From Bushwalking to Boutique Stays: A Guide to Visiting the Blue Mountains

For many, a visit to the Blue Mountains means an immersion in the great outdoors. This is, after all, a sublimely beautiful region comprised of more than a million hectares of conservation reserve that has been on the Unesco World Heritage List since 2000.

So, an exploration of the bush is an essential activity once you’re here – whether a gentle stroll or a more vigorous hike over challenging terrain. But the area offers much more than just its landscape: increasingly, it’s a vibrant centre of culture, shopping and entertainment. Here are our tips for making the most of a visit to the Blue Mountains.

Endless bushwalks

It’s difficult to know how to pick out bushwalks in one of the most well-trodden (quite literally) hiking regions in Australia. Some of the more challenging walks take you into the wilds of the valleys and require preparation and a certain level of experience. Others are gentler trails across cliff tops, offering sweeping views of the familiar “blue” landscape.

The easier walks include the many that start from Echo Point in Katoomba (the viewing spot for the famous Three Sisters). Here, you can walk the seven-kilometre Prince Henry Cliff Walk, which takes you to Gordon Falls in Leura, while a quick stroll with children would be the much shorter Three Sisters walk. Similarly manageable walks can be found in Blackheath, such as the spectacular trail between Govetts Leap lookout and Evans Lookout, with the views looking north to the Grose Valley.

Among the more strenuous hikes is the walk to Mount Solitary from Echo Point, which can be a multi-day hike if you so choose (a day hike is also an option). The really big multi-day walk – in the upper mountains at least – is the Six Foot Track. This 42-kilometre trail starts in Katoomba and usually takes three days, but day walks along the track are also popular options. 

Words and music

The Blue Mountains offers a wealth of new and used bookstores, each with its own distinct character, and many host events. Among the most vibrant is Rosey Ravelston in Lawson, where you’ll find new and second-hand books, a popular cafe and a much-loved shop dog, Echo. A firm community favourite, Rosey Ravelston is a short stroll from Lawson Station and hosts poetry nights, live music and an eclectic program of workshops.

Katoomba is home to both Mr Pickwicks, a daunting labyrinth of second-hand books in the basement beneath its antiques emporium, and The Little Lost Bookshop – a small but focused store that has a room dedicated to board games, and again, hosts poetry and live music. Then there’s the Blackheath branch of Sydney’s Gleebooks, the always-busy Megalong Books in Leura, and in the lower mountains The Turning Page Bookshop in Springwood. Also worth planning a trip around is Blue Mountains Writers Festival, which takes place in Katoomba every October.

Among the local record stores is The Velvet Fog in Katoomba, which stocks vinyl, CDs and cassettes in pretty much every genre you can imagine, as well as hi-fi equipment. It also occasionally holds in-store gigs. And up in Blackheath is Hat Hill Records & Audio, offering a similarly eclectic range of music and stereo gear.

Mountains art

The largest and most active hub of art in the Blue Mountains is undoubtedly the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre in Katoomba, which hosts several concurrent exhibitions from both local and national artists, as well as events, workshops and plenty of activities for children.

The area is not short of innovative commercial galleries where you can browse or even consider a purchase. Rex-Livingston Art & Objects in Katoomba is a leading exhibition hub for local contemporary artists. Another is Day Gallery in Blackheath, which also has a focus on historical pre-Federation works.

Lower down the mountains, the council-run Braemar Gallery in Springwood can be relied upon for an eclectic program of shows from locals, while the Woodford Academy (the oldest building in the Blue Mountains) regularly hosts events, performances and artist talks. 

Food and drink

The Blue Mountains food and drink scene has expanded and diversified out of sight in recent years. On Parke Street in Katoomba, inside a heritage-listed building, sits the original – and still the essential – brewpub from Mountain Culture. It pours the full range of the multi-award-winning brewery’s beers, alongside a menu of elevated pub staples, including what it confidently calls the best burgers in town.

From Blackheath, a windy drive through the bush takes you down into the Megalong Valley, where two of the region’s key wineries sit among rolling hills. Dryridge Estate, operating since 2000, offers tastings, cheese boards, a ploughman’s lunch and more. Nearby, Megalong Creek Estate – a family-run vineyard – welcomes visitors to a compact cellar door set inside a repurposed shipping container with alpaca-dotted views.

Dining across the Mountains continues to level up. In Leura, Polar Bear draws a steady crowd for its Mediterranean- and Middle Eastern-leaning menu, while directly across the road, Mr Collins delivers a brasserie-style experience with gentle Asian notes.

Katoomba has its own standouts, including Tempus, which runs a modern Australian menu across breakfast, lunch and dinner. Basil Nut, down an unassuming arcade, remains a reliable stop for Southeast Asian flavours. And in Blackheath, Ates – with its Mediterranean slant – continues to impress, as does Osteria 2785, one of the region’s most polished expressions of Italian cooking.

Overnight escapes

A break in the Blue Mountains demands comfort, tranquillity and perhaps a dash of opulence. Fortunately, options abound in the upper mountains. Away from the tourist hot spots of Katoomba and Leura is Parklands Country Garden & Lodges in Blackheath. Parklands is set on 28 acres of manicured estate, and is a short hop from both Blackheath’s town centre and bushwalking opportunities. Rooms are spread out across the garden-filled estate, offering plenty of shady spots to relax and unwind.

Slightly lower down in Katoomba is Lilianfels, a resort that channels refined comfort in an old-fashioned country house environment. No matter the season, Lilianfels offers peace and charm in a spectacular setting – and in summer, a beautiful outdoor pool is the hub. The in-house restaurant, the acclaimed Darley’s, is a regal affair, and the resort is a five-minute walk to Echo Point.

Also in Katoomba, and also right near Echo Point, is Echoes Boutique Hotel. Many rooms here have panoramic views over the Jamison Valley to Mount Solitary – as does the fine-dining restaurant. The hotel also has an interesting history: it was built in 1990 (on the site of a historic homestead built in 1922) to serve as a mountain retreat for the world-renowned Australian novelist Thomas Keneally (author of Schindler’s Ark). Echoes is now a four-and-a-half-star hotel that’s one of the jewels in Katoomba’s hospitality crown.

Finally, roughly halfway between Katoomba and Blackheath lies the village of Medlow Bath, home to the grand Hydro Majestic. Looking out over the Megalong Valley, the Hydro was built in 1904 and is a true Blue Mountains icon, offering comfort and history in one splendid Edwardian and Victorian architectural package. There are two restaurants here: fine dining at The Wintergarden (where an elite high tea can be had) and the more relaxed Boiler House. 

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Salter Brothers Hospitality. Enjoy 25 per cent off your Blue Mountains holiday at all four mentioned boutique stays with the Summer Escape Sale, now on via each hotel’s individual website. Terms and conditions apply.