16 January 2024
18 mins Read
Those dusty-blue peaks may be the initial drawcard of the Blue Mountains region, but this sprawling wilderness dotted with idyllic towns offers a gargantuan array of activities. Whether you visit for the weekend or a longer stay, it’s easy to jam-pack your itinerary with everything from dining out to relishing staying in, hiking, swimming, wine-tasting, glamping and partaking in all manner of heart-pounding adventures. These are the top 35 things to do in the Blue Mountains, get amongst it…
If this is your first time to the Blue Mountains, get the lay of the land’s dramatic cliffs, peaks, lush ravines and adorable townships with a hop-on-hop-off ticket on the Explorer Bus.
Ride through the quaint streetscapes onboard the Blue Mountains Explorer Bus. (Image: Destination NSW)
It’s the freedom to roam the big attractions without having to worry about directions and there’s even live commentary, so you can get your nose out of the guide book and actually take in the sights. The full-day ticket is $49 for adults and all kids ride for free!
The Blue Mountains is bejewelled with plenty of crystal cascades you can visit and even splash about in come summer. From the moderately accessible and widely known Wentworth Falls, Katoomba Falls and Minnehaha Falls to the more difficult Linda Falls and Leura Cascades, both in Leura, there’s many trails leading to these thundering gems.
Reach the top of Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains National Park. (Image: Destination NSW)
Spend an evening ogling bioluminescent larvae in this former rail tunnel in Newnes Plateau. You can book a tour to check out the worms – who use their glow to attract prey, such as mosquitos – or bring your torch and sturdy shoes and wander the 400-metre tunnel yourself.
Follow the bioluminescent lights of Glow Worm Canyon in the Blue Mountains. (Image: Destination NSW)
The pin-up girls of the Blue Mountains, the Three sisters are a must-see on any journey to the national park. Taking in their majesty is an easy 800-metre walk from the Echo Point Visitor Centre, where you can admire the ancient formations as they rise one kilometre above sea level.
Take in majestic views of Three Sisters from Echo Point Lookout. (Image: Destination NSW)
Submit to bodily restoration with a visit to the Japanese Bath House, where you can bathe in a public onsen, enjoy a range of treatments and even spend the night in the Japanese-style accommodation. With spectacular views to take in, it’s easy to spend a day slipping in and out of the warm waters and relaxing in the rest area. It’s the perfect way to soothe aching muscles from all those Blue Mountains hikes. This spot regularly books out, so make sure to check their website in advance.
Where there are mountains, there are, naturally, valleys and ravines into which to descend by a rope. If your idea of taking in the majesty of this landscape is to interact with it to the limits of your physicality, canyoning is going to be your thing.
Scale steep rockface at Cahills Lookout. (Image: Destination NSW)
The Blue Mountains Adventure Company offers a handful of tours that include abseiling and canyoning with everything from slipping down waterfalls to jumping into pools and rock scrambling. Choose from locations such as the Grand Canyon, Empress Falls, Serendipity Canyon and more and get your pulse quickening.
Guide yourself down the Empress Falls. (Image: David Hill)
One of the most immersive ways to take in the drama of the Blue Mountains scenery is to trundle up it, swoosh across it and glide above it at Scenic World.
Glide across the striking Jamison Valley on a Scenic World cable car. (Image: Destination NSW)
Here, in this veritable theme park of natural beauty, you can take the world’s steepest railway, the 270-metre-high Skyway or the Southern Hemisphere’s steepest aerial cableway. And, for those who can’t get enough of heights, try the heart-stopping Beyond Skyway experience, where you stand on top of the Skyway as it makes its crossing – yes, that means outside the car!
Buckle up for a ride on the world’s steepest railway. (Image: Destination NSW)
With its smattering of adorable mountain towns, such as Blackheath, Katoomba, Leura all populated with talented makers, artists, growers and producers, it stands to reason there are plenty of markets dotting the calendar. From the Blackheath Mountain Craft Market to the Springwood Growers Market, you’ll find a market just about every weekend, where you can peruse local wares.
Get your face painted at The Woodland Faerie. (Image: Jayne Shephard)
Craft breweries have popped up in plenty of places in the last decade, each proudly showcasing the distinct flavours of their region in their brews. The Blue Mountains follows suit with a handful of great local breweries, which you can visit for a cold one and a bite to eat.
Enjoy a cold pint at Mountain Culture Beer. (Image: Destination NSW)
On your list, be sure to include Mountain Culture Beer’s Katoomba Brewpub and Katoomba Brewing Co., which you can enjoy at The Carrington precinct where it’s brewed onsite.
Order up a paddle for a tasting at Mountain Culture Beer. (Image: Destination NSW)
While the magnificence of the Blue Mountains is on full display during the daylight hours, there’s something magical and mysterious about the landscape at night.
Stroll under the stars on a Katoomba Falls Night-lit Walk. (Image: David Hill; Deep Hill Media)
Lean into the darkness on the beautiful and illuminated Katoomba Falls Night-lit Walk, which follows a 1.5-kilometre trail that passes by Orphan Rock, Witches Leap, Katoomba Falls and Katoomba Cascades. The lights stay on until 11pm, giving you plenty of opportunity to enjoy a post-dinner stroll.
Lean into the darkness and experience a different side to the mountains. (Image: David Hill; Deep Hill Media)
As a pristine wilderness, the focus of the Blue Mountains National Park shifts from ground level skywards as the sun gives way to the night’s celestial adornments. With so little light pollution to impede stargazing, it’s the perfect place to look toward the dark skies above. Blue Mountains Stargazing offers a collection of tours, some including dinner, others an astronomy workshop, and others that are complemented by wine tasting.
Join a stargazing tour to admire the starry night sky. (Image: Destination NSW)
The Blue Mountains are proliferated with incredibly Instagrammable cabins to cocoon yourself in during the cooler months and to serve as a beautiful base for exploring the national park. Even a cursory comb of Airbnb reveals plenty of places worthy of pinning to your Pinterest board. There’s something to cater to all tastes.
Stay in a cosy and cute cabin at Wondernest.
Invoke your inner early settler and take in the undulating landscape of the Blue Mountains on horseback. Canter across hillsides, trot through babbling streams and absorb vistas of valleys bathed in golden light as you explore the region upon a noble (or, at least, compliant) steed. There are a few places to find a horse-riding experience in the region, such as at Megalong Valley Farm and Centennial Glen Stables.
Bask in the countryside charm of the Megalong Valley Farm.
This one is a no-brainer and perhaps the most obvious activity on any Blue Mountains itinerary. But before you direct yourself to the nearest bushwalk, it’s worth doing some research to find the hike that’s best suited to you, as they vary in difficulty and scenery.
Explore the Grand Canyon Walking Track. (Image: Destination NSW)
Some are challenging and require experience with walking, whereas others are short and easily accessible for children and less mobile visitors. For example, the Six Foot Track is a three-day undertaking with steep ascents, while the Katoomba Round Walk is an easy 3-kilometre track.
Walk along the scenic edges of Wentworth Falls Track. (Image: Destination NSW)
With its proximity to Sydney ensuring a flow-on effect from the city’s fantastic dining scene, coupled with the beautifully fresh produce of the region, eating out in the Blue Mountains is a culinary treat. From Katoomba to Blackheath and beyond, there are loads of fine dining and more casual eateries to choose from. A few noteworthy establishments include Blaq, Tempus and Ates. Find a full run-down on where to eat in Katoomba, Blackheath, and the Blue Mountains in our go-to guides.
Dine on locally sourced produce at Blaq. (Image: Steven Woodburn)
While often overlooked as a wine-growing region, the Blue Mountains certainly produces some beautiful drops. Pop into the cellar doors of Winburndale Wines near Bathurst, Megalong Creek Estate and Dryridge Estate, both in the Megalong Valley, to sample their wares.
Dryridge Estate has a vast vineyard to wander through.
While you can explore yourself, there are also a handful of tours to join so you needn’t designate a driver, such as Western Wine Tours’ Majestic Megalong Valley tour.
Enjoy wine tastings at Megalong Creek Estate.
The hazy-blue mountains may get star-billing, but what lies beneath is just as bewitching. The Jenolan Caves system is the largest in Australia with an astonishing network of underworld chambers and rivers. Tours range from one to two hours and vary from easy to strenuous.
Explore the magnificent river cave system at Jenolan Caves. (Image: Destination NSW)
If you’re keen to explore deeper, stay overnight at the historic Caves House, the Mountain Lodge or the Binda Bush Cabins. For everything else you need to know about visiting the caves, read our Jenolan Caves guide.
Check-in to the Caves House near Jenolan Caves. (Image: Destination NSW)
Trundle along on this historic and deeply nostalgic railway that, as its name suggests, zig-zags round the mountain. First opened in 1869 as part of the Western Railway Line connecting Sydney to the west of the state, the steam-powered locomotive is a must-do experience that weaves across heritage brick bridges taking in dramatic the Blue Mountains vistas. The trains run every second weekend and you’ll need to book ahead online.
The steam-powered locomotive Zig Zag Railway is a must-do experience. (Image: Salty Dingo)
Absorb the sights and scents of the bush from a seated position as you wheel along on a bike. If you’re an experienced rider with your own bike on the hunt for two-wheeled thrills, there are loads of mountain bike trails to test your mettle on throughout the mountains.
Go mountain biking on scenic trails with Blue Mountains Biking Adventures. (Image: Destination NSW)
However, if you’re after a gentler experience that’s more sightseeing than adventure-seeking, you could join an e-bike tour that takes a lot of the grunt work out of the propulsion. Blue Mountains Biking Adventures offers beginner and intermediate tours that include the bike, helmet and guide, and takes you through some of the region’s most beautiful scenery.
No matter what the weather is doing, a spa day never goes astray. But it can’t be denied that when the weather is chilly, spending the day cocooned in a cosy spa dials up the delight. There are plenty of spas to book yourself into in the Blue Mountains, from the luxe Lilianfels Day Spa to Katoomba’s Spa Sublime. Or, if you’re keen to revive tired muscles from more energetic pursuits, go for a session of hot and cold therapy at Blue Mountains Sauna.
Treat yourself to a pampering session at Lilianfels Day Spa. (Image: Destination NSW)
The inherent tranquillity of the Blue Mountains goes a long way to facilitating mindfulness and personal serenity. But while a bushwalk is a great way to reset your inner zen, if you’re looking to dive deeper into wellbeing, book into Happy Buddha Retreats.
Reset your inner zen at Happy Buddha Retreats.
Set in Wentworth Falls surrounded by bushland, you can choose a two- or three-day program to suit your spiritual needs, from silent meditation to sound healing, breathwork and inner joy retreat. The accommodation is simple but lovely at this digital-free escape and there’s a wonderful pool for enlivening the senses.
Be at one with nature.
Weekends away dictate indulgence, so chocolate lovers ought to make a beeline for the Blue Mountains Chocolate Company in Katoomba, where guilty pleasures are happily accommodated. Visit for handmade chocolates and a candle-warmed hot chocolate sipped on the veranda. Leaving with slabs of your favourite chocolate is compulsory.
Although the untamed wilderness has its undeniable appeal, many tendered gardens in the Blue Mountains are worthy of your attention. Even if you’re not a natural green thumb, you’ll appreciate the toil that goes into maintaining the meticulous gardens of Leura’s Everglades House and Gardens, The Blue Mountains Botanic Gardens in Mt Tomah, and the Campbell Rhododendron Gardens in Blackheath. Real garden geeks will love the annual Leura Garden Festival.
Revel in the natural beauty on offer at Blue Mountains Botanic Gardens. (Image: Destination NSW)
The Blue Mountains town of Bilpin is home to many an apple orchard and it’s here that you’ll find Bilpin Cider Co. crushing the fruit for their refreshing tipples. Visit the cellar door to sample the bubbly drink and wander the farm. On the weekend, stay for lunch at the Farm Kitchen, the menu of which includes barbecue pork rolls, wagyu burgers and fish tacos. You can also book ahead for a picnic hamper to enjoy onsite, but don’t leave without a case of your favourite alcoholic or non-alcoholic cider tucked under your arm.
Sample ciders in Bilpin.
The charming town of Leura is loved for many reasons, not least for its eclectic and lovely boutiques. With a collection of stores from fashion and homewares to local artisan wares and art galleries, you can spend a very pleasant few hours perusing all manner of goods. For the lowdown on where to go, read our guide to shopping in Leura.
Unearth unique treasures in the stores along Leura’s main street. (Image: Destination NSW)
Set on the western side of the Blue Mountains Hartley and Little Hartley are a portal into a bygone era. Come to roam the former village with its well-preserved, historic sandstone buildings, such as the courthouse, where you can listen to the re-enactment of an old court case, and take the River Walk along the River Lett. Stay overnight at Old Trahlee or the more stately St Bernard’s Presbytery, the former of which is rumoured to be just a little bit haunted.
Step into a bygone era in the historic t of Hartley. (Image: Lithgow Tourism)
On particularly wintry winters, when snow dusts the ground in the Blue Mountains, it seems only right to indulge in the fantasy of a white Christmas. Do so by embracing the region’s Yulefest that plays out across many of the luxury and historic hotels, such as Jenolan Caves House, Fairmont Resort & Spa, Hydro Majestic Hotel and Katoomba’s Carrington Hotel.
While Christmas in July is celebrated every year, it’s particularly special when it snows and the magic of a European village is conjured with fairy lights, feasts and Father Christmas. In June, get into the spirit with the Winter Magic Festival in Katoomba, which transforms the town with a street parade and market stalls.
It’s never too early to celebrate Christmas at the Yulefest. (Image: David Hill; Deep Hill Media)
When the mountains heat up, there are plentiful pools and waterfalls perfect for cooling down in, especially after a hot hike. Glenbrook Gorge offers a natural plunge pool after a grade-4 hike, as does the nearby Jellybean Pool; Katoomba’s Minnehaha Falls is picturesque and relatively easy to access, as is Linden’s Paradise Pool. There are plenty more, so look for one that suits your fitness level and in summer, it’s a nice idea to choose a bushwalk that ends in a swim.
Tee off for a round of golf against the backdrop of the World Heritage Blue Mountains National Park at the Leura Golf Club, which is set on the grounds of the Fairmont Resort. The 18-hole course is the oldest in the Blue Mountains and can’t be rivalled for location thanks to those Jamison Valley vistas that may present an untimely distraction mid-swing. Nearby, the Lithgow Golf Club is worth playing a round at, even just for a post-game drink in the beautiful 1850s federation clubhouse.
Spend a day on the green at Leura Golf Club. (Image: Destination NSW)
There are more scenic lookouts in the Blue Mountains than anyone can be bothered to count. And while you can’t reasonably get around to them all in one trip, there are some notable spots for snapping that all-important mountain selfie.
Lose yourself in a sea of clouds at the Olympian Rock Lookout. (Image: Destination NSW)
High on the list is the ever-popular Govetts Leap Lookout and Echo Point, but be sure to add Leura’s Sublime Point Lookout for sweeping Jamison Valley views; Wentworth Falls to take in the thundering cascade; and Hassan Walls Lookout for the highest vantage point in the mountains that presides over Mount Wilson, Mount York and the Hartley Valley. Lincoln’s Rock is also a great sunset spot, just take care as the ledge is completely unfenced.
Lincoln’s Rock is an alternative lookout to Echo Point. (Image: Destination NSW)
It’s almost impossible to visit the mountains without having a cup of tea and a scone thrust into your hand. Devonshire teas and high teas are a big thing here and you’ll find them proliferated from the high-end hotels to small local cafes. High tea served in the Wintergarden of The Hydro Majestic is a lofty benchmark for the experience, but there are plenty more with just as much pomp and ceremony to enjoy.
Partake in an indulgent high tea at Hydro Majestic Hotel. (Image: Destination NSW)
The sprawling and exquisitely crafted Mayfield Garden in Oberon wanders for 65 hectares of themed horticultural vignettes. The cool climate private garden is open most of the year for visitors to spend the day ambling about and picnicking in, but to fully immerse in the lush surroundings, opt for the one-night glamping experience.
Opt for luxe glamping in Mayfield Garden. (Image: Destination NSW)
Overnighters sleep in a beautifully appointed tent with access to hot showers near the Obelisk Pond and enjoy a three-course dinner for two in the onsite restaurant. Glamping is only offered during the spring, summer and autumn festival seasons, so check the website for availability.
Immerse yourself in Mayfield Garden’s lush surroundings. (Image: Destination NSW)
Bar hopping through the Blue Mountains is an entirely agreeable way to extend your nightcap. Begin at Champagne Charlie’s at The Carrington, Katoomba’s oldest cocktail bar, which was named after French Champagne merchant Charles Heidsieck. From there, take a three-minute walk to Bootlegger for live music, good cocktails and some southern barbecue-style snacks. Then you’re a one-minute stroll (read: stumble) to Avalon Restaurant and Cocktail Bar, where you can end the evening in the gin parlour.
Head to Bootlegger and catch up with your friends over cocktails. (Image: Destination NSW)
If you’d like to send shivers down your spine, pitch your tent at the long-abandoned silver mining settlement, Yerranderie Private Town. This carefully preserved collection of historic buildings includes a post office, tailor shop, general store, bank and cottages, providing a freeze-frame of another time when bush life was harsh and unforgiving.
Stay at the historic Post Office Lodge. (Image: John Spencer DPE)
You can tour the nearby silver mine or just kick back, boil the billy and watch the local wildlife. It’s also the perfect place for ghost stories come nightfall, if you’re game.
Pitch a tent on the Private Town campground. (Image: John Spencer DPE)
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