Each year thousands of visitors come to the NW Valley to enjoy our blue skies, sunshine, and spring training games. The region has wonderful golf courses, museums, restaurants, and plenty of trails for biking and hiking. With quick access to major highways, you have easy access to surrounding tourist attractions like the White Tank Mountains, Westgate Entertainment District, Desert Diamond Casino, Old Town Glendale, historic Wickenburg, downtown Phoenix and the Wildlife Zoo, Aquarium and Safari, and more.
El Mirage
A city that is expanding at a previously unimaginable pace. Considered the gateway to the Northwest Valley of the Greater Phoenix Metro Area, El Mirage has grown from a small town, dependent on agriculture, to a diverse urban economy with population of more than 35,000. Located in the Valley of the Sun’s northwest corner, El Mirage is just south of some of the largest retirement communities in the United States: Sun City, Sun City West, and Sun City Grand.
Sun City
There is a reason all the Sun Cities in the USA have reached their present-day popularity: the original retirement homes in Sun City, AZ set a standard for retirement communities. Not only are the Sun City developments iconic in their layout and home style, but the residents are able to enjoy a retirement experience that is unrivaled by other locations.
The Grand (Surprise)
Sun City Grand is known for its lush golf courses, beautiful water features, 5-star resort amenities, and views of the white tank mountains. The community is located in Surprise, Arizona and offers four championship golf courses, four swimming pools, two fitness centers, three onsite restaurants. the community is perfect for those looking for a medium-sized newer retirement community with many residence first-time retirees.
Sun City West
The nation’s premier active adult golf community, offers the lifestyle you’ve been looking for. Sun City West offers everything the active adult 55 and older could want in a community. Four Recreation Centers with over 100 chartered clubs, seven beautiful golf courses that are constantly maintained, a state-of-the-art bowling alley, movie theater, and countless other activities.
Sun City Festival & Festival Foothills (Buckeye)
Nestled below a picturesque mountain range, the peaceful surroundings offer a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. The two master planned communities are located in one of the fastest growing housing markets in the U.S. Sun City Festival offers a 55+ resort-style community and Festival Foothills features a family centered experience. Conveniences are close by in the friendly town of Surprise located just 10 minutes away, where residents can find grocery stores, restaurants, and other amenities.
Surprise
In addition to recreation of the land, Surprise hosts a number of other activities like tennis, golf (there are 20 golf courses in Surprise), and professional baseball. With is its extensive shopping and employment opportunities it also serves as the anchor community for the entire NW Valley. In March, Surprise hosts two Major League Baseball teams at Surprise Stadium for spring training - the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers. The city hosts festivals, special events and restaurants that attracts residents from the entire NW Valley.
Waddell
Waddell is the gateway to the White Tank Mountains and one of safest, most peaceful places in the NW Valley. Waddell is a smaller than other NW cities but is already an upcoming community. The White Tank Mountains serves as its backdrop and it has easy access to major cities, shopping, and highways. It's no wonder so many people choose this beautiful community to call home!
Wittmann
Wittman offers space to live, a stronger sense of local community, and a more relaxed pace of life.
Wittmann tends to offer more spacious property and it rural nature making it far easier to get back to basics and get back in touch with nature. This makes Wittmann ideal for older people, parents raising young families, or simply those who want to live away from the hustle and bustle of the urban centers. Wittmann is 24 min away from Surprise (15.4 mi) via US-60 W/W Grand Ave.
Youngtown
This one word " Youngtown" perfectly articulates the essence of Youngtown, a community of 6,200 with a distinct village feel, located in the midst of the thriving megalopolis of Phoenix. Originally designed to be a retirement community, the Town boasts a lovely lake, seven parks, and a distinctively designed town center named Clubhouse Square. Youngtown offers the advantages of a small town and provides a wealth of activities, entertainment venues, shopping and educational facilities within a 10- minute drive.
WHITE TANK
Entertaiment District
The White Tank Entertainment District is poised to become the Valley’s newest and most exciting entertainment hub. Anchored by three major landmarks—the stunning White Tank Mountain Preserve, the captivating Wildlife Zoo and Aquarium, and the soon-to-be-open Desert Diamond Casino—this district promises a diverse array of attractions.
Visitors can look forward to a variety of entertainment options tailored for both families and adults. The district will feature an eclectic mix of dining experiences, vibrant nightlife, live entertainment, and outdoor adventures such as hiking, mountain biking, and exploring archaeological sites. Whether you’re seeking a thrilling night out or a day of family fun, the White Tanks Entertainment District will have something for everyone
The NW Valley is the gateway to the WHITE TANK MOUNTAINS & REGIONAL PARK
Not only is the 30,000-acre White Tank Mountain Regional Park the largest regional park in Maricopa County, but it’s also one of the best places in the Valley to hike, mountain bike, and horseback ride through the Sonoran Desert. It boasts incredible sunrises over the city, a waterfall after heavy rains, and petroglyphs (rock art) carved into stones along its trails, too.
Whilst no different in character to most other mountains in the Sonoran Desert, the place is still very scenic, largely unspoiled, and has several long, little-used trails that climb high into the hills, passing a great variety of wildflowers and desert plants.
White Tank Mountain Regional Park is part of Maricopa County Parks system, the largest of its kind in the country, consisting of twelve regional parks covering approximately 120,000 acres.
The park was established in the 1960s and has gradually been expanded over the years to 30,000 acres with 40 miles of trails, including a mountain bike competition track. The park also has facilities for both hooked up and dry camping, many ramadas, picnic areas, restrooms and a Nature Center. It is located at the western end of Olive Avenue at 20304 West White Tank Mountain Road, Waddell, AZ 85355.
The entrance road runs only along the edge of the park, while the trails penetrate less than half way across; the remainder is essentially pathless and so rarely explored, but even so there is enough to see to occupy at least two days. Other park facilities include a family campground, a group campground, several picnic areas, a nature center and a dedicated network of cycle trails.
Desert Diamond is the Valley’s Crown Jewel Casinos!
Westgate Entertainment District
The new $400 million casino hosts a full-scale casino featuring a 75,000 square-foot gaming floor, poker, blackjack, live bingo, 5 restaurants and more! Desert Diamond Casino is the Official Casino Partner of Westgate Entertainment District. With shopping, dining and nightlife there is always something to do. Best of all the casino is only 18 minutes by car and ten miles away from the center of Surprise. There’s plenty for you and your friends to explore and a lot to experience!
White Tank Entertainment District (Opens Late 2024)
8200 N. Sarival Ave. Waddell, AZ 85355
A second Desert Diamond Casino in West Valley is under construction in the White Tank Mountains at the southeast corner of Loop 303 and Northern Parkway west of Glendale. The $450 million construction project will feature a 184,000-square foot casino. The opening is targeted for late 2024. A second stage of construction will add a hotel, conference center and amphitheater.The new casino will offer 900 Class III slot machines, a poker room, a sportsbook, and table games including blackjack, craps, roulette, and baccarat. Guests will enjoy multiple exciting restaurant options, including fine dining at Morton’s Steakhouse. Future phases of construction will expand the facility to include a hotel, conference center, and other amenities. The project is creating 5,500 construction jobs. Once completed, the facility will employ more than 1,000 team members.
About the Tohono O’odham Nation
Today’s Tohono O’odham who resides on reservation land live on one of the four separate pieces of land that make up the Tohono O’odham Nation. These pieces of land are the “main” reservation, Florence Village, San Xavier and San Lucy. There are also O’odham who live in Mexico. The Tohono O’odham Nation houses branches of government and their programs, five recreation centers, one health center, six Head Start preschools and much more.The Desert Diamond Casino, owned and operated by the Tohono O’odham Nation, provides exciting entertainment venues in Arizona. operating profits support the mission of the casinos which is is to provide the means for a better quality of life for Tohono O’odham Nation. The casinos employ over 1,200 Native American and non-Native American people. They provide crucial funds for vital community services both on and off the Nation and generate millions of dollars in state tax revenue.
BASEBALL
Enjoy some exciting baseball. Voted the best place to catch a spring training game, Surprise Stadium is the proud Cactus League home of the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals. The Phoenix metropolitan area holds claim to the greatest concentration of professional baseball facilities found anywhere in the United States. The NW Valley offers easy access to all your favorite team games.
Cactus League Click Here
GOLF Courses
With near perpetual blue skies, Surprise and the Sun Cities offer lots of golfing opportunities including three Greg Nash-designed golf courses.
Golf Courses Click Here
HIKINGS THE WHITE TANK MOUNTAIN
Flanked by one of Arizona’s largest mountain preserves, the White Tank Regional Park is situated in the saguaro-dotted Sonoran Desert and is only minutes away. Plan a day trip for some fun adventure, like hiking, biking, and horseback riding (no experience required).
Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Click Here
TENNIS, RACQUET and PICKLEBALL
Play tennis, racquetball, pickleball and table tennis at one of several locations in the NW Valley. One of the top centers in the country is the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex. Sun City and Sun City West also boasts some outstanding courts and and facilities!
ARTS AND CULTURE
Arts and Culture: Stunning natural beauty is just the beginning. We have arts and culture with Arts HQ, WHAM, and the
West Valley Symphony. Surprise has an impressive variety of outdoor art treasures, like the 12’x78’ media mosaic called Reflections of Surprise that depicts the history of the area. For a map of art experiences in Surprise Click Here
In Arizona, creativity is not only fostered – it's encourage! Click Here to learn how Arizona is truly a state of the art.
WILDLIFE ZOO
Enjoy the nearby Wildlife Zoo, Aquarium, and Safari Park, pick-your-own citrus farms, the Roses at Leyton Farms and Uptown Alley. Uptown Alley is a local gathering and entertainment complex complete with dining, sports bar, bowling, laser tag, billiards and kid’s activities.
Wildlife World: Zoo, Aquarium and Safari Park Click Here.
Desert Diamond CASINO
The West Valley’s Crown Jewel Casino! The new $400 million casino hosts a full-scale casino featuring a 75,000 square-foot gaming floor, poker, blackjack, live bingo, 5 restaurants and more! Desert Diamond Casino is the Official Casino Partner of Westgate Entertainment District. With shopping, dining and nightlife there is always something to do. Best of all the casino is only 18 minutes by car and ten miles away from the center of Surprise. There’s plenty for you and your friends to explore and a lot to experience! Click Here.
Climate:
CLIMATE Surprise is graced with near-perfect weather featuring more than 330 sunny days a year and an average temperature of 86 degrees.
Average High Average Low Average Precip.
ROAD TRIPS
All of the sights below are within a 20-minute to one-hour drive from the center of Surprise.
The times and mileage may vary based on traffic conditions and route selected. ( drivetime/miles)
SPRING TRAINING &
Sports Lovers
Surprise is also a popular destination for fans who want close proximity to Phoenix and Glendale for Major League Baseball’s 2001 World Champs, the Arizona Diamondbacks, as well as the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury. The NHL’s Arizona Coyotes and NFL’s Arizona Cardinals both play in nearby Glendale.
Whether you’re a spectator, participant or a little of both, Arizona is a sports lover’s paradise. With year-round sunny skies, you never have to lose a day or two of your vacation due to inclement weather. Surprise is the spring training home of the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers baseball teams. These Major League Baseball teams use Surprise Stadium for their activities. As Major League Baseball fans know, Spring Training has been an annual rite in Arizona for many decades and the city of Surprise is proud to be one of the host cities for the Cactus League. Surprise Stadium, Spring Training home of the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers, was ranked the #1 Spring Training Stadium in the Cactus League by USA Today. Whether you want to take in the Arizona sun, or looking for unparalleled player access with up-close encounters of veteran stars and blossoming prospects, Surprise Stadium brings you the BEST of everything!
The Budweiser Legends Deck features a different restaurant every day where fans can taste the local flavor while enjoying the game in a fun atmosphere. Plus, the stadium offers signature eats and craft beverages that will have your taste buds hitting home-runs, including Arizona local favorites, as well as staples from Kansas City and Dallas.
TICKETS
To purchase tickets: Online: Surprisespringtraining.com Phone: 623.222.2222 In Person: Surprise Stadium Box Office; 15850 N. Bullard Avenue, Surprise, AZ 85374
Surprise Park: 57-acre Passive Park
The Surprise Stadium, Spring Training home of the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals along with a Regional Library, aquatic center, tennis and racquet complex, youth baseball complex, Mark Coronado Park and Surprise Community Park are centerpieces of this new square mile plus downtown development, putting Surprise well on its way to becoming the playground of the
West Valley Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park Zoo
Open: 9am–9pm 365 days a year, including holidays
623-935-WILD (9453)
This is home to more than 600 exotic and endangered species, and more than 6,000 individual animals. Wildlife World Zoo offers free animal shows, feeding stations and the opportunity to get up close and personal with some amazing animals.
Roses at Woolf Leyton Farms
8805 N Reems Rd
623-935-5887
Rows and rows of roses on four farms display their colors and fragrance to passers by. With about 800 acres used for the two-year crop, the locale ranks in the top three rosebush growing areas in the nation. Rose bushes grown in Arizona account for half of all the roses sold in the nation. It’s not a farm that gives unannounced tours, but to see and smell the fields in bloom in early spring is worth at least a drive by.
Horseback Riding White Tank Mountains
20300 W Olive (Waddell)
whitetanksstables.com
928-679-2884 (Call for reservations)
Experience the White Tank Mountains on horseback! Ages 5 and up. Tours range from one hour to four hours. No experience required. Tours are professionally guided. Sunset rides, wagon rides, etc.
FORE!
With the White Tank Mountains and a canopy of near-perpetual blue sky, the NW Valley is home to more golf courses than you could hope to play in one visit.
With many golf courses to choose from, you’re sure to find an ideal location for your golf vacation – as well as a tee time that fits both your budget and your sense of adventure. Before you arrive, call ahead for details on the Arizona golf courses that interest you, and make sure you ask about current rates and availability. In the winter, golf courses are in their peak season so you may need to book early. But if you can brave the summer heat, you can often enjoy these courses at significantly reduced rates. Many sites offer idyllic scenery and challenging courses. Click here for Courses
Gift Shop
Popular T-Shirts, Mugs & Gifts For Your Favorite City in the NW Valley
El Mirage, Sun Cities, Surprise and Youngtown , Arizona
Click Here
EXPLORE THE ARTS
Outdoor art abounds! The region boasts a variety of public sculptures, murals, memorials, and monuments. This walk will get your heart pumping and give you a glimpse of our public art. This walk promotes a healthy lifestyle and offers residents and visitors the opportunity to experience and appreciate our outdoor public art. Please see the outdoor art map .
Pick Your Own Citrus Right From The Tree!
(December through March) You can pick some of the best tasting citrus around. ALL fruit is pesticide free as well so it’s even better for you! The NW Valley has two you-pick farms:
• Truman Ranch II: Located 1/3 mile south of Greenway Road on 188th Ave (Perryville Rd.)
• Cotton Lane Citrus: Located just west of Waddell and Cotton Lane.
The Maricopa Trail is an unfinished 242-mile (389 km) trail located within Maricopa County and connecting the major regional and municipal parks in and around the Phoenix metropolitan area.
A loop trail encircling much of the urbanized area, the trail also consists of four spurs that will connect the loop with outlying mountain parks in the region. The trail crosses the U.S. 60 in Surprise, and approximately 15 miles of the trail run west of the Loop 303. Conceptualized in 1997 by the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department, the Maricopa Trail was envisioned as a pedestrian beltway that would connect nine of the department’s 10 regional parks, linking them with the city of Phoenix’s South Mountain Park and encouraging their use by the area’s residents.
What is Pickleball?
Pickleball is the fastest growing sport for all ages and skill levels. The rules are simple, the equipment is minimal, and the game can be enjoyed by beginners to those who enjoy a fast-paced, competitive game. In short, pickleball combines many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. Pickleball is played on a badminton-size court, which is a shorter court than a tennis court with a lower net than what is used in tennis. Pickleball is played with a plastic ball and paddle. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association there are more than 2.5 million pickleball participants in the United States.
Here is a list of courts in Surprise:
14534 W Tierra Buena Ln, Surprise 85374 Information: The 16 courts are lighted and open from 6am. to 10pm daily except when tournaments or special events reserve the courts. Play is free and open to the public. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings are very active, mostly advanced players.
Tuesday and Thursday afternoons 5pm to 8pm are generally new and social players. Monday and Friday are typically ladies days. Leagues and Ladders are scheduled at various times.
The Chamber of Commerce is a vital advocate for our local business community. By representing the collective voice of entrepreneurs and organizations, we aim to cultivate a thriving economic environment. Our initiatives promote collaboration, networking opportunities, and resources that empower businesses to thrive. Join us in our mission to enhance the financial landscape of the West Valley.
Unmatched Support
Our 24/7/365 Chamber Assist Program provides unparalleled support for your small business. With round-the-clock assistance, you can keep your operations running smoothly and minimize downtime.
Member Services by West Valley Chamber of Commerce
