Katoomba is an Aboriginal word for the region’s many shining waterfalls, and the town looks out over the lovely Jamison Valley, which was mined for coal in the 19^th century. The coal mines have long been closed, but it was the grand hotels offering spectacular views and fresh mountain air that put Katoomba on the map. By the turn of the 20^th century, the region was well entrenched as a mountain retreat.

For more than 100 years, bushwalkers and hikers have flocked to Katoomba for its incredible variety of scenic paths. It has also become a magnet for people who want to take part in canyoning excursions, abseiling (or rappelling) and rock climbing. You can admire the view of the Three Sisters, Mount Solitary, Orphan Rock and the Ruined Castle, or you can go hiking around the Giant Stairway throughout all of the Jamison Valley.

Visitors can also take in the spectacular scenery on the Katoomba Scenic Railway, which was originally built to service the region’s mines. For those who prefer an aerial view, there’s also the Scenic Skyway cable car. You can also admire the view from a scenic car ride along Cliff Drive.

No matter what kind of vacation you’re planning, either active or more relaxed, there is plenty to do and see around Katoomba. There are lots of local art galleries to explore, as well as a great playhouse, and a lively music scene. The town has a number of heritage buildings as well, from the Uniting Church built in 1888 to the historic Carrington Hotel, designed in 1882, and visited by everyone from foreign royalty to actors and politicians. You can also stop by the Art Deco Paragon Café on Katoomba Street. Kids will enjoy a visit to the Misty Ridge Cuddly Animal Farm.

The Carrington Hotel is just one of the area’s grand hotels, and one of the hundreds of places to stay around Katoomba. Whether you’re looking for first class accommodations in one of the historic hotels, or a lovely campsite, you’ll find all manner of facilities in and around Katoomba. Whether you’re looking for a hotel room, a health spa, a cottage rental for the family, or a great caravan park, there are hundreds of  Katoomba accommodation options.

Whatever you are planning for your visit to Katoomba, the highlight is sure to be the natural beauty and incredible mountain scenery. From the beauty of the Blue Mountains, to the splendour of the rainforest, and the region’s many sparkling waterfalls, there is no end to the view here. Go for a walk, climb a rock face, rappel down a cliff, or just stop and breathe the clear mountain air and admire the view. However you enjoy it, the scenery in Katoomba is sure to stay with you forever.

When people talk about the beauty of Leura, Blue Mountains, NSW, they mean what they say literally. The town is adorned with a number of lovely gardens and teeming foliage along its walkway. Throughout the year, the beauty of Leura never ceases. Instead, it alternates slowly with each season redefining itself in yet one more picturesque vista.

Some destinations in Leura have grown to become more popular than others. For instance, most visitors to Leura, Blue Mountains, NSW inevitably end up going to the Everglade garden. Designed in the 1920s by the famed landscaper, Paul Sorensen, the Everglade garden is an exquisite garden made up of carefully planted trees, shrubs and landscape sandstone terraces located in the background. Many families come to the everglades to enjoy a picnic or take long quieting walks.

Tourists can enjoy the natural delights of quite a few of the waterfalls that are found in the city. At Leura Cascades for instance, you’ll be able to visit waterfalls like the Bridal Veil Falls, Lila falls and Leura falls after which the area is named. If you’re feeling even more adventurous, you are able to journey further up north and explore the wild beauty of the Mount Hay region.

But even though the beauty of Leura’s gardens has grown to be legendary, the city does still offer other points of interest. For instance, it is home to the biggest collection of toys and railway models in the country. Housed in the Leura Toy museum is the broadest collection of dolls, teddies and other toys to be found.

Tourists can also stop by any of the several restaurants and cafes throughout the town to enjoy a finely cooked meal of local cuisine or enjoy a pleasant cup of coffee. Given its famed beauty, having a camera is always recommended when visiting Leura, Blue Mountains, NSW, you’ll be able to get some really great looking shots in the town. You’ll also find truly unforgettable vistas by visiting regions like the Sublime point, which is sited about 900m above sea level.

A great deal of the rich history of Leura Blue Mountains can be seen all around. From the construction of its buildings to the stories that are shared around. Tourists who choose to visit Leura Blue Mountains, NSW will have little trouble finding the right type of Leura accommodation. Leura, Blue Mountain may be a small town in comparison with some of the larger metropolises in the country. But its splendour and appeal puts it right there alongside some of the best tourism locations in the world.

The spellbinding formations in an array of bewitching colours are absolutely fascinating. While admiring the caves, you are surrounded by a surreal silence, broken only by the occasional sounds of dripping water. There are viewing caves as well as caves that are used for adventure caving – an activity that is rapidly growing in popularity.

The caves are located in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, and they are definitely a must-see for any visitor. It is the most outstanding cave system in Australia, and one of the oldest and most impressive systems in the world. Unbelievable! Awesome! Incredible! Amazing! These are just some of the comments you will hear from people exiting the caves.

When visiting this hidden gem, there are a number of guided tours and activities on offer for all fitness levels and age groups. There are lots of excellent accommodation establishments in the area catering for every taste and budget. Jenolan is a perfect venue for weddings and honeymoons, school field trips, concerts, and business conventions.

To truly appreciate the beauty of the caves, you really need to stay here for a couple of days. Bear in mind that pets are not permitted because the area has been proclaimed a national park. Also, the road leading to the valley can be somewhat difficult to negotiate for caravans.

If you take a guided tour of the caves, you will receive a special pass. This will entitle you to big discounts on other tours, as well as admission to the new and exciting Devil’s Coach/Nettle Cave. This can be explored at your own pace with an easy-to-use audio handset.

The Caves will provide the perfect location for a corporate event. Your product launch, staff team building activity, exhibition, seminar, or convention will certainly give your clients or colleagues something to remember. Event rooms are available for these purposes at a number of Jenolan hotels. Cave tours and other fun activities will be arranged for you.

For the ultimate wedding experience, the Caves are also perfect. The legendary Jenolan Caves House has had years of experience in organizing romantic weddings for couples. If you want, you can even get married underground in a cave. The bridal couple is usually booked into the lavish spa suite. Wedding guests and family can take advantage of discounted accommodation offers.

If you would like to experience the Jenolan Caves for your self visit our website for Jenolan Caves  accommodation nsw, and other accommodation in the Blue Mountains.

The Blue Mountains
Just outside of Sydney you will find the seven national parks and conservation reserve that make up the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Site.

Visit the 6-storey screen at the Edge Cinema in Katoomba to get a large-scale panoramic glimpse of the region’s breathtaking sites, such as the Three Sisters.

Scenic World, just two hours south of Sydney by car or train, is a perfect spot for thrill-seeking families. It offers six exciting ways to see the Blue Mountains’ gorges, rivers, valleys, and rainforests: the Scenic Skyway, the Scenic Cableway, the Scenic Railway, the Scenic Walkway, and the Scenic Cinema.

The Zig Zag Railway, close to Lithgow, on the other hand, is more nostalgic than adventurous. Visitors can get great views and travel through time on this steam-powered train as it snakes its way through the region.

Find Katoomba Accommodation in the Blue Mountains

Port Stephens
Port Stephens is located just two and a half hours north of Sydney on the east coast. This area consists of a large natural harbor and three adjacent vicinities: the Tomaree Peninsula, the Tilligerry Peninsula, and the Golden Bight.

Known as a “blue water paradis,” a weekend in Port Stephens demands a trip to the beach. Surfers and families alike love Port Stephens’ beaches of white sands, translucent water, tall dunes, and strong surf that are never too crowded. Popular beaches around the Tomaree Headland include Stockton Beach, One Mile Beach, Samurai Beach, Fingal Beach, Box Beach, Wreck Beach, and Zenith Beach..

If you want to get out of the sun for a bit, head over to Fighter World and learn about history of the Royal Australian Airforce.

Then, take a ride down the 700-meter track at Toboggan Hill Park.

Find a range of Port Stephens Accommodation.

Coffs Harbour
Between Newcastle and Brisbane is the small city of Coffs Harbour, popular for its unspoiled beaches and various tourist attractions.

One of the most popular of these attraction is attractions is the Pet Porpoise Pool, which offers face-to-face encounters with dolphins, seals, and other marine animals.

Another important attraction is the Big Banana, a banana-shaped building and coinciding banana plantation, restaurant and souvenir shop devoted to Coffs Harbour’s thriving banana industry.

For some good choices in Coffs Harbour Accommodation.

3 Sisters in Echo Point, Katoomba

Being situated so close to Sydney, and easily accessible by both car and train, the Blue Mountains present the ideal opportunity for a romantic weekend getaway. And, as they’re so easy to get to it’s no surprise that the Blue Mountains are popular with both Sydneysiders and visitors to Sydney who want to get out of the city for a few days.

If you have a car, the drive from Sydney to the largest town in the Blue Mountains, called Katoomba, takes around 2 hours, though if you’re planning on travelling at the weekend, allow yourself a bit more time to cope with the additional weekend traffic. It’s a nice drive though, and to be honest you’ll find the car is very useful for exploring the area once you arrive.

For visitors to the Blue Mountains who don’t have a car, there is a good train service which runs from Sydney Central. The services are quite frequent, and although not express there are a limited number of stops along the way so the journey isn’t too long. For visitors coming for a romantic getaway in the Blue Mountains, the train may be a really good idea provided you book your accommodation not too far from the train station!

Although popular for weekend romantic getaways, the Blue Mountains have many attractions and beautiful scenery to enjoy, so you could easily spend longer here! But if you’re visiting for just a few days, here are some of the highlights that we recommend you shouldn’t miss…

Hiking – There are countless hiking trails within the Blue Mountains and these range in difficulty so all levels of capability should be catered for here. Some of the most popular trails include Govett’s Leap, the Giant Staircase and the National Pass.

Scenic World – Located in the town of Katoomba, Scenic World has two of the Blue Mountains most popular visitor attractions: the Scenic Railway and the Scenic Skyway. Both these attractions offer an amazing opportunity to see the stunning natural beauty of the Blue Mountains, though visitors can also enjoy the Scenic Walkway and the Scenic Cableway too!

Jenolan Caves – Beneath the earth and rocks of the Blue Mountains you’ll find another world in the Jenolan Caves. There are an impressive ten caves which are open to visitors and you’ll see some great limestone formations. Two of our favourite formations were the Minaret and the Grand Column.

The Zig Zag Railway – Whether or not you enjoyed the railway at Scenic World, you should also try out the Zig Zag Railway as the experience is quite different! Situated near Lithgow, Zig Zag is a heritage railway and was built in the 1860’s. The railway now provides a wonderful attraction for couples on romantic getaways in the Blue Mountains, as you can experience the romance of travelling by steam train on a 1.5 hour journey!

The Edge IMAX Cinema – No trip to the Blue Mountains would be complete without a visit to the Edge IMAX Cinema in Katoomba where you can watch an amazing widescreen movie featuring the Blue Mountains. The movie, titled ‘The Edge’, is well worth the visit though do check the schedules before making a special trip as other movies are also shown here.

For a fantastic range of great places to stay from bed and breakfasts, romantic cottages with fireplaces to 5 star hotels, Book it Now has a comprehensive list of Blue Mountains Accommodation.

“Romantic Getaways in the Blue Mountains” by Claire Bolgil