Things to do in Blue Mountains
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Blue Mountains
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Mild walking weather, clear views, autumn colour in April.
Hot, busy, bushfire risk on extreme days. Start walks early.
Cold, misty, atmospheric. Yulefest runs all July.
What's on
- Yulefest July
Christmas in July across the mountains, dinners and events all month.
- Winter Magic Festival June
Katoomba street festival: costumes and stalls.
- Leura Harvest Festival May
Food and wine weekend in the garden village.
Best things to do in Blue Mountains
Echo Point Lookout
The Three Sisters over the Jamison Valley; go at 8am before the buses.
Scenic World
Skyway, cableway and the steepest railway in the world into the rainforest.
Wentworth Falls
The Charles Darwin Walk to bigger-than-expected falls, fewer crowds.
Katoomba Falls
Falls and cliff walk by day; the floodlit night walk on selected evenings.
Prince Henry Cliff Walk
Seven kilometres of lookouts from Echo Point to Leura; walk it one way.
Norman Lindsay Gallery
The artist's home, studio and gardens: the cultural outlier in the mountains.
Jenolan Caves
Among the world's oldest cave systems; guided tours capped in number.
Everglades Gardens
Thirteen hectares of 1930s terraces and valley views; the peaceful counterpoint.
Where to stay in Blue Mountains
Katoomba
walkers
Biggest mountain town, on the train, lookouts and tracks on the doorstep.
Leura
a prettier, quieter stay
Garden village with cafés and restaurants, five minutes from Katoomba.
Medlow Bath
one grand night
Essentially one great old hotel and the bush.
Think twice about
- Sydney for a hiking trip
Two hours each way on the train; you lose the early starts.
- The lower mountains for walking
The great walks and lookouts are all up top around Katoomba and Blackheath.
- Echo Point at midday on weekends
The car park fills by 10am; stay over and go at 8am.
Best restaurants in Blue Mountains
Solitary Restaurant
Modern Australian tasting menus with valley views; the special occasion.
Leura Garage
Share plates and good wine in the converted garage; the Leura booking.
The Lookout Echo Point
Burgers and schnitzels with the Jamison Valley outside the window.
Silk's Brasserie
Classic luxury-hotel cooking in the Lilianfels dining room.
Yellow Deli
Big sandwiches and juices in the famously eccentric hobbit-like café.
The Carrington Hotel
Traditional roasts in the 1883 grand hotel; afternoon tea is the move.
Best bars in Blue Mountains
Station Bar
Craft beer by the station; the locals' evening bar.
Outdoor things to do in Blue Mountains
Giant Stairway
Nine hundred steps down the cliff; ride the railway back up.
National Pass
The 1906 cliff-edge track: the best half-day walk in the mountains.
Grand Canyon Walk
Six-kilometre rainforest canyon loop without the Katoomba crowds.
Govetts Leap
The great northern lookout over the Grose Valley; sunrise beats Echo Point.
Six Foot Track
The 45 km multi-day walk to Jenolan Caves; a genuine expedition.
Pulpit Rock
Clifftop track with the Grose Valley dropping away on both sides.
Hargraves Lookout
Drive-up lookout over the Grose Valley, best in morning light.
Best hotels in Blue Mountains
Lilianfels Resort & Spa
The grand Echo Point hotel; Blue Mountains luxury.
Blue Mountains YHA
The budget base in the old hotel building near the station.
Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains
Big resort with pools and golf in the garden village.
Hydro Majestic Hotel
The restored 1904 grande dame on the clifftop.
Is Blue Mountains expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | A$120 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | A$280 a person |
| Splurge | A$600 a person |
| No limits | A$1,200 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Scenic World: a few days ahead
- Jenolan Caves: a few days ahead
- Six Foot Track: weeks ahead
- Solitary Restaurant: a few days ahead
- Leura Garage: a few days ahead
- Silk's Brasserie: a few days ahead
- Lilianfels Resort & Spa: weeks ahead
- Hydro Majestic Hotel: weeks ahead
- Solitary and Leura Garage for weekend dinner: days ahead.
- Lilianfels and Hydro Majestic for weekends: weeks ahead.
- Jenolan Caves tours: book ahead, numbers capped.
- Scenic World tickets online to skip the queue.
Is Blue Mountains safe?
- Very safe. Stay on marked tracks, carry water, tell someone your route. Check bushfire ratings in summer. Emergency number 000.
Blue Mountains travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Echo Point at noon on Saturday: crowds and full car parks.
- The Sydney sunset tour: 40 minutes at the lookout, 4 hours in a coach.
- Paying for lookouts: every lookout is free.
- Underestimating the weather: 10 degrees colder than Sydney, sudden fog.
Getting around Blue Mountains: public transport and more
- Train Sydney Central to Katoomba: about 2 hours, runs regularly.
- The Explorer Bus links Katoomba's lookouts.
- Echo Point parking costs and fills by 10am on weekends.
- Taxis and Ubers are thin; plan around walking and the train.
Who Blue Mountains suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Good |
Make Blue Mountains your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
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