Traveling from Surprise to Tucson covers 144.1 miles and takes approximately 2 hours and 16 minutes of driving time. Since this route remains entirely within the Desert Southwest region of Arizona, you will experience a consistent environment throughout your journey. With a total fuel cost of about $29, it is an affordable excursion that easily fits into a single day. You will navigate primarily via local roads like West Santa Fe Drive, West Greenway Road, and Grand Avenue rather than high-speed interstates. Because the duration is relatively short, you do not need to worry about overnight accommodations, making this a straightforward day trip. It is a practical choice for those who prefer steady, local road navigation over the monotony of major highway driving.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
71.4 miles from Surprise, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 22m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
54.6 mi
55m
Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
37.8 mi
38m
Papago Freeway
14.9 mi
17m
Maricopa Freeway
12.3 mi
14m
Agua Fria Freeway
8.9 mi
10m
Grand Avenue
4.6 mi
7m
North Freeway
3.6 mi
4m
West Broadway Boulevard
2.9 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
— 54.6 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Surprise, AZ and Tucson, AZ.
1
Start on North Nash Street
0.3 mi·53 sec·North Nash Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto West Santa Fe Drive
0.3 mi·36 sec·West Santa Fe Drive
3
Turn right onto West Greenway Road
217 ft·7 sec·West Greenway Road
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto US 60
4.6 mi·7 min·Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi·47 sec
Toward AZ 101 Loop South
6
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
8.9 mi·10 min·Agua Fria Freeway
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 1BToward I 10 East: PhoenixUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 10
10 mi·12 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 10
0.5 mi·35 sec·Dean Lindsey Memorial Tunnel
10
Continue on I 10
3.2 mi·3 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10
1.2 mi·1 min·Papago Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 10; US 60
12 mi·14 min·Maricopa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 10
38 mi·38 min·Phoenix-Casa Grande Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 10
55 mi·55 min·Casa Grande-Tucson Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on I 10
3.6 mi·4 min·North Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.4 mi·44 sec
Exit 258Toward Congress Street, Broadway BoulevardUse the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn straight onto North Freeway Road
159 ft·4 sec·North Freeway Road
18
Turn left onto West Congress Street
0.3 mi·56 sec·West Congress Street
19
Continue on West Broadway Boulevard
2.9 mi·6 min·West Broadway Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
20
Turn left onto North Country Club Road
131 ft·8 sec·North Country Club Road
21
Arrive at destination
North Country Club Road
Trip Plan
To make the most of this trip, plan your departure during off-peak hours to avoid potential congestion on the local roads that make up your path. Since there are no scheduled stops in the route data, take advantage of the 2-hour and 16-minute duration by ensuring your vehicle is fueled up before you leave; budget approximately $29 for gas to cover the distance. Because this is a turn-heavy route, keep your navigation tools handy and ready to provide clear directions through the local street network. The flexibility of this shorter drive allows you to easily adjust your schedule based on the day's traffic conditions. Always double-check your route on Grand Avenue and the local connectors before heading out to ensure you stay on the most efficient path for your specific departure time.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 71.4 miles from Surprise, AZ, or about 1h 22m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.6 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 31 miles or 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 71.4 miles or 1h 22m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tucson, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Surprise, AZ so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Surprise, AZ
This is one driving day of about 142.7 miles and 2h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 31 miles from Surprise, AZ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway for about 54.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 139 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.3 mi into trip|~0m in|West Santa Fe Drive
At end of road, turn left onto West Santa Fe Drive
Navigation decision point
7
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|West Greenway Road
Turn right onto West Greenway Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
14.5 mi into trip|~20m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 10 East: Phoenix
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward I 10 East: Phoenix
6
29.5 mi into trip|~38m in|I 10 / Papago Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 10 / Papago Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
139 mi into trip|~2h 32m in
Take the exit toward Congress Street, Broadway Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 258
Toward Congress Street, Broadway Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$28.43 one way
$56.86 round trip
$5.06/gal25.4 MPG avg50 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.36
$30.08
$60.17
premium
$5.59
$31.41
$62.82
diesel
$5.61
$31.51
$63.01
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 49.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
42.8
0
$14.98
$6.85
Efficient EV
35.7
0
$12.49
$5.71
EV Truck/SUV
57.1
0
$19.98
$9.13
Gas CO2
50 kg
EV CO2
17 kg (66% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 19, 2026
Origin
Surprise, AZ
Night
in Surprise on Saturday
Local time
11:03 PM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Tucson, AZ
Night
in Tucson on Saturday
Local time
11:03 PM
MST
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
34 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
2h 41m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Saguaro National Park
National Park
Tucson, Arizona is home to the nation's largest cacti. The giant saguaro is the universal symbol of the American west. These majestic plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are pr...
10 mi from route
~25 min detour
$25
near mile 142.7
An Ancestral Sonoran Desert People's farming community and "Great House" are preserved at Casa Grande Ruins. Whether a gathering place for people or simply a waypoint marker in an extensive system of...
11 mi from route
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 73.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention as you navigate through various street-level transitions. Unlike a typical interstate commute, this route features zero highway miles, meaning you will spend the entire 144.1-mile journey on local infrastructure. The road's personality is defined by its technical nature rather than high-speed cruising, requiring you to stay alert through frequent turns. Because you are avoiding major highways, the pace remains steady and consistent throughout the two-hour experience. You will find that the road surface and traffic patterns change as you shift from the Surprise area toward the Tucson region, keeping the drive engaging from start to finish.
Only 28% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 54.6 mi on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near West Santa Fe Drive.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 10 significant decision points across 142.7 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (West Santa Fe Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (West Greenway Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Tucson (TOO-sawn), also known as the "Old Pueblo", is the second-largest city in the state of Arizona and the county seat of Pima County in the Sonoran Desert. It is at a higher elevation than nearby Phoenix and is correspondingly cooler. Although with half a million residents it is smaller than the capital city, its cultural life is just as vibrant.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 41m. Total distance: 142.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 41m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 54.6 miles on Casa Grande-Tucson Highway. 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 Tucson, AZ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (West Santa Fe Drive): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (West Greenway Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 14.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Saguaro National Park and 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 Tucson, AZ before heading back.
