This Small Town in Northern California Feels Like It’s Straight Out of ‘Twilight’

A small former logging town nestled deep in the woods, near the ocean, rural and eclectic, with a distinct focus on tourism and nature—sounds like the perfect location for a story about vampires! Or at least that’s what Stephanie Meyer thought when she wrote her famous book series "Twilight," which became ultra-popular when made into a movie series starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, among others. And yet, as specific as those descriptors are for Forks, Washington, there’s actually another town they could describe. It is located in a state two states away in an area more known for sunshine, tech bros, and beach bums. 

Boulder Creek is a small town in Northern California’s Santa Cruz Mountains. Ironically, although the town itself isn’t known for vampires like Forks is, the neighboring city of Santa Cruz hosted a group of vampires in the late 1980s, as seen in "The Lost Boys." Both Boulder Creek and Forks share the same origins: they were towns born of logging. For Boulder Creek, the boom came early in the 1860s but really flourished in the 1870s once a railroad was built to transport the timber. For Forks, although the town was created in the late 1800s, its boom did not come until the 1950s. But come it did, with Forks being named as “the Logging Capital of the World” for at least two decades. 

Besides their shared history as logging towns, Forks and Boulder Creek remain deeply rooted in nature. Big Basin Redwoods State Park, the Portola Redwoods State Park, Castle Rock State Park, and the famous Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park are all within easy driving distance of Boulder Creek, if not directly bordering the town itself. In the case of Forks, there’s the Hoh Rainforest and more broadly, the Olympic National Forest and the Olympic National Park. All of the forests within the parks listed above are classified as temperate rainforests. Although, to be more precise, the forests within the Santa Cruz Mountains are a specific type of temperate rainforest classified as "coastal redwood forests." This is why, although both areas have forests that feel imposing and beautiful, each has its own distinct charm.

The similarities between the two areas do not end there. Both towns' main streets feature all of the shops, restaurants, and general businesses, with houses built sprawling on the land behind. The majority of these businesses are mom-and-pop stores rather than large chains, with an unusually high number of antique and thrift shops for such small communities. There’s also (as is fitting for former logging towns) more than one hardware store. 

Even the differences in the towns also highlight the similarities. For instance, Boulder Creek has a “cuter” downtown area with a slightly Western feel. And yet, these buildings, like those in Forks, are often rustic in appearance and, to put it politely, not “new” looking. But you’ll notice that little decorations and customizations make these places feel lived-in and unique, with a lot of charm. Additionally, Forks is famous for being one of the rainiest towns in the United States. Boulder Creek is certainly not as rainy, but it is known for a thick layer of coastal marine fog that can maintain the slightly gloomy feel that "Twilight" is famous for. 

So, maybe you can’t quite travel to Forks to get your "Twilight" fix. Luckily, there’s Boulder Creek as an alternative. You can stay in town (preferably in winter to get the full gloom factor), hike through another temperate rainforest (to get the full "spider monkey" experience, of course), and visit with the friendly, eccentric locals who may or may not be slightly into witchcraft and the supernatural (neighboring Santa Cruz is famous for vampires too, after all).