Take a day trip from Sydney to the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park. A quick 90 min drive or two hours by train will take you to a region full of art, history, thriving cafes and spectacular natural beauty. Your Blue Mountains Day Trip awaits!
20 Ideas For A Blue Mountains Day Trip
Scenic World
The perfect way to experience the beauty of the mountains. Scenic World consists of four activities: the Scenic Skyway, the Scenic Railway, the Scenic Cableway and the Scenic Walkway. The Scenic Skyway is suspended 270 metres above the Jamison Falls Valley and glides two cliff tops. On the other side, the beautiful Katooma Cascades waterfall is a short walk.
An absolute must is a thrilling ride on the Scenic Railway. With its 52 degree incline, this is the steepest passenger railway in the world.
Get more info on Scenic World and Katoomba Cascades here.
Katoomba Falls
The Katoomba Falls is a segmented waterfall that is located close between Echo Point and Scenic World, near Katoomba. The falls flow into the Jamison Valley in the Blue Mountains.
To view the falls, you can take the short, picturesque circuit walk starting at Scenic World. The 1.5km circuit, which takes about 1 hour 45 mins, goes through the rainforest, all the way to the waterfall, with panoramic views of Jamison Valley.
There is an excellent view of the falls from the Scenic World Skyway.
Katoomba Cascades
The cascades can be found in a bend on Cliff Drive, near Katoomba Park. There are some picnic benches in the park, making it the perfect place to stop for a break before heading down to the cascades.
It’s a short 300 metre walk down to the falls, which takes about 15 mins. It can get quite muddy, so wear closed in shoes and possibly bring a change of shoes in the car.
Read about visiting Katoomba Cascades.
Wentworth Falls
Enjoy breathtaking grand valley and waterfall views on the Wentworth Falls walks in the Blue Mountains National Park.
The 1.4km return walk to the top of Wentworth Falls includes two stunning lookouts over the Jamison Valley as well as overlooking Wentworth Falls themselves. There’s a lovely spot for kids to paddle in the cascades at the top of the waterfalls.
Read more about Wentworth Falls walks.
Lilianfels High Tea, Katoomba
Enjoy the grand tradition of Lilianfels High Tea, served on a three-tier platter, in the elegant Lilianfels Resort & Spa in the NSW Blue Mountains.
Lilianfels is also a great spot to stay the night, and is only a few metres from Echo Point to take in the Three Sisters while you’re there.
Read more about Lilianfels High Tea and other Blue Mountains high tea options.
High Tea at the Hydro Majestic in Medlow Bath
Take your high tea with a side of history at the iconic Hydro Majestic hotel. Since opening its doors in 1904 the hotel has been a place of luxury to visit for a relaxing stay, or to simply stop by for an elegant afternoon tea.
Read more about visiting the Hydro Majestic here and more Blue Mountains high tea options here.
The Three Sisters Rock Formation in Leura
A towering rock formation located at Echo Point in Katoomba, the Three Sisters is a popular Blue Mountains day trip. This unusual rock formation represents three sisters who, according to Aboriginal legend, turned to stone.
While the Three Sisters is a beautiful sight from the lookout, we love to take the bush walk that starts at the rock formation and heads down into the valley. It takes you past the sisters and beyond into the bush. Wear good walking shoes and pack plenty of water!
Get more info on visiting the Three Sisters here and on bushwalking in the Blue Mountains here.
The Minni Ha Ha Falls in Katoomba
The beautiful Minni Ha Ha Falls (also known as Minniehaha Falls and Minnihaha Falls) are the reward hikers receive for taking the 1.3km trail down to the bottom of the valley floor. You can swim in the waterfall (be warned – it’s cold!) or just enjoy the serenity.
Get more info on visiting the Minni Ha Ha Falls here. NOTE: the falls have been reported closed, so check they are open before going.
Bygone Beautys, Leura
For a truly unique high tea, journey inside the Bygone Beauties Treasured Teapot Museum & Tearooms, home of world’s largest private collection of teawares. Enjoy High Tea or Devonshire Tea surrounded by stunning teapots from a bygone era, while waitstaff zoom past with high tea on silver trays.
Read more about Blue Mountains high tea options, and get info on Bygone Beautys.
Norman Lindsey Gallery in Faulconbridge
Visit the home and studio of Norman Lindsey (1879-1969), an Australian artist, cartoonist, and writer. Famous for his Magic Pudding books and voluptuous nudes, Norman Lindsey’s house and the surrounding gardens have been maintained by the National Trust.
Get more info on visiting the Norman Lindsey Gallery here.
Everglades House and Gardens in Leura
This beautiful 1930s, Art Deco home will transport you to a bygone era of grace and charm. Set aside a few hours to wander the 5.2 hectares of stunning gardens and enjoy a Devonshire tea inside the old house itself.
Get more info on visiting the Everglades House and Gardens here.
Cafe 2773 in Glenbrook
Break your journey into the Blue Mountains with brekkie at one of our fave spots, Cafe 2773 in Glenbrook. The menu at 2773 focuses on use of local organic produce, with an extensive selection of local beer and wine. There’s a little play area for kids and farm animals to meet, too.
Get more info on visiting Cafe 2773 in Glenbrook here.
Mayfield Garden in Oberon
Mayfield Garden is one of the world’s largest privately-owned cool climate gardens. It’s a gorgeous spot to visit year-round, with waterlilies in summer, colourful foliage in autumn, raw structure of plants in winter and fragrant blooms in spring. Look up their calendar of events and plan your visit around one of Mayfield Garden’s special festivals.
Mayfield Garden is quite a drive from Sydney, making it a bit of a stretch for a Blue Mountains day trip. You might want to consider staying the night nearby.
Get more info on visiting Mayfield Garden here.
Blue Mountains Botanic Garden at Mount Tomah
The Blue Mountains Botanic Garden is the only botanic garden in the world located in a World Heritage area. Home to 21,000 plants of 900 species, the 69-acre garden is located 100km west of Sydney at Mount Tomah, in the Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia.
Spend the day strolling through this curated gardens and discovering exotic and native plants.
Get more info on visiting the Botanical Gardens Blue Mountains.
Breenhold Gardens in Mount Wilson
Enjoy spring and autumn colours at the heritage-listed Breenhold Gardens in Mount Wilson, a two-hour drive from the Sydney CBD. The Garden Estate of Breenhold is one of the most extensive privately owned garden properties in Australia.
Get more info on visiting Breenhold Gardens.
Fruit picking in Bilpin
Pick your own apples, oranges, mandarins and persimmons. A day fruit picking in the fresh air makes for a refreshing day trip that the whole family can enjoy.
Get more info on fruit picking in Sydney.
Wildwood Garden in Bilpin
Enjoy seasonal colours in the fresh mountain at at Wildwood Garden, a privately-owned cool climate garden in the Blue Mountains, 90 minutes drive west of Sydney. The garden has stunning seasonal blooms and foliage, and is particularly beautiful in autumn and spring.
Get more info on visiting Wildwood Garden.
Jellybean Pool, Glenbrook
Enjoy a refreshing dip in the Jellybean Pool, a short stroll down the Jellybean Track in Glenbrook, at the base of the Blue Mountains. The pool makes for a perfect Blue Mountains day trip with kids, who will love swimming in the calm waters.
Read more about visiting the Jellybean Pool.
Red Hands Cave
Red Hands Cave in Blue Mountains National Park is one of the best examples of Aboriginal rock art in this part of Sydney.
Read more about visiting Red Hands Cave.
More things to do in the Blue Mountains
Hike the other Grand Canyon in the Blue Mountains.
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Visit the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sydney here.
Find the best high teas in Sydney here.
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Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day here.
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First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney here.
Find the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Sydney here.
