Los Angeles to Sedona road trip: 22 stops worth the detour

A classic parkland course threading the junipers with red-rock views in every direction. Semi-private but happy to give visitors a tee time.

Gary Panks framed this one against Sedona's red-rock cathedrals, and the par-3 10th may be the most photographed hole in the Southwest. Bring a wide-angle lens and play slow.

San Gabriel Valley noodle shop specializing in handmade noodles and its cult-favorite crisp, savory beef roll. Order: Beef roll.

Chef Lisa Dahl's playful 'couture burger lounge' in the Village of Oak Creek, with a marble bar, 40-plus bourbons and boozy milkshakes — the most fun, low-key stop in her Sedona family.

The bolder of Verrado's two courses, with big elevation swings against the White Tank Mountains. A Tom Lehman design the West Valley quietly considers its best public play.

Acclaimed San Gabriel Valley restaurant specializing in the rustic home-style cooking of Sichuan province with bold, tongue-numbing flavors. Order: Mount Emei cold noodles.

Pete Dye built this one straight into the Santa Rosa Mountains, with fairways tucked beneath sheer rock faces. Dramatic desert scenery at a storied old resort.

Family-run New York-style Jewish deli in Palm Springs since 1963, legendary for pastrami on rye and matzo ball soup. Order: Pastrami on rye.

An Arnold Palmer municipal course at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains that once hosted the Bob Hope Classic. Big mountain backdrops at a public price.

Greg Norman's natural-desert layout at PGA West, routed through arroyos and native landscape with minimal housing. The quietest of the resort's courses.

Contemporary spin on a classic Palm Springs steakhouse with tableside service. (Downtown)

Pete Dye at his most diabolical, headlined by the island-green 17th nicknamed Alcatraz and a bunker called the San Andreas Fault. Punishing, theatrical, and unforgettable in the desert sun.

a relentless red-rock climb to a panoramic summit — exposed, strenuous, and worth it

Little Ethiopia mainstay since 1985 serving communal platters of stews scooped up with spongy injera in the heart of Fairfax. Order: Messob combination platter.

Free cliff-edge camping on the Mogollon Rim

Afro-centric eatery near SoFi blending West African and California flavors. (Inglewood)

A Rees Jones layout tucked into the mountains northwest of the city, miles from anything. The elevation changes and total seclusion make it feel like a private retreat at public prices.

Jay Morrish routed this through surreal piles of ancient granite at a Hilton Curio resort. The two courses rotate which is open to guests each day, so book ahead and savor whichever you draw.

Cave Creek's original restaurant (1976), where the crispy fried chicken is routinely called some of Arizona's best. Rustic saloon décor, patios, and zero pretension.

Sedona red rock and ponderosa high country