Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
4h 6m
Distance
186.7 mi
300 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$37
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Taylor, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
Surprise, AZ
Wikimedia Commons
This 186.7-mile drive from Taylor, AZ to Surprise, AZ is a manageable one-day trip, estimated to take around 4 hours and 6 minutes. You'll primarily navigate the South Beeline Highway, Payson-Show Low Highway, and West 3rd Street North, with about 22% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is $37, and you'll encounter one recommended stop along the way. This route offers a turn-heavy local drive experience, making it ideal for a single-day adventure without the need for an overnight stay. Both your origin and destination are situated within the Desert Southwest region of Arizona.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
93.3 miles from Taylor, AZ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 4m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Beeline Highway | 61.8 mi | 1h 13m |
| Payson-Show Low Highway | 24.2 mi | 30m |
| West 3rd Street North | 18.9 mi | 22m |
| Hwy 260 | 15.9 mi | 22m |
| Pima Freeway | 13.9 mi | 16m |
| Payson-Heber Highway | 12.7 mi | 17m |
| Agua Fria Freeway | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| East Shea Boulevard | 7.8 mi | 12m |
Step-by-step road directions between Taylor, AZ and Surprise, AZ.
Start on AZ 77
Continue on AZ 77
Turn left onto West Papermill Road
Continue on Pulp Mill Road
At end of road, turn left onto AZ 277
Continue on AZ 277
At end of road, turn right onto AZ 260
Continue on AZ 260
Continue on AZ 260
Continue on AZ 260
Turn left onto AZ 87
Turn right onto East Shea Boulevard
Turn right onto North Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard
Turn right onto North Pima Road
Take the ramp
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop
Continue on AZ 101 Loop
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto West Bell Road
Turn left onto North El Mirage Road
Turn right onto West Paradise Lane
Turn left onto North Nash Street
Arrive at destination
With a total duration of just over 4 hours, this 186.7-mile drive is perfectly suited for a single day trip, offering flexibility in your departure time. Consider leaving in the morning to allow for your single recommended stop and to arrive in Surprise with ample daylight. The fuel cost is estimated at $37, so be sure to factor that into your budget. A specific tip for this route: pay close attention to the road signs as you transition between the South Beeline Highway and other local roads, especially as you approach the Surprise area, given the 'turn-heavy' nature of the drive.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 41 miles or 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 93.3 miles or 2h 4m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Surprise, AZ than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Taylor, 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 Taylor, AZ
This is one driving day of about 186.7 miles and 4h 6m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
93 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.
A short stop after about 41 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 93.3 miles from Taylor, AZ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before South Beeline Highway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 61.8 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 180.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto West Papermill Road
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto East Shea Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Bell Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward Bell Road, Surprise Stadium
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$37.19 one way
$74.39 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $39.36 | $78.72 |
| premium | $5.59 | $41.10 | $82.19 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $41.22 | $82.44 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$37
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$62–$87
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 65.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 56 | 0 | $19.60 | $8.96 |
| Efficient EV | 46.7 | 0 | $16.34 | $7.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 74.7 | 0 | $26.14 | $11.95 |
Gas CO2
65 kg
EV CO2
22 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Taylor on Saturday
Local time
9:16 PM
MST
Current temp
62°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
Destination
Night in Surprise on Saturday
Local time
9:16 PM
MST
Current temp
88°F
Unavailable
44°F
Payson, AZ
93 mi in
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' as you journey from Taylor to Surprise. While 22% of the route is on highways, much of this drive will involve more localized roads, indicated by the 'turn-heavy' profile. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 61.8 miles along the South Beeline Highway. This suggests a varied driving experience, moving from potentially faster highway sections to more winding local roads as you progress through Arizona.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near West Papermill Road.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 186.7 miles you will encounter 14 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 0.3 miles (West Papermill Road): Navigation decision point; at 144.8 miles (East Shea Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 158 miles (AZ 101 Loop / Pima Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 6m. Total distance: 186.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
4h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (22%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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