A Guide to the Blue Mountains - #TheGreatAussieBucketlist
Australia is known for its beautiful beaches and incredible natural landscape, but there is so much more to our unique homeland. The Blue Mountains offers a relaxing escape from the hustle and bustle of the cities. The gum trees line the roads, and there’s a new hike or bushwalk down every street. From the stunning three sisters to the Grand Canyon hike, there is something for everyone in the blue mountains.
I’ve visited the Blue Mountains a few times in my lifetime, but this trip was the first time I really took note of where we went and what we did. It’s so easy to get caught up in the magic of it all, but I made sure to record it all for you all!
WHERE TO EAT IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS
Sit down and eat a pastry at Bakehouse on Wentworth
Coffee at Cassiopeia
A chunky meat pie from the Hominy Bakery in Katoomba
Brunch at Cafe 2773 in Glenbrook (on your way to the Blue Mountains!)
High tea at the Hydro Majestic
Lunch at Yellow Deli Cafe (do your research, it’s run by a cult but the food is GOOD!)
A cinnamon croissant from Black Cockatoo Bakery
Have the most incredible pizza at the Alexandra Hotel in Leura
Grab a coffee from the Elephant Bean in Katoomba
WHAT TO SEE + DO IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS
Lincoln’s Rock: Take a photo on the edge of Lincoln’s Rock (also known as Flat Rock), that offers unparalleled views of the Jamison Valley. It’s a popular Instagram spot, as it has an edge cliff that makes you appear you’re sitting on top of the world! In reality, there’s a small ledge below that would mean you’d "probably” survive the fall. If you’re afraid of heights, don’t look down!
Govett’s Leap lookout: Stop off at the famous Govett’s Leap for a breathtaking view. It’s one of the most famous lookouts in Aus, and features a beautiful waterfall that drops 180m to the base of the cliff. The sweeping views of the Grose Wilderness are absolutely incredible, and if you’re unable to hike, this is the perfect spot for you. You can drive right up to the lookout!
The Three Sisters: Visit the iconic Three Sisters and watch the sunrise over these incredible natural formations. According to Aboriginal legend, the stones are three sisters that turned into stone. There is lots of paid parking around the visitor centre, but it’s free before 9am! Walk down to the lower platform for an unobstructed view of the 3 sisters.
The Street Art Walk: In Katoomba, there is a small series of passageways that are decorated with local artist’s murals known as the Street Art Walk. It’s not well known, and you’ll need to type it into Google maps to find it. There are new murals every few months, and some of them are truly breathtaking.
Blackheath Main Street: This one is only relevant for autumn, but if you’re lucky enough to be in the Blue Mountains for autumn, you have to take a walk down Blackheath Main Street. The beautiful trees are in full autumn bloom, and it’s a gorgeous colour palette that I guarantee will blow you away.
The Grand Canyon Walking Track: Hike the Grand Canyon walk and see the beautiful landscape. There’s lots of steps so bring plenty of water and leave enough time! I absolutely loved this walk, and wrote a full review on it which you can read HERE.
Scenic World: If you go the Blue Mountains, you absolutely have to visit Scenic World. It consists of the Scenic Skyway, Scenic Cableway, Scenic Walkway and Scenic Railway, and your $44 pass (during the week) includes all of them! Ride all of the different rides, and get there early as parking fills up. You’ll see so much of the gorgeous landscape, and Scenic World is the perfect option for someone that only has 24 hours in the Blue Mountains as it’s a bit of everything.
The Leura Shops: Wander the main streets of Leura and see the quirky streets that are lined with boutique shops, antiques and gourmet coffee shops. There are seriously so many adorable shops that are filled with one of a kind items, and my favourite shop is Teddy Sinclair. Make sure you walk down the laneway to see the pretty painted mural as well.
WHERE TO STAY IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS
The Heritage Mountain Hotel Review: We chose the Heritage Mountain Hotel as it had great reviews, was located centrally and had a gigantic bathtub AND fireplace in the bedroom. It cost us $410 for two nights (mid-week), and I think it was a fabulous price. The only drawback was the internet, that was given out in slips of 1Gb, so if you want to stream Netflix or get some work done you’ll need to get several. Besides that, everything was really wonderful and I’d definitely choose to stay there again! It was only a five minute walk to Katoomba main street, offered free parking and all the staff were so lovely!
OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR THE BLUE MOUNTAINS
Red Hands Cave Walk
Wentworth Falls
Botanical Gardens
Stay at the Carrington Hotel
The Jenolan Caves
Pulpit Rock
I hope you enjoyed this first instalment of #TheGreatAussieBucketlist, that will explore the best Australia has to offer. The Blue Mountains in NSW are truly magical, and should be on your bucketlist!