Life in Surprise, Arizona, explained by people who’ve lived in Surprise:
*Learn about living in other cities in Arizona.
*Click here to share your experience living in Surprise*
*Response format = Answer (Your name, How long you’ve lived in Surprise)
Surprise Favorites
What’s your favorite thing about living in Surprise?
- Separate community. (Hollie, 7 months)
- Neighborhoods, schools, city services. (Jonna, 1 year)
- Family friendly, the people, city sports, the farmland. (Stephanie, 2.5 years)
- Quiet neighborhood. (Joe, 4 years)
- Community, the lake. (Diann, 7 years)
- Home. (Paul, 10 years)
- Family oriented community. (June, 18 years)
- The people. (John, 20 years)
Surprise Least Favorites
What’s your least favorite thing about living in Surprise?
- Bad drivers. (Hollie, 7 months)
- Not enough retail. I still have to go out to arrowhead for most shopping. (Jonna, 1 year)
- I feel like it needs some more character, a cute main street and some non-chain restaurants. (Stephanie, 2.5 years)
- Traffic on bell. (Joe, 4 years)
- Bell road traffic. (Diann, 7 years)
- Traffic on bell road. (Paul, 10 years)
- Traffic. (June, 18 years)
- Hoa’s. (John, 20 years)
Surprise Things To Do
What are fun things to do in Surprise?
- Fish. (Hollie, 7 months)
- Hiking, swimming, sports, city activities. (Jonna, 1 year)
- Parks, sports, swim. (Stephanie, 2.5 years)
- Dog park so close. (Joe, 4 years)
- Spring training. (Diann, 7 years)
- Car shows, golf, baseball. (Paul, 10 years)
- Parks, luv2play, pool, bowling, movies. (June, 18 years)
- The ballpark. (John, 20 years)
Surprise’s Reputation
What’s Surprise known for?
- Being separate and further out. (Hollie, 7 months)
- Family town. (Jonna, 1 year)
- Maybe nice parks? That’s the problem though. I feel like it needs a more defined identity. (Stephanie, 2.5 years)
- Fast growth. (Joe, 4 years)
- Spring training. (Diann, 7 years)
- Being a spring training town. (Paul, 10 years)
- Family oriented. (June, 18 years)
- Lack of restaurants. (John, 20 years)
Surprise Crime
What’s the crime like in Surprise? (hot spot areas, etc.)
- Tons of shoplifting. (Hollie, 7 months)
- Pretty average. (Jonna, 1 year)
- Some drugs and car theft. (Stephanie, 2.5 years)
- Average, I guess. (Joe, 4 years)
- Lots of car burglaries, package theft. (Paul, 10 years)
- Moved to kingswood park about 2 years ago. used to be a nice area, now it’s filled with cars being broken into and car thefts. (June, 18 years)
- A little. (John, 20 years)
Surprise Advice
Any advice for people moving to Surprise?
- Don’t drive on Sundays. (Hollie, 7 months)
- We love it here!! sign up for city sports (along with the rest of the city) and enjoy the many awesome parks! very family friendly. (Stephanie, 2.5 years)
- Shop around for area right for your family. (Joe, 4 years)
- Enjoy. (Diann, 7 years)
- Be ready to pay way too much for water. (Paul, 10 years)
- Move to the outer areas. it’s getting too busy in the city. (June, 18 years)
- Choose your neighborhood carefully and complain about the jets. (John, 20 years)
Surprise Stories
Share an experience you’ve had in Surprise (fun, crazy, dangerous, etc.)
- Nothing yet. (Hollie, 7 months)
- We loved going to the city pool as a family. such a fun spot with the water slides. we love meeting friends often at the different parks. (Stephanie, 2.5 years)
- Friends at dog parks. (Joe, 4 years)
- Bad car crash in 2007. (Paul, 10 years)
- Love to go to fireworks. have always sat in the same spot! (June, 18 years)
Surprise’s Future
How do you think Surprise will change over the next 10 years?
- Bigger, more traffic. (Hollie, 7 months)
- A lot of growth. (Jonna, 1 year)
- I’d love for it to grow but also keep a small-town farmland feel. I’d love for it to develop more charm and bring it more small businesses/restaurants as well as more activities for young kids. (Stephanie, 2.5 years)
- Get real big. (Joe, 4 years)
- Maybe they will finally build prasada. (Paul, 10 years)
- Busier and busier. different culture moving in. (June, 18 years)
- Not by much. (John, 20 years)
Surprise Facts
Any other interesting facts about Surprise?
- It’s quiet. (Hollie, 7 months)
- It was named surprise because the original founder said she’d be surprised if it amounted to anything. I love telling people I’m from surprise. (Stephanie, 2.5 years)
- The buildings are backwards to the streets. (Paul, 10 years)
- Nice area. (June, 18 years)