General Information

Arizona's three Sun Cities are the far northwestern suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona.

Sun City has about 40,000 residents – Sun City West about 30,000 residents – Sun City Grand currently about 5,000 - 6,000 residents (when completed in the six or more year there will be about 17,000 residents). All three Sun Cities are adult communities for people age 55 and over (at least on resident in a household must be 55 or older, and no permanent resident can be under 19 years of age). 

The land for what is now Sun City was purchased by the Del Webb Corporation in the late 1950's. The first housing, shopping center, motel, golf course, recreation center, and 5 model homes opened on January 1, 1960. On opening day Del Webb was hoping that maybe 10,000 people would visit the open houses – instead over 100,000 people showed up – and the crowds haven't stopped coming.

Del Webb Corporation started construction of homes in the community now known as Sun City West in 1978. Construction of homes in Sun City Grand started in 1997. Before construction began the land was principally used for agriculture and ranching – lots of cotton was grown where Sun City and Sun City Grand are now located and cattle roamed where Sun City West now stands.

Getting Around

Each of the Sun Cities is so designed that many people have replaced at least one of their cars with a street legal golf cart. You'll see golf carts everywhere – golf carts are used to go shopping, run errands, go to the recreation centers, go out to dinner, visit friends, or go anywhere in the community. 

Nearby

Each of the Sun Cities is self contained but not isolated. Downtown Phoenix is only 45 minutes away. Cactus league baseball and major league spring training camps of the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners are just 15 minutes away. Lake Pleasant with its miles and miles of water is about 30 minutes away and offers great fishing, sailing, boating, and camping. About two hours north, you'll find spectacular Sedona and winter skiing near Flagstaff. Flagstaff is also the center of the country's largest National Ponderosa Pine Forest and the jumping off point to the Grand Canyon, the equally magnificent Lake Powell and the storied Indian reservations. Just three hours south and you are in Old Mexico. Arizona is a wonderland of mountains and forests, with incredible desert sunsets at no extra charge.

Shopping

You can shop for almost anything in some of the worlds finest stores. Within a few minutes drive from anywhere in the Sun Cities you'll find numerous small stores plus Walmart, Home Depot, several supermarkets and large drug stores. Within a 15 minute drive you'll find Dillards, Robinsons May, J C Penney, Circuit City, CompUSA, Costco, K-Mart, and over a hundred other nationally known stores. Within an hours drive of the Sun Cities you'll also find Neiman Markus, Macys, Sears, Pier One Imports, and just about every other recognizable name store in neighboring Scottsdale. All the shopping, arts and entertainment available in Phoenix, the capital of Arizona, are also only a short distance away.

Climate

The Sun Cities are located in an area known as the 'Valley Of The Sun'. The climate is ideal – over 300 clear, sunny days a year. Total rain fall each year averages less than eight inches. It does get hot in the summer, but with the relatively low humidity and air-conditioning (here in the southwest it's called refrigeration) it's quit tolerable – even for those of us from northern Michigan and similar climates. Many residents play golf and tennis 12 months of the year. Check out the local Sun Cities weather - click here.

Entertainment

Each of the Sun Cities has its own social hall that can seat well over 1,000 people – you'll find bingo and other activities carried on here. The Sun Cities have three great libraries, as well as a well equipped theatre.

Also located in Sun City West is the Sundome Center for the Performing Arts which seats over 7,000 people and is the worlds largest single level theater. The Sundome is host to numerous professional shows and plays and has featured many of the worlds top performers. The Sun Cities Symphony a 95 piece orchestra also plays several concerts a year at the Sundome. 

Health Services

Boswell Memorial Hospital is located in Sun City and Del Webb Memorial Hospital is located in Sun City West. Both hospitals feature state-of-the-art equipment, and are staffed by some of the finest doctors in the world.

Crime

The crime rate in the Sun Cities is one of the lowest in the country – thanks to the several hundred volunteers who patrol 24 hours a day and assist the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department. There are three fully equipped fire stations located through Sun City West that are staffed by full time fire fighters. Many of the fire fighters are state certified paramedics.

Museums

The Sun Cities have their own ever expanding museum located between Sun City and Sun City West. In the Phoenix area there are numerous other museums, particularly museums showcasing the old southwest life-style.

Recreation

Sun City has 7 recreation centers – Sun City West has four recreation centers – Sun City Grand has 1 recreation center – each center has an Olympic sized outdoor swimming pool – several of the centers also have indoor pools. Tennis courts are located at each of the centers. At the R. H. Johnson Center in Sun City West there is also a bowling alley and billiard facility.

The recreation centers also house the facilities for wood working, metal working, computers, sewing, photography, china painting, and over 150 other activities. Facilities are well equipped and are for the exclusive use of residents and their guests. 

Golf Courses

The Sun Cities area is a golfers dream. Each of the Sun Cities has several golf courses that rival most private country club courses. To give you an idea of the quality of these courses – twenty five years ago the US Open was held on one of the courses in Sun City West.

In Sun City there are eleven golf courses – eight for exclusive use of residents and three private country clubs. Of the resident only courses there are five regulation length courses and three executive length (no par 5's) courses

In Sun City West there are nine golf courses – seven for the exclusive use of residents, one private country club, and one public course. Of the resident only courses there are four regulation length courses and three executive length courses (no par 5's).

In Sun City Grand there are three golf courses – all courses are currently public with plans to convert them to residents only courses when construction of homes is further along. All courses are regulation length courses.

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