Whether you venture to the California or the Nevada side, to the tables, the fairways or the water, Lake Tahoe is guaranteed to enchant.

Every year about this time, when the mercury in the desert where I live climbs to something approximating Charles Barkley’s golf scores, thoughts turn to the most idyllic summer golf destination I know: Lake Tahoe. Annual home to the celebrity-studded, nationally televised American Century Championship in July, “Tahoe,” as it’s known, beckons with sensational attractions, indoor and out. Star billing, however, goes to the weather. Just ask Sir Charles.

“Lake Tahoe is the only place in the world that ain’t hot,” stated Barkley at a recent media day event for the tournament. “No matter where I’m at, or at my house in Arizona, we know it’s hot as hell. If I’m in Philly for the summer, it’s hot. When I fly to Lake Tahoe, I’m like, ‘Damn. How in the world is this the only cool place in the world?’ I mean, I think we had rain [at the tournament] maybe two out of 27 years. The other 25 years, the weather’s been like, 70 degrees, never humid, and a nice little breeze. I’m like, ‘I cannot wait to get there.’ Lake Tahoe is one of my favorite places in the world.”

That makes two of us.

For decades, Lake Tahoe has been the go-to vacation spot for San Francisco Bay Area residents, whether in summer or winter. The destination sits 190 miles east of San Francisco, making it an easy drive across Interstate 80 to North Lake Tahoe or across State Route 50 to the South Shore.

But why should Northern Californians have all the fun? A 90-minute direct flight on Southwest, United or Delta will transport you from LAX to Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO). From Reno, it’s approximately 50 miles to Tahoe City on the northwest side of the lake and 58 miles to South Lake Tahoe.

Lake Tahoe’s natural attractions and geographical orientation make it unique among top-tier golf retreats. The dividing line between California and Nevada practically splits the lake into equal halves. Casino gaming steers visitors to Nevada-side properties. The South Shore, in both states, boasts the best hotels, beaches, lake access and nightlife. Tahoe North and its surrounds deliver the bulk of the region’s must-play golf courses, paired with a more laid-back vibe. We’ll begin our journey down south.

For all the talk of balmy weather, Lake Tahoe’s primary summer draw is indisputably the lake itself. The crystalblue, 22-mile-long, 12-mile-wide inland sea is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its waters are 99.9 percent pure — on a par with the distilled water on your grocery store shelf, making it a haven for boating, jet-skiing and fishing. Drop a white dinner plate into the lake and it remains visible 70 feet down. Pair the lake with the 10,000foot, snow-capped granite peaks of the Sierra Nevadas as a backdrop and we’re talking an 11 out of 10 on the aesthetics scale.

All these virtues converge at the area’s bucket-list golf course, Edgewood Tahoe. Home to the American Century event since its inception in 1990, Edgewood is Tahoe’s only championship course that edges the lake. Located in aptly named Stateline, Nevada, Edgewood opened in 1968, designed by George Fazio with help from his nephew, Tom. It served as a stirring, scenic U.S. Senior Open host in 1985, when Miller Barber won his third title. The USGA broke with tradition that year and permitted competitors to ride in carts to help cope with the 6,200-foot elevation.

The younger Fazio has tinkered with the 7,529-yard, par-72 layout over the past three decades, mostly to enhance playability, but the course design inevitably takes a backseat to the overwhelming scenery. Mountain meadows and Ponderosa pine forests greet golfers for the first 16 holes, with a fistful of green complexes nestled into amphitheaters of pines.

Considering its alpine setting, Edgewood Tahoe is surprisingly flat, though a bevy of sprawling bunkers keep the wild and wayward in check. For more “wild and wayward,” bear sightings are not uncommon. Mine occurred at the fifth green on my first visit, though he ambled off before I could ask him for help reading my putt.

Most memorable, however, thanks in part to endless telecast exposure, are the final two holes, both of which have the lake itself in range of a power-fade. The 207-yard, par-3 17th demands a poke across beach sand to a green framed by pines to the left and the lake to the right.

Risk-reward glory and nature’s grandeur define the 572-yard, par-5 18th. Reachable in two at this altitude, the closing hole tempts with eagle possibilities, but a pond lurking left of the green, a tall pine in the fairway landing area and mountains that mess with your depth perception all serve as handsome impediments.

For maximum pampering in an unbeatable location, Edgewood Tahoe Resort rises to the top. There are no slots or poker tables on property — and you hardly mind. Superb lake- and mountain-view restaurants, a sybaritic spa and a plethora of activities will melt away any stress that accompanied you to Tahoe.

The pleasure can be as simple as a lawn game, complete with those million-dollar views, swimming in the heated pool, also complete with those million-dollar views, or partaking of a premium boat experience, in partnership with MasterCraft. Did I mention the million-dollar views? The hotel is also mere steps away from the fi rst tee of its namesake golf course. Grab a nightcap at the Bistro Bar or the Edge Lounge and you’ve got a candidate for Best. Day. Ever.

ON THE NEVADA SIDE

South Lake Tahoe on the Nevada side off ers four prime lodging options that include gaming: Harrah’s, Caesars Republic (formerly Harvey’s), the Golden Nugget (formerly Hard Rock) and Bally’s (formerly MontBleu). The hotel names may change, but their attractions — slots, table games, fi ne dining and nightclubs with live entertainment — are consistent draws. Cross into California and family-friendly Heavenly Village awaits. Sitting at the base of skiing paradise Heavenly Mountain Resort, the region’s highest at 10,000 feet, the Village is home to more than 40 shops and restaurants, a movie theater and miniature golf, and it serves as the main departure point for the Heavenly Gondola, a 2.4-mile scenic ride up the big hill.

AND THERE’S MORE

If you’re craving additional outstanding golf experiences, start or finish your trip up north. The communities in and around North Lake Tahoe and Truckee, 12 miles to the northwest, overflow with magnificent mountain layouts. Top dog among this pack is Incline Village. Designed by Robert Trent Jones in 1964, the Championship Course is 7,106 yards of stream-crossed fun cut through Ponderosa pines on mountain slopes 500 feet above the lake. Trent’s son Bobby has tweaked the Championship spread over the years and in 1968 crafted the less-taxing, par-58 Mountain Course at the facility.

In the delightful, character-rich town of Truckee, Tahoe Mountain Club’s Old Greenwood checks every box. Featuring service and practice facilities commensurate with an exclusive private club, Old Greenwood rolls out a 7,518-yard Jack Nicklaus design from 2004 that tested the PGA Tour pros from 2020 through 2025 in the Barracuda Championship. Budding star Akshay Bhatia captured the 2023 event. Water on six highrisk holes and penally deep bunkers can send scores soaring, yet roomy landing areas and playable green complexes are the norm.

Literally dozens of exceptional and exceptionally under-publicized public courses await in the Reno-Tahoe region, perennial favorites Coyote Moon GC and Whitehawk Ranch GC among them. Or turn back time at Old Brockway GC in Kings Ranch on the north side of Lake Tahoe. Designed in 1924 by Scotland’s John Duncan Dunn, the course is nine holes of pure pleasure, with fairway corridors bracketed by massive pines and cedars. Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin are among the legends that have trod these fairways.

You can rest your head in comfort at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe in Truckee, adjacent to the resort community of Northstar, or go for rustic, historic charm at the Truckee Hotel, which dates to 1873. From there, it’s a quick 35 miles back to the airport. Get acquainted with the route, because once you’ve had a taste of Tahoe, it’s inevitable you’ll be back for a second helping.