SportsQuest
All games

Spring training, Sun, Feb 28, Time TBA local

MLB and its players need a new labor deal before the 2027 season. Until one is signed, dates could change, so pick rooms you can cancel.

Chicago Cubsat Texas Rangers

Surprise Stadium, Surprise. Fly into PHX.

Build the quest

What we know about Surprise Stadium

Where visiting fans stay

Checked at the source
  • Bullard Avenue hotels, Surprise. 10 min by walk. Holiday Inn Express, Residence Inn and Hilton Garden Inn sit just north of the ballpark, close enough to walk to games and morning workouts.
  • P83 Entertainment District, Peoria. 20 min by drive. Walkable bars and more hotels, and a base for Peoria Sports Complex games too.
  • Central Phoenix or Scottsdale. 50 min by drive. Most visitors see several ballparks, and midday freeways are light, so a central base works if you only come to Surprise once.

Around the stadium

Checked at the source
A small hotel cluster sits on Bullard Avenue and Stadium Way just north of the ballpark, including a Holiday Inn Express, Residence Inn and Hilton Garden Inn. Restaurants and bars are mostly chains along Bell Road and need a short drive.

Getting in from the airport

From a specialist guide
PHX (Phoenix Sky Harbor). About 35 miles and roughly 50 minutes by car without traffic, by I-10 west to Loop 303 north and Bell Road.

Getting to the stadium

Checked at the source
Drive from Phoenix Sky Harbor, about 50 min. Free lots off Paradise Lane, outside the center field entrance. Walk from a Bullard Avenue hotel, about 10 min to Center field or first base gate. Rideshare, about 30 min. Zone just north of the Surprise Aquatic Center.

Tailgating

Checked at the source
Keep to the area right in front of or behind your vehicle and do not block traffic. No alcohol anywhere in the lots, including inside cars. Charcoal grills are not allowed.

Getting in

Checked at the source
  • Bag policy: Allowed: a clear tote (plastic or vinyl) up to 12 x 6 x 12 inches, a small clutch up to 5 x 8 inches, or a clear one-gallon resealable bag. Medical items and single-compartment diaper bags (with a child) are allowed after inspection. Everyone passes through metal detectors.
  • Cashless: Surprise Stadium is fully cashless, including the box office. Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover are accepted.

After the final whistle

Checked at the source
Police direct traffic before and after games. In 2026 Bullard Avenue closed to cars between Paradise Lane and Tierra Buena Lane during spring training, so lots were reached from Bell Road (south on Parkview Place or Bullard to Paradise Lane) or from Greenway Road (north on Parkview Place). Leave the same way you came in.

One thing to avoid

From a specialist guide
Do not trust GPS alone on game days. Bullard Avenue next to the ballpark closes to cars, so follow the posted routes to Paradise Lane and expect a long walk from the lots to the gates.

Bars near the stadium

Checked at the source

  • Irish Wolfhound Restaurant & PubBefore or after

    16811 N. Litchfield Rd., Suite 102, Surprise, AZ 85374

    An Irish pub a short drive east of the ballpark that usually fills after games. It is the busiest spot around St.

    Away fans: a neighborhood pub that draws a mixed postgame crowd.

  • Bell Road restaurantsDistrict

    Bell Road near Bullard Avenue, Surprise, AZ 85374

    The closest food and drink to the ballpark is a strip of chain restaurants along Bell Road. More sit at Bell Road and Grand Avenue to the east.

    Away fans: chain restaurants with spring crowds from every team.

  • Huss Brewing Container BarBefore or after

    15850 N. Bullard Ave., Surprise, AZ 85374 (first base plaza)

    A container bar on the first base plaza pouring beer from Phoenix brewer Huss. A tent on the third base side adds Boulevard from Kansas City and other local taps.

    Away fans: open to every ticket holder.

Sidequests in Surprise

Listed in the order they happen. Each one earns points.

  1. Ritual65 points

    Royals morning workouts

    The Royals practice complex on the northwest side of the campus is open to the public daily with free parking. Watch drills up close before the ballpark gates open.

    Free. 3 hours 30 minutes before kickoff

  2. Outing25 points

    Walk Surprise Community Park

    Across the street from the ballpark, the park has walking trails, a fishing pond and picnic areas. It is an easy stop between a morning workout and first pitch.

    Free. 2 hours before kickoff

  3. Ritual50 points

    Autographs past the netting

    The last two sections on each baseline (121 to 124) sit past the netting, and fans gather there before first pitch for autographs. Arrive when gates open.

    Free. 1 hour 20 minutes before kickoff

  4. Eat40 points

    Barbecue from a local grill at the ballpark

    A local restaurant, The Links Neighborhood Grill, sells smoked chicken, Carolina pork and rib plates on the concourse. It is the ballpark's best plate.

    $$. 30 minutes before kickoff

  5. Photo25 points

    Watch the bullpens from above

    Seats sit above both bullpens, so you can look straight down at pitchers warming up. Few spring ballparks let you this close.

    Free. 20 minutes before kickoff

  6. Outing50 points

    White Tank Mountain Regional Park

    The largest park in Maricopa County, almost 30,000 acres of desert mountains on the Valley's west edge. Hike it on an off day or a night-game morning.

    $

  7. Double header75 points

    Second game at Peoria Sports Complex

    Peoria Sports Complex, home of the Padres and Mariners, is about 10 miles and 20 minutes east. Pair a day game here with a night game there, or the reverse.

    $$

  8. Drink40 points

    Kansas City beer at the Huss container bar

    Huss Brewing of Phoenix runs a container bar on the first base plaza, and the third base tent pours Boulevard from Kansas City. Try one from each city.

    $$. 1 hour after kickoff

  9. Drink40 points

    Postgame at the Irish Wolfhound

    A local Irish pub that usually fills with fans after games. It is a five-minute drive from the lots.

    $. 3 hours 30 minutes after kickoff

Seats and views

Where each part of Surprise Stadium sits, and what you see from it.

Fans post the view from their seats, section by section. See the views at Surprise Stadium