Tiberg or Heidelberg fo a day trip?

I think Heidelberg is a more interesting destination (more to do) than Triberg, but the trip to Triberg (Schwarzwaldbahn) is much more scenic.

Believe me: You don't do Tripberg for the waterfalls. Any waterfall in North America is more exciting than Triberg. The town itself is nice but also very touristy. "House of 1000 coo-coo clocks" and alikes. Actually there is such a place in almost every town on the road between Offenburg and Triberg. I thought the town "Zell" in the Black Forrest was much more worthwhile than Triberg. However, the trip to either one is absolutely scenic and that alone is probably worth the effort! If you've been to Baden Baden I fear Heidelberg might just be too much of the same... Will you have a car?

I would also discourage you from going to Triberg, which really is overtouristed; the only really interesting feature of the town is the Black Forest Museum - very good but displays are in German only. I would instead recommend a train ride along the Black Forest Railway to other interesting destinations. There are direct trains from Baden-Baden to Hausach and Schiltach. Near Hausach, an attractive village, is near the Vogtsbauernhof open air museum. Schiltach is a gorgeous BF town filled with cobblestones and half-timbered houses. By the way, both towns are much easier to visit by train than Triberg, which is a long uphill walk from the station. http://en.vogtsbauernhof.org/ Personally, I would skip Baden-Baden completely, unless you're in need of a massage or you want to lose some big money in a casino. This town is not at all typical of the Black Forest towns, and it lies UNUSUALLY far from the train station - you have to take a bus between the town and the station whenever you leave or return. I'd rather stay in Heidelberg, or in the old walled town of Gengenbach, which is MUCH better located for a train trip into the high Black Forest. http://www.gengenbach.info/en/tourism/old-town/