I will be taking a trip to las vegas this febuary during president's week from upstate New York. My family and I would like to take a day trip over the california border to get a feel of the state. Any ideas where? Death Valley? Where is the world's largest thermometer? Any information would be a great help.

You're kidding, right? Baker is about an hour away and home of the World's Biggest Thermometer and the world's worst food and highest gas prices. I would rather go to the dentist for a root canal than drive to Baker. Stay in Vegas.

I'd have to agree that I don't think the world's largest thermometer will give you a feel for California, even if that is what state it's located in.

Death Valley is to California as Troy is to New York. An incomplete picture.

Death Valley is a longish day trip from LV, around 2 1/2 hrs. each way, but if you leave very early you can enjoy a day in the valley before heading back to LV.

The big thermometer is in Baker on I-15, which you won't go through en route to Death Valley. Lucky you.

thanks for the info on the thermometer, but we are really interested in what we can do in a day to see california

Let me take a crack at this:

YOU CAN'T GET A "TASTE OF CALIFORNIA" IN A DAY TRIP DRIVING FROM LAS VEGAS.

If you want to go to a "major" city, you'll end up driving four to six hours to Los Angeles or San Diego or Palm Springs, then driving back four to six hours to Las Vegas. That's just madness. And I don't think a trip to Death Valley OR Baker is worth the effort. They are truly only one tiny aspect of the state's mystique.

You want a day trip to CA? Take an early LAS-LAX flight (they're cheap and about an hour in length), get a car, drive around LA, return to LAX, drop off car, fly back to LAS. Simple. Otherwise, I'd simply stay in Vegas and plan a trip back to CA.

Go to Anaheim. Get to "California Adventure" - the new Disneyland attraction. Enough activities for a day, and nothing more to do there. (and yes, I AM sarcastic)

As the others have said, you can't really get a taste for California in a day trip from LV. That part of California is completely different from any other part of the state.

With or without the casinos, Las Vegas itself is a better "taste of California" than anything else over the border and within an hour's drive.

Now I'm really confused, PetHead. I just looked at some of your other posts and see you're already doing a "very long day trip to San Diego from Las Vegas" on Feb. 16 and you want to add in going to Tijuana on that same day.

I think you need to sit down and decide where you want to go. No one can tell me that making a one day trip from Las Vegas to San Diego makes any sense in the world. And then to suggest that on that day when you get to San Diego you really want to spend time in Tijuana also really has me wide-eyed!

Something tells me you're just pulling our collective legs with your various posts. If not, you need to buy yourself an atlas.

Pethead: I'll trust that you are sincere but believe that you have a very small map of California. This state is a BEEG state, senor.

If you are determined to "do" California in a day, then welcome to the deserts of California because that's the part of California you will be seeing! Even if you drive to Tiajuana from Las Vegas you will be going through desert. Bring lots of water in your car, unless you are good at peeling cactus.

PetHead - you REALLY do need to get a map of California and actually look at it. All of the others have said it, What you want to do is totally unrealistic . . . ..