You don’t have to be a hardcore hiker or nature lover to enjoy the Blue Mountains. Many head to this national park west of Sydney simply to get away from skyscrapers and ever-present traffic. In under two hours, you can settle into a slower pace of life with rustic towns, fresh food, jaw-dropping scenery and warm hospitality.
So leave the boots and camping gear behind and get ready to experience luxury dining, accommodation, wellness treatments and aerial views. Here’s our guide to relaxing in the Blue Mountains.
Make the most of absolutely every meal
Gifted with local, seasonal produce, the small towns dotting the Blue Mountains offer some of the best food this side of New South Wales. Katoomba, just a 90-minute drive from Sydney, in particular is heaving with top-notch food options.
For breakfast, try sustainable and organic favourite Black Cockatoo Bakery, which is also located in Lawson. For lunch, the rotating menu of Tempus includes two excellent set-lunch menu options on the weekend: one showcasing seafood and the other vegan.
As for dinner, there’s no going past Darley’s Restaurant for a fine-dining experience and spectacular view. Located at Lilianfels Resort and Spa, Darley’s three-course menu is the best way to get the most out of this prized kitchen.
Beyond Katoomba, you can explore towns such as Leura and Blackheath, which offer more fine-dining options.
Take your pick of fine drinks
Imagine starting the day with incredible coffee, a standout local wine or craft beer in the afternoon, and a refreshing cocktail (or several) around dinner. That satisfying trajectory is easy to achieve in the Blue Mountains, which packs a choose-your-own-adventure array of possibilities.
You could sip tea while browsing books at Chapters & Leaves in Faulconbridge, or taste your way through natural wines at popular bar and bottle shop Frankie & Mo’s. Beer lovers across Australia may already know the name Mountain Culture, but they might not know Bilpin Cider or Hillbilly Cider Shed, both located in Bilpin. Blue Mountains Gin Company has also opened a new cocktail bar connected to its Katoomba distillery.
And on the coffee front? With so many strong contenders, each local you ask might give you a different – and absolutely spot-on – answer.
Bask in the sunset from atop Scenic World’s Skyway
You may have heard of the Scenic Skyway, Australia’s first cable car. It takes visitors soaring over the Jamison Valley, including views of the Three Sisters, Mt Solitary and Katoomba Falls.
You’ll glide hundreds of metres over rainforests, gazing down at them through a clear floor. The largest aerial cable car in the Southern Hemisphere, it leisurely transports guests from Scenic World’s Katoomba site to the valley’s eastern side, which is home to the Katoomba Cascades and other natural wonders.
But have you heard of Beyond Skyway? This experience puts you on top of the actual cable car via a rooftop hatch, where up to four guests can sip complimentary mocktails and other non-alcoholic beverages on the journey back at dusk. Don’t worry, you’ll be safely harnessed in. But the 360-degree views may leave you breathless.
Choose from world-class accommodation
As you’d expect from these secluded surrounds, there are top-shelf retreats all around the Blue Mountains that pride themselves in luxury and relaxation. Standouts include Chalets at Blackheath, set on 17 acres of bush; the private cliff lookouts and hiking trails of Wild Acres; and wide-open Rolling Hills, on a working farm with resident animals.
Elsewhere there are chalets, spas, cabins and Airbnbs that will help you sink right into the wrap-around landscape. If you’re interested in wellness specifically, there is no shortage of options to find some much-needed TLC. And if you’d rather just sip some bubbly from a soft robe while gazing out across mountains and valleys, then you’ve come to the right place, too.
Relax right in the cradle of nature
If you have no interest in a strenuous hike, you can still immerse yourself in the Blue Mountains without breaking a serious sweat. Lithgow’s glow worm tunnel and the Grand Cliff Top Walk require only a moderate level of fitness. Wentworth Falls is also readily accessible.
The region’s bright constellation of picnic areas, gardens and lookouts will afford you a variety of vantage points. And depending on the time of year and the time of day, your experience with the Blue Mountains may very well change every single time.
This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Scenic World.