Boron, California: Borax Visitor Center

Don't miss the view of Borax's huge open-pit mining operation, the museum about the many uses of borax, and get a free souvenir piece of ore!

You will want to watch the movie and talk to the docent. The view of the mine from above is worth the little walk, but be prepared for wind. There is no charge for the Borax Visitor Center, and you can take home a piece or three of borax crystal.

Interesting place to stop if you have a little time to kill while in the area. There is currently no admission charge; on the other hand, they also no longer give free samples of the mineral. They do suggest donations that are then contributed to the local community, although exactly how is not specified.

High points: dog-and-people-friendly guy at the entrance, photo-op displays outside the visitor center, excellent gift shop, uncredited Ronald Reagan cameo during the video. I probably would have been bored as a kid but as an adult who enjoys the Discovery and History channels, I was very impressed. This is absolutely the way to run a visitor's center at a mine - make it fun, keep it in good repair, emphasize the environmentalism. Such a great little stop in the middle of the desert.

An attraction you simply must visit is the Borax Visitor Center. It's a brand-new building run by the Borax Corporation, with some models, product and ore displays, and a short film. After the film, you're treated to a view of Borax's huge open-pit mining operation. Out front sits one of the original 20-mule team wagons that brought Borax from Death Valley.

Admission is $2 per car at a guard gate (since it's very near the mining operation), and they give you a free piece of ore with interesting transparent properties. My wife and I spent 45 minutes there one Sunday, where each display was explained to us personally by a host, as there was no one else there to occupy his time!