Surprise, Arizona

Reading Time: 6 minutes

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Geographic Coordinates: 33.681500, -112.451000

Climate: Hot summers and mild winters with low precipitation.

Population: 141875

Language: English

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Surprise, Located in Maricopa County, Arizona, Is a city with a population of approximately 141, 664 residents as of 2021. The city was founded in 1938 by Flora Mae Statler and her husband Homer C. Ludden who named it Surprise because they were surprised to find fertile land in the desert. One of the main attractions in Surprise is its beautiful parks and recreation areas. The city has over 25 parks that offer various amenities such as playgrounds, Picnic areas, Sports fields, Hiking trails, Dog parks and more.

One of the most popular parks is Surprise Community Park which features a fishing lake, Splash pad for kids and an amphitheater for events. Another notable attraction in Surprise is its vibrant art scene. The city has several public art installations that showcase local artists’ work such as murals on buildings or sculptures throughout town. Additionally, Surprise hosts many cultural events throughout the year like the annual Fiesta Grande celebration which showcases Hispanic culture through music and dance performances.

Sports fans will also find plenty to love about Surprise as it’s home to two major sports facilities: Surprise Stadium and Tennis & Racquet Complex at Surprise Recreation Campus. These facilities host spring training games for Major League Baseball teams such as Kansas City Royals & Texas Rangers along with other sporting events throughout the year. In terms of education opportunities for children living in Surprises are served by several school districts including Dysart Unified School District (DUSD) which operates elementary through high school levels within city limits along with charter schools like Paradise Education Center or Imagine Rosefield.

yet importantly when it comes to shopping options there are many choices available within Surprises including Super Target at Bell Road & Grand Avenue intersection along with Walmart Supercenter located nearby too offering everything from groceries to electronics! Overall Surprises offers a unique blend of natural beauty cultural richness recreational opportunities and modern conveniences making it an ideal place to live work or visit.

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Major Industries and Businesses in Surprise, United States

1. Healthcare
2. Education
3. Retail
4. Hospitality
5. Tourism

Largest Employers in Surprise

1. Banner Health System
2. Dysart Unified School District
3. Walmart Supercenter
4. City of Surprise
5. Maricopa County

Other Industries in Surprise

• Technology (Cobalt Medical Development, AZ TechCelerator)
• Construction

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Noteable History

1. The White Tank Mountains have been home to Native American tribes for thousands of years and were explored by Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century.
2. Sun City Grand is a large retirement community built in the early 1990s that has become one of Arizona’s most popular retirement communities.
3. President Richard Nixon gave a speech at Luke Air Force Base near Surprise in 1963.
4. Surprise Stadium is a baseball stadium that hosts spring training games for both the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers.
5. Roy Disney owned an Arabian horse ranch near Surprise where he raised horses before his death in December 2009.
6. President George W. Bush visited Luke Air Force Base several times during his presidency, including once to speak about immigration reform in November 2006.
7. Del Webb Corporation was founded by developer Del Webb who built many of the retirement communities in Arizona including Sun City Grand.
8. Larry Fitzgerald Jr., wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals NFL team, has lived in Surprise since 2006 and is involved with various charitable organizations within the community.
9. In November 1952 then General Dwight D Eisenhower spoke to an audience on behalf of Republican Presidential candidate Robert Taft at what was then known as Litchfield Park Airport which now serves as Luke Air Force Base West Gate entrance.

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Museums and Things To See

1. Surprise Stadium is a baseball stadium that serves as the spring training home of the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals.
2. The Surprise Aquatic Center is a water park featuring a lazy river, water slides, and other attractions.
3. The West Valley Art Museum showcases local and regional artists’ works.
4. White Tank Mountain Regional Park offers hiking trails, picnic areas, and scenic views of the surrounding mountains.
5. Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium features over 600 species of animals from around the world as well as an aquarium with marine life exhibits.
6. The Dysart Schoolhouse Museum is a historic schoolhouse turned museum showcasing artifacts from early education in Surprise.
7. Sun Village Golf Course is an 18-hole golf course designed by Billy Casper and Greg Nash with scenic views of the White Tank Mountains.
8. Uptown Alley is an entertainment center featuring bowling lanes, arcade games, laser tag, and dining options.
9. Marley Park Heritage Clubhouse & Pool House offers classes for all ages such as cooking classes for adults or storytime for children in addition to its beautiful pool house for swimming laps or lounging by the pool in style!
10. Surprise Community Park is a family-friendly park that includes playgrounds, sports courts/fields (basketball court), walking paths/trails (for bikers too!), picnic areas with grills available on site so you can enjoy your lunch while taking in nature’s beauty around you!

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Sports Teams

1. Kansas City Royals: The Kansas City Royals have their spring training facility in Surprise. The team has been training in Surprise since 2003 and has won two American League pennants and one World Series championship.
2. Texas Rangers: The Texas Rangers also have their spring training facility in Surprise. They moved to the city in 2003 and have since won two American League pennants.
3. Ottawa University Spirit: Ottawa University opened a campus in Surprise in 2017 and started a football program soon after. The university’s mascot is the Spirit, and they compete at the NAIA level.
4. Valley Vista High School Monsoon: Valley Vista High School is located in Surprise, and their mascot is the Monsoon. They compete at the high school level for various sports.
5. Willow Canyon High School Wildcats: Willow Canyon High School is another high school located in Surprise with its mascot being the Wildcats. They also compete at the high school level for various sports.
6. Shadow Ridge High School Stallions: Shadow Ridge High School’s mascot is the Stallions; they are yet another high school located within Surpise that competes at different levels for various sports events.
7. Surprise Saguaros- It was an Arizona Fall League team that played from 1995 until 2020 before it was disbanded due to financial constraints caused by COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on fans attending games.

These are some of the notable sports teams with histories attached to them based out of Surpise, United States.

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Cultural Events

1. Surprise Fine Art & Wine Festival
2. Surprise Party
3. Marley Park Music Fest
4. Surprise International Film Festival
5. West Valley Symphony Concert Series
6. Surprise Spring Training Baseball Games
7. Fiesta Grande Street Fair
8. Arizona Balloon Classic
9. Surprise Jazz Festival
10. Winter Wonderland Ice Rink and Holiday Lights Tour

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Cuisine

• State 48 Brewery – offering American pub food and craft beer
• Vogue Bistro – serving French-inspired cuisine
• Rio Mirage Cafe – specializing in Mexican food
• Saigon Kitchen – offering Vietnamese cuisine
• Irish Wolfhound Restaurant & Pub – serving Irish pub fare
• Babbo Italian Eatery – specializing in Italian cuisine
• Amuse Bouche Bistro – offering European-inspired dishes
• Dillon’s BBQ Restaurant & Sports Bar – serving BBQ and American fare.
• Yogi’s Grill – providing Japanese fast casual dining.
• Chef Peter’s Bistro – serving French-American fusion dishes

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Parks and Recreation

1. Surprise Community Park is a fantastic option for families with children, offering a variety of activities such as playgrounds, splash pads, picnic areas, sports fields and courts, and even a fishing lake.
2. The Surprise Recreation Campus is an excellent destination for sports enthusiasts looking to play tennis or pickleball on one of the 25 courts available at the Tennis & Racquet Complex or enjoy the water slides and lazy river at the Aquatic Center.
3. White Tank Mountain Regional Park is located just outside of Surprise and offers breathtaking views of surrounding mountains along with hiking trails, camping sites, and picnic areas.
4. Marley Park is a great neighborhood option featuring amenities like playgrounds for children to enjoy basketball courts and walking paths.
5. Veramonte Park provides soccer fields, baseball diamonds as well as playgrounds that are perfect for kids to have fun outdoors in an open environment.
6. Asante Community Park is new on the block but has already become popular among residents due to its aquatic center with lap lanes & water slides; multi-use field for football/soccer; lighted basketball/tennis/pickleball courts; playgrounds suited to different age groups; dog parks catering to small/large dogs
7. Dreamcatcher Park caters mostly to neighborhood residents providing multi-use fields which can be used for soccer/football games along with basketball/volleyball court(s) plus ramadas/picnic tables/grills
8. Gaines Park may be small in size but still offers half-court basketball court(s), children’s play area(s) making it ideal for local families looking for outdoor activities close by their homes.
9. Hollyhock Pool operates seasonally from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend providing recreational swim opportunities exclusively reserved for residents living within Hollyhock community
10. Surprise Farms Community Park has something special in store including multi-use field (soccer/football), sand volleyball court(s), ramadas/picnic tables/grills, making it a perfect spot for families and individuals alike.

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Pack Your Bags!

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