nash Street
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
North Nash Street
21
Arrive at destination
North Nash Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.9 miles from Sun Lakes, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 0.6 and 51.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
East Riggs Road
Turn left onto East Riggs Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
3.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the ramp toward I 10 West: Phoenix
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 10 West: Phoenix
7
36.5 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward AZ 101 Loop North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 133B
Toward AZ 101 Loop North
7
46.2 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Take the exit toward US 60
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 11
Toward US 60
7
51.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 5m in
|
Santa Fe Drive
Turn left onto Santa Fe Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.32 one way
$20.64 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $10.92 | $21.84 |
| premium | $5.59 | $11.40 | $22.80 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.44 | $22.87 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.5 | 0 | $5.44 | $2.49 |
| Efficient EV | 13 | 0 | $4.53 | $2.07 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.7 | 0 | $7.25 | $3.32 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Surprise, AZ
Late night in Surprise on Sunday
Local time
1:02 AM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 6m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused drive for most of this 51.8-mile trip, with 69% of the mileage on major freeways. You'll primarily navigate the Papago Freeway, Maricopa Freeway, and Agua Fria Freeway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is about 15 miles on the Papago Freeway. This means you'll experience consistent driving speeds for significant portions of the journey, with fewer transitions to local roads.
69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15 mi on Papago Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Papago Freeway and Maricopa Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near East Riggs Road.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.8 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (East Riggs Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 36.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Surprise, AZ
Full guide →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.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 6m. Total distance: 51.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 15 miles on Papago Freeway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Surprise, AZ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (East Riggs Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 36.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Surprise, AZ before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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