10 tips for trip to Surprise for Texas Rangers spring training

Have a trip planned to visit the Texas Rangers during spring training in Surprise, Ariz.? Awesome. Here are some tips to help you enjoy your trip:

1 Bring protection: You’ll need UV protection, including sunscreen, sunglasses and even a big, floppy hat, if necessary. The players and coaches lather up multiple times a day. The Valley of the Sun is real. Be prepared.

2 Mark your calendars: The Surprise complex, which houses the Rangers (East side) and Kansas City Royals (Northwest side), is open to the public beginning Friday. The practice fields open at 9:30 a.m. daily through March 30. Admission and parking are free.

3 Bring a light jacket: Sure, most of the time there’s a glorious clear sky with a warm sun beating down, but at night and on rare days, it can get chilly. A good fleece jacket or sturdy windbreaker should do the trick.

4 Drive carefully: There is a confluence of wealthy retired drivers and wealthy young drivers roaming the streets of Surprise. You’ll see plenty of souped up golf carts whizzing around town, too. Speed limits are stingy (35 mph most places), so keep the pedal off the metal.

5 Road trip: You’ve come this far, why not visit some of the other cool parks the Cactus League has to offer? Try to hit the home of the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks, Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, the newest spring training facility in the Cactus League. The Rangers play there on consecutive Saturdays, March 19 and 26. Also, Scottsdale Stadium, home of the Giants, is in old town and offers selfie-ready views of Camelback Mountain. Before and after the game, haughty Scottsdale offers plenty of shopping, dining and drinking options. A closer away option is Goodyear Ballpark, home of the Indians and Reds, on March 9 or 14.

6 Mountain view: Want to clear your head of baseball for a few hours? Head west, about 11 miles from Surprise Stadium, to the White Tank Mountain Regional Park. Along with picnic tables, grills and restrooms, 26 miles of hiking and biking trails wind through the park, providing stunning views for sunsets and stargazing.

7 Bell Road woes: The main drag through Surprise is Bell Road, perhaps the most frustrating stretch of asphalt in the Phoenix area. It might also be the longest. Traffic is the norm, especially near Grand Avenue and east of town near the 101. Naturally, Surprise Stadium is off Bell, but circumventing to Greenway Road and approaching the ballpark from the south is quicker.

8 Rental car blues: If you need to rent a car for your spring-training vacay, beware that rentals at Sky Harbor Airport come with a long list of hidden fees that make the final price tag far higher than at most airports. Also, there aren’t many gas stations near the airport, so get the fuel option or remember to gas up a little further away.

9 Yellow-clad helpers: The Surprise Sundancers are the official spring training volunteer organization of the Rangers, Royals and city of Surprise. They’re there to help you find the restroom, direct you to the nearest concessions or help you find your favorite player on the practice fields.

10 Big Buddha: If you love Chinese food, try Big Buddha at 16572 W. Greenway Road in Surprise, a few miles west of the Rangers’ complex. I may be there, so say hello. If I don’t respond, no worries. I’m probably in a food coma.

This story was originally published February 12, 2016 at 3:47 PM with the headline "10 tips for trip to Surprise for Texas Rangers spring training."