Unfortunately, you are going to find little to no "real local personality" in Surprise. It is basically a good sized suburb that has sprung up in just the last few years. You'll find plenty of chain restaurants that you see all over the country.

However, if "your boys" are playing an away game and you have a free day from the park, I would suggest you get back on Grand Ave. and head northwest to Wickenburg. Plan on a full day here, it's worth it. This is a real old west town, and you will find a photo op around every corner in downtown. The houses, the stores, most of the government buildings are all the real deal. This is a great place to wear your jeans and boots. If you don't have them, there are a couple of good western stores right downtown to fit you with the entire gear.

You can ride horses at a dude ranch; visit the Vulture Gold mine which is really a small ghost town .

tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g31405-d60…

Wander the streets for some grub and later some home made ice cream. There are several joints there with "real local personality." Everybody has their favorite. Here's a link for mine:

tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g31405-d51…

If that doesn't sound right for you, look here:

tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g31405-Wickenbur…

Here are a bunch of other things to do in and around town:

tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g31405-Activitie…

Pay attention to the speed limit signs coming into town as they drop pretty fast and they mean it.

If you run out of things to do in town you can always hike along the beautiful Hassyampa river bed. Just don't drink the water or you will wind up like me. Would I lie to you?

Yeah... I've read that Surprise is no real surprise, but thank you for the fantastic advice about surrounding opportunities. Even if the "town of. . ." is a dud, I know we're going to make it a great time - I'll bring my boots!

If you want to stay close by, the area surrounding Peoria Sports Complex will have the most going on as far as bars and restaurants, although it is all chain stuff.

After a day of baking in the sun (cheap seats) you might want to try going just down the road to Glendale. They have a lot of one of a kind restaurants and shops in the downtown area. I am cutting and pasting the following from a Traveler's Article on the subject and give credit to the OP. Thanks!

Glendale

"Located on the Western edge of Phoenix , Glendale is a convenient 20 minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport . The charming city revels in the national spotlight for both its famed Historic Downtown Shopping District and its exciting, brand-new professional sports and entertainment options.

Voted one of the ten best places in the nation for antique shopping, Glendale ’s quaint historic downtown is lined with small cafes, art galleries and antique shops. Food lovers can tour the Cerreta Candy Factory where samples of silky chocolate are included. Nearby, the Bead Museum showcases a variety of ancient and contemporary beads. Sahuaro Ranch Park, an 80-acre historical park that has turn-of-the-century buildings, citrus groves and rose gardens to wander through, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places."

Oh. And you can wear your boots there, too!

Anyone know where the players like to eat out?

In the area surrounding Peoria Sports Complex. Try McDuffy's and Fox and Hound.

The Fox in Scottsdale closed. Did they all close, or is the one in Peoria still open? This is very important to me because the Fox Sports Grill in the Detroit Airport, with the cigarette smoke, 30 sports screens, tough as nails service and greasy hamburgers is the best airport restaurant in the world. I always try to fly through Detroit just for the Fox! Or is the Fox and Hound just the name of one place? In which case...never mind.

Fox and Hound, not Fox Sports Grill. As far as I know there has never been a Fox Sports in Peoria.