About two hours west of Sydney lies the Blue Mountains. With a rich history and wonderful sights, it is a popular day trip destination for families, historians and backpackers alike. The area once represented one of the biggest challenges to early explorers, but is now one of the greatest natural attractions in Australia. Undoubtedly, the star of the Blue Mountains is the picturesque town of Katoomba and its surrounds, a favourite weekend getaway for Sydneysiders.
When exploring the Blue Mountains, it is highly recommended you book a car hire in Sydney with VroomVroomVroom. This will assure you of getting a reliable car at a competitive price for your trip. To make your adventure even more fun, we have listed some of the places you can visit while driving from Sydney to the Blue Mountains.
A former mining centre, Katoomba is the most visited of all the towns in the Blue Mountains, not only for its picturesque location and many tourist attractions but also for its charming streets lined with historical buildings, cafes, antique shops and boutique hotels. Before you start looking for somewhere to park the car, take a quick trip along Cliff Drive to enjoy a glimpse of the magnificent and colourful Katoomba landscape, with its golden cliffs and rocky outcrops, thick green forests and distant blue hues.
Directions: From Sydney, drive your rental car via the Great Western Highway to reach Katoomba which is less than two hours away. You can also take the M4 or M5 before heading off to the highway.
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The soft sandstone that makes up much of the Blue Mountains makes for terrible farming but breathtaking natural rock formations. Through erosion, these three monolithic formations jut out over the valley and make for a striking view. The natural light and the seasons dramatically change the appearance of the Three Sisters and the floodlighting in the evening is well worth seeing as well.
The name is believed to come from Indigenous folk law. The story goes that three sisters fell into forbidden love with three brothers from a neighbouring tribe and were turned to stone by an elder for their own protection. When the elder was later killed, the girls were destined to stand at Echo Point, frozen in stone for all eternity.
Directions: From Katoomba, turn left off the Great Western Highway then follow the signs to Three Sisters and Echo Point
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Situated on the western side of the Blue Mountains, these impressive limestone caves can be found within the Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve, and are easily accessed from Sydney, Oberon or Katoomba. The word Jenolan is derived from the indigenous word Genowlan which means “high place” probably a reference to the caves’ location. The Jenolan Caves is one of the most outstanding cave systems in Australia and is known for its spectacular limestone crystal formations and its underground rivers.
Directions: Pass by Katoomba going to Hartley Historic Village then turn left at the Jenolan Caves turnoff. The road will take you through the tiny village of Hampton before reaching the Jenolan Caves.
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Also known as the “jewel in the crown" of the Blue Mountains, Leura Village has become a popular tourist destination for road trippers. It is home to a number of museums, historical sites and spectacular photo opportunities. A drive through the mountains to many of the towns near Katoomba, including Leura, is a very pleasant way to spend a day and in spring keep an eye out for luscious cherry trees in full bloom.
Directions: It only takes around nine minutes to reach Leura Village coming from the Katoomba. Head north on Echo Point Road toward Foster Road, then continue to Lurline Street.
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