Stories and guides
Around Town
Local guides, history, and practical notes about living in and visiting Boulder Creek.
Ginia's Gems: Handmade Jewelry on Highway 9
Ginia's Gems is the handmade jewelry shop at 13133 Highway 9 in Boulder Creek. Hours vary, so call ahead. Her designs also sell at Air & Fire.
Big Basin's Rebuilding Plan Is Approved: What's Coming and When
California State Parks approved Big Basin's rebuilding plan on July 2, 2026. Here's what the reimagined park will include and the years-long road ahead.
The Tree House Cafe: The Boulder Creek Coffee Shop With Redwoods Inside It
The Tree House Cafe sits at the north end of Boulder Creek with living redwoods coming up through the floor. Coffee, breakfast, and how to find its current hours.
Why Buying Local Hits Different in a Mountain Town
There used to be a feed store in town. What its closing taught me about one main street where every storefront is load-bearing.
Downtown Boulder Creek in an Afternoon
I grew up hunting salamanders at Junction Park; now I watch the next generation learn the same beach. An afternoon downtown, river included.
Boulder Creek Antiques at Mac's Place: The Booths on Highway 9
Boulder Creek Antiques at Mac's Place is the multi-vendor antique shop at 13164 Highway 9, open daily 11 to 5, with booths, vintage, and a plant nook.
Family Resources in the San Lorenzo Valley
Raising kids in the San Lorenzo Valley means piecing together a school district, a library branch, a recreation district, and a few nonprofits. This gathers the verified basics in one place: SLVUSD and Boulder Creek Elementary, preschool and childcare options, the Boulder Creek library, and BCRPD parks, pool, camps, and scouts, plus who to call when you're stuck.
What It Costs to Live in Boulder Creek
Rent, property tax, the 9.5% sales tax, water and trash rates, propane, power and commute costs in Boulder Creek, with sources and dates for every figure.
How to Set Up CruzAware Alerts (and What They Cover)
If you do one preparedness task this month, sign up for CruzAware, Santa Cruz County's free alert system, at cruzaware.org. It's how the county sends evacuation notices and other urgent warnings, and it takes about ten minutes. This walks through the signup step by step, the quick fine-tuning afterward, and how CruzAware differs from National Weather Service and PG&E alerts.
Where to Stay in and Around Boulder Creek
Verified places to stay in and around Boulder Creek: small lodges, redwood cabin resorts, camping, and the closest chain hotel in Ben Lomond.
Wild Lilith: The Boutique at 13120 Highway 9
Wild Lilith is the clothing boutique at 13120 Highway 9 in downtown Boulder Creek. Nearly everything is new, it stocks six local makers, and it keeps no website.
A Boulder Creek Weekend: The Locally Supportive Itinerary
This lays out a two-day Boulder Creek weekend that keeps your money in town: camp under the redwoods on Grove Street, stock up at the two markets, spend Saturday in Big Basin and Sunday on a ridge or river beach, then fill the edges with the museum, the shops, and a mountain-grown wine tasting. It flags the two reservations to book first.
Every Home Service You Need in the Mountains
Plumbers, electricians, contractors, septic, tree crews and more that serve Boulder Creek, organized by problem, with license numbers where verified.
New to Boulder Creek? The Quick-Start Guide
This is week one in Boulder Creek, in order: sign up for CruzAware alerts, put the PG&E and water accounts in your name, set up GreenWaste trash service, enroll the kids at their school, and grab a library card. It also points you to transit, who to actually call for fire and sheriff, where to buy the basics, and how to spend your first weekend.
Good Vibes: The Boutique on Central Avenue
Good Vibes is the lifestyle boutique at 13124 Central Avenue in Boulder Creek, with local-design apparel, home goods, and Reindeer Run merchandise.
The San Lorenzo Valley Museum: What to See and How to Support It
The San Lorenzo Valley Museum is free, and it's open more often than most people think. This covers both gallery spaces in former churches, including the main Grace Episcopal Gallery at 12547 Highway 9, what's on in 2026, and the archives behind the scenes. It also lays out simple ways to support a museum the historical society has run for fifty years.
The Red Pearl: Boulder Creek's Chinese Restaurant
The Red Pearl is the Chinese restaurant for the whole San Lorenzo Valley, at 13151 Highway 9 in Boulder Creek. Dine in or take out, and no delivery, so plan a pickup.
Utilities, Water, and Waste in Boulder Creek: Who Serves What
This sorts out who provides what in Boulder Creek so you're not left guessing. Electricity comes from PG&E, water from the San Lorenzo Valley Water District or your own well, waste pickup from GreenWaste, and most homes run on septic rather than sewer. It also covers propane, internet and phone options, and a short who-to-call list for when something goes out.
Mountain Roads, Parking, and When Highway 9 Gets Complicated
Highway 9 into Boulder Creek is a genuine mountain road, narrow and winding under the redwoods, and it asks for patience over speed. This explains what the drive is actually like, how to share the curves with cyclists, where to park in town, what the Highway 236 run to Big Basin adds, and why you shouldn't count on your phone for directions.
Scarborough Home & Garden: The Hardware Store Open Seven Days
Scarborough Home & Garden at 13110 Highway 9 is Boulder Creek's Ace-affiliated hardware and garden store, open seven days a week.