13 Best Things To Do In Surprise, Arizona

things to do in surprise arizona
Nur Dini
Nur Dini 
Updated
| 4 min read

Surprise, located a 45-minute drive from Phoenix, Arizona, has a funny story behind its name. Founded in 1938, Flora Mae Statler, its founder, named the town Surprise as she had thought that it would have been a surprise if the town ever amounted to much. To everyone’s astonishment, however, the town today is now a bustling one that attracts visitors and remains a great town to live in.

9 out of 10 of its residents recommend it as a place to start a business and the town is pristine and clean. Surprise is also big on sports and recreation, especially during game seasons. So without further ado, here are the best things to do in Surprise, Arizona.

1. Surprise Farms Community Park

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

If you are traveling with little ones, it can be a great experience for them to let them frolic and play around in this huge park that has a wide variety of amenities for people of all ages. Amenities you will find here include public bathrooms, plenty of benches, well-manicured lawns to play on, a baseball field, barbecue facilities, and most importantly, an awesome splash pad for younger children to play in. There is also a skate park for older kids as well as a basketball court.

Surprise Farms Community Park

Address: 17894 W Westpark Blvd, Surprise, AZ 85388, United States

Website: Surprise Farms Community Park

Opening hours: 6am - 10pm (daily)

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2. Surprise Lake

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

The Arizona Game & Fish Department visited the Surprise Lake this past week and restocked us with Catfish! As a...

Posted by Surprise Parks and Recreation on Saturday, May 22, 2021

Situated in the heart of the City of Surprise, this lake is awesome for a family picnic, a relaxing boat ride with your beau, or a day out fishing with your pals. This lake is primarily known for its fish, including the channel catfish, largemouth bass, rainbow trout, grass carp, and more. The surprising fact is that none of these fish grows natively in this region, they are released into the lake for the specific purpose of fishing! Remember that Arizona requires licenses for fishing, which can be purchased online or at retailers who sell fishing equipment near this lake.

Surprise Lake

Address: 15930 N Bullard Ave Surprise, AZ 85374

Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)

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3. Saigon Kitchen

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Posted by Saigon Kitchen on Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Saigon Kitchen is the most popular upscale restaurant in Surprise, and it is frequented by locals regularly. Rated the number one restaurant in the area, this place is amazing for its food as well as traditional ambiance allowing you to immerse yourself in the Vietnamese culture. You can try the chicken pho and shaken beef with garlic noodles or fried rice, and if you arrive well in time for happy hour, be sure to opt for your favorite delicious cocktails prepared by the mixologist just the way you like them! This restaurant also has a private dining area for larger groups of a maximum of 20, in case you wish to throw a party here.

Saigon Kitchen

Address: 14071 W Bell Rd, Surprise, AZ 85374, United States

Website: Saigon Kitchen

Opening hours: Mon - Thu: 11am - 8:30pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 9pm; Sun: 11am - 8pm

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4. State 48 Brewery

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

If you are looking for delicious American fare such as burgers, pretzels, brisket basket or onion rings, then this is the best place you will ever eat in. Serving amazing beer with your meal including Pilsner, Stout and Helles Lager, this restaurant ensures that every dish prepared here is lip-smackingly yummy. If you wish to try Continental cuisine, you can opt for the cheesy pizzas or pasta. There are plenty of options for people with special dietary needs as well, such as vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free options.

State 48 Brewery

Address: 13823 W Bell Rd, Surprise, AZ 85374, United States

Website: State 48 Brewery

Opening hours: Mon - Tue: 11am - 10pm; Wed - Thu: 11am - 11pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 12am; Sun: 9am - 10pm

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5. Uptown Alley

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Uptown Alley Surprise features 40 state-of-the-art bowling lanes! More than any of our other venues! Stop in to enjoy...

Posted by Uptown Alley Surprise on Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Bowling is a universally enjoyable activity for people of all ages. This place offers great bowling facilities as well as a fun arcade for children to play at, along with a bar and restaurant with a very casual vibe. All in all, it promises a fun time no matter how old you are. Try the chicken street tacos and the quesadillas here, as multiple guests have recommended these dishes.

Uptown Alley

Address: 13525 N Litchfield Rd, Surprise, AZ 85379, United States

Website: Uptown Alley

Opening hours: 10am - 12am (daily)

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6. Surprise Stadium

SurpriseStadiumPanorama
Source: Photo by user Random9Thought used under CC BY-SA 3.0

Baseball fans, this one’s for you! The Surprise Stadium becomes the spring training ground of the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals. The town comes to the stadium often for many day games, free family movie nights and Fourth of July fireworks and parades so it is definitely a must-visit when there are scheduled activities. Parking is free and the stadium gains their revenue from selling good food and beer! You are bound to make some local friends here and who knows, they might offer to show you around!

The stadium has a maximum capacity of 10,000 so unless the whole town is turning up, it is unlikely that you will find yourself lacking a spot.

Surprise Stadium

Address: 15930 N Bullard Ave, Surprise, AZ 85374-8844

Website: Surprise Spring Training

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7. Dreamcatcher Park

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Located on the Surprise Recreation Campus near the Surprise Stadium, this all-round facility caters to athletes with special needs so that they can enjoy safe and fun sports activities with their families and friends. The Dreamcatcher Park is also wheelchair and walker friendly and entrances such as gates have been widened to accommodate them. The park is barrier-free and it has been covered with a urethrane based surface for mobility and safety. The park is also home to many recreational programs and sports such as track and field.

Dreamcatcher Park

Address: 14534 W. Tierra Buena Lane, Surprise, AZ 85374

Website: Dreamcatcher Park

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8. White Tank Mountain Regional Park

Arizona cacti
Source: Photo by Flickr user Loren Kerns used under CC BY 2.0

The largest park in Maricopa Country, the White Tank Mountain Regional Park is a sprawling 30,000 acres wide and houses the beautiful White Tank Mountains that peak at 4000 feet. Visitors to the park can bike and hike whilst enjoying the clean and clear desert air. The park also has many different activities such as snake feeding, moonlight hikes for both the adult and the family and a summer solstice sunrise hike. Many visitors to the park seem to enjoy taking photos with the extremely tall cacti, characteristic of the White Tank Mountains. See if you manage to catch one too!

In spring, visitors can expect to be treated to many different wildflowers such as poppies and brittlebush. Visitors can also follow the Go Wild for Flowers Facebook page to keep updated on the flowers in bloom.

White Tank Mountain Regional Park

Address: 20304 W. White Tank Mountain Road, Waddell, AZ 85355

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9. Public Art

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

If you love baseball memorabilia, you’ll want to swing by city hall for the “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” art reception!...

Posted by Surprise City Gov on Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Surprise is home to many public art installations that is overseen by the Surprise Arts & Cultural Advisory Commission. Artworks include a large bronze obelisk dedicated to firefighters and a 27-foot welded tree called the Learning Tree which can be found at the Surprise Community Park. Challenge yourself and go for an art tour to catch all the art installations that are available! The full list of art installations can be found in the link in the snippet.

Surprise Art Installations

Website: Surprise Art Tour Map

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10. Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Rainbows apologize for angry skies!

Posted by Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex on Thursday, June 23, 2022

Clean and well-maintained, the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex is the place to go to catch some tennis action. In fall, the complex hosts one of the stops of the PacWest Champions Tour so you can catch some real great tennis players in action! But its not only for spectatorship, a number of Surprise residents go there to practice their swings. Look out for summer classes! The complex does not have many food options so its best to bring along your own snacks and beverages.

Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex

Address: 14469 W Paradise Ln, Surprise, AZ 85374-7475

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11. Granite Falls Golf Course

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Playing the Granite Falls South Golf Course never felt so good! Check out the newly renovated course by making a tee time here: https://www.suncitygrand.com/golf/make-a-tee-time #golflife #upgrade

Posted by The Grand on Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Surprise has 8 golf courses in total but Granite Falls has to be the most unique golf course. Surrounded by lakes, waterfalls and accompanied by elevated tees, the course gives the illusion of a challenge to the avid golfer. Play your rounds and admire the great scenery at the same time.

According to patrons, prices are lower at Granite Falls compared to other golf courses.

Granite Falls Golf Club

Address: 15949 W Clearview Blvd, Surprise, AZ 85374-4571

Website: Sun City Grand Granite Falls

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12. Surprise Aquatic Center

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Let's not kid ourselves, Surprise, these Holidays add a few more calories to our diets... but don't worry! We're...

Posted by Surprise Parks and Recreation on Wednesday, November 24, 2021

In the summer, the Aquatic center is where everybody goes for a dip or for the occasional pool party. Great if you go with families, there are age-appropriate slides for kids as well. The aquatic center also has a vortex whirlpool and diving boards. The center is located near a lake where families can fish.

Suprise Aquatic Center

Address: 15831 N Bullard Ave, 85374 Surprise, Arizona

Website: Surprise Aquatic Center

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13. Coyote Lakes Golf Club

Why wait when you can book now... http://ow.ly/Dx2n3087tMS

Posted by Coyote Lakes Golf Club on Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Coyote Lakes Golf Club is one of the more favoured golf courses in the west valley. Located in the west of Surprise, the course has consistently received a good 4-stars rating for Golf Digest’s Best Places to Play. Each of its carts now has a built-in GPS for you to plan and monitor your plays with ease. Besides a sprawling play area, the club also has an amazing grill and barbecue menu so you can expect to want to spend a good portion of your day here having your meal after a good play.

Coyote Lakes Golf Club

Address: 18800 N Coyote Lakes Pkwy , Surprise, Arizona 85374

Website: Coyote Lakes Golf Club

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Surprise yourself

If you are new to suburbs, Surprise is definitely a good place for you to have your first suburb experience. From a thriving sports scene, many family and community centred recreational activities and entertainment, you will definitely enjoy spending at least a few days in this surprising town.

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Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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Dini, armed with a Global Studies degree, is a linguistic virtuoso fluent in English, Malay, and Korean. Driven by a fervor for unraveling new languages and cultures, she dreams of engaging in...Read more

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