Blue Mountains Australia: What to See and Do

Author: Rich Greenwood

If you were to simply open your eyes and find yourself in the Blue Mountains, NSW, you would never guess that you were only ninety minutes drive from the centre of Australia’s biggest city, Sydney. The Blue Mountains is one of Australia’s oldest rural holiday destinations and has not lost it’s popularity. It offers plenty for those looking for a romantic escape and for families wanting a healthy, active holiday.

Getting there: Getting to the Blue Mountains is easy. From Sydney head west following the signs for Parramatta. Then join the M4 (toll section near Sydney) and keep going on the M4 as far as the edge of the Blue Mountains in Lapstone. You can then follow the signs up to the main tourist areas such as Katoomba. An alternative is to catch the train from Central Railway station in Sydney CBD. There is around one train an hour and it takes roughly 90-120 minutes depending on which station you are going to. There are day trips from Sydney as well by coach which return to the city the same day but staying in one of the great Blue Mountains accommodation options for a few nights will allow you to truly appreciate the area.

What to do: If you come to the Blue Mountains there is plenty to do. Obviously you are going to want to take in the fantastic scenery so here are a few ideas.

Viewpoints: The Blue Mountains offers some stunning viewpoints. Some of the most well known include Echo Point in Katoomba offers an amazing view over the Three Sisters and through the Jamison Valley. Wentworth Falls also offer great views of both the falls and the valley.

Bushwalking: There are bushwalking trails throughout the Blue Mountains region and national park. Once you reach the Blue Mountains then head to one of the tourist information centres such as the one in Katoomba and request a bushwalking map marking the main trails. You can choose from short walks on manmade paths to long and adventurous hikes.

Scenic World: Located in the central Katoomba area, Scenic World is the most popular attraction in the region and offers a number of ways to enjoy the great views. Scenic World has a number of attractions including a cable car, a glass floored skyway which takes you across the valley and the world’s steepest railway. There is also a boardwalk around the rainforest at the bottom of the valley. It’s a great family attraction and a fun way to take in some of the views of the local area.

Eating Out: If you’re looking for some special places to eat, here are some suggestions.

Solitary, 90 Cliff Drive, Leura Falls, NSW.

This restaurant enjoys some of the best views you could hope to find in the Blue Mountains and does not things slip when it comes to the food. Solitary was created back in 2000 by husband and wife team Georgia Shepherd and John Cross the restaurant serves fantastic Modern Australian and European influenced food in a fine dining atmosphere. The restaurant has won many awards including Two Chefs hats in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2007 and ranked as one of the Lonely Planet top 5 places to eat out in Australia in 2004.

Darley’s Restaurant at Lilianfels, Echo Point, Lilianfels Avenue, Katoomba.

Located in the historic and luxurious Lilianfels Hotel, Darley’s restaurant has a long reputation for excellent food and service. They have been awarded Two Chefs hats in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2009, one of only a small number to achieve such a high accolade. The restaurant specialises in excellent country cooking that fits the location and makes use of high quality local produce and an excellent wine list. This is obviously somewhere for a special occasion and is not cheap. Expect to pay close to $80 per person for two courses or around $100 for three courses with wine being extra. If you can’t make your mind up from the menu you can sample a number of interesting course with the degustation menu served with matching wines. Whey to stay: Blue Mountains accommodation comes in the form of cosy cottages and homely bed and breakfasts perfect for a romantic getaway. From budget to total luxury there is something for everyone. Some of the most popular

When to go: Typically you will find the Blue Mountains will be a few degrees cooler than Sydney year round. The accommodation is well geared up for the cooler months and you will find many of the cottages will have a fireplace to make things nice and cosy. You should find it a little cooler than Sydney in the summer although on the hottest days it may make a long walk feel like hot work.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/blue-mountains-australia-what-to-see-and-do-760444.html

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This article on relating to Blue Mountains accommodation is by Richard Greenwood of holiday accommodation booking site www.makemystay.com.au
The site features quality holiday homes, cottages and apartments across Australia listed directly by the property owners or local agents.

The Blue Mountain And Its Nearby Attractions

Author: Dave Text

Blue Mountain located in New South Wales, Australia. This mountain is famous for its magnificent view, making it one of the famous attractions in the region.

The term vacation or holidays means giving yourself a break from something you usually do by going someplace or attending a certain festival or celebration. Spending the holidays with your whole family and friends are the most common ritual.

In the United Kingdom the term “vacation” is referred exclusively to the very long summer break given by the so called “law courts”. This is a tradition introduced by William the conqueror from Normandy, where in, the intention at that time was as a form of assistance to their great grape harvest. Thus, the French word for the word “vacation” would be “Les Vacances”.

The word vacation is not just a term used in English-speaking countries like North America, which they would refer as a lengthy time away from school or work but rather a pleasure trip one can take to have fun, enjoy and get all the stress out. Although it is common to plan vacations ahead, possibly about 6 months up to a year in advance, others who are not that privileged would go with a quick get away for the weekend or a whole day with the kids somewhere.

Thus, the Blue Mountains were discovered in the year 1788. Although it has been recognized by Indigenous Australians for hundreds of years, the Blue Mountains were considered to be impenetrable by the early settlers of Sydney. This was an impassable area where in it is somewhat next to impossible to cross. This is until criminals and other explorers were able to formulate ways on how they can get across.

The most well known expedition for the Blue Mountains was during the year 1813, by three famous personalities. This would be Lawson, Badland, and Wentworth. Like the earlier explorers who attempted to get across the Blue Mountains, they followed the flow of the river valleys, only to find out the pathway was terminated by vertical cliffs that are about a hundred meters high. With this hindrance, the three explorers just followed the ridges in order to reach the plateau.

The”first crossing” of Lawson, Badland and Wentworth was the precious ordinary misconception brought about by a variety of monuments they perceived to be authentic. Thus, the geographical prize they received for their efforts was the three hills along Kanimbla Valley located in the northwest portion of Mount York which was named after them. This journey to the Blue Mountains was customarily regarded as a serious step that opened the western part of New South Wales to the European resolution.

With regards to the accommodation sector, during the 1970s it mainly revolved on motels. Since the competition was tough in this area, most of the owners barely talk to one another and the environment at that time was warlike and hostile. It would even go to the extent that when a certain motel is full, they will just inform visitors that the whole are is packed so they can just fro accommodations farther away from the area. Thus, a few years later, they were able to set up the Blue Mountains Motel Association.

Since then, this association became the Hotel Industry’s main voice. From them the Tourist Association was able to set up policies with regards to the objectives and aims for their guest.

These were:

• To instill a hospitable and friendly industry within the Blue Mountains
• To analyze as well as act upon the problems that affect the so-called “accommodation industry”
• To liaise with the highly regarded Hotel and Motel Association
• To cooperate and liaise with the Tourism staff of the Blue Mountains.

Thus, last July 21st of the year 1991, the name of the Blue Mountains was requested to be changed to “The Blue Mountains Accommodation Association Inc.”.

There are a lot of reasons why people go to the Blue Mountains to spend a fun filled and exciting vacation. Some of the attractions you will find there are as follows:

• The Scenic Skyway – It is a glass bottom aerial cable car which showcases a 545-meter area ride.

• The Giant Staircase – It is a giant staircase that runs down the cliff.

• The Katoomba Scenic Railway – This rally is listed in the Guiness world book of records. It is given recognition as the steepest railway in the world.

• Jenolan Caves – This is a spectacular limestone cave which is regarded as one of the world’s finest naturally structured cave.

• Zig Zag Railway – It is an old fashioned railway that caters to steam-powered engines that can only be found in Australia.

• Valley Heights Locomotive Depot Heritage Museum – This is the home of the oldest remaining road house, which is situated in New South Wales

• The Norman Lindsay Gallery & Museum – This gallery showcases a wide variety of artworks, paintings, model sailing ship replicas, etchings, and sculptures. Moreover, this house was featured in the amusing film about three mermaids called “Sirens”.

• The Edge Cinema – Scenic views and geographical information about the Blue Mountains can also be seen in this cinema through a 45 minute show that was narrated by the acclaimed Hugo Weaving.

• The Toy Museum at Leura – In this distinct museum, various kinds of toys collection is being featured. This is the most loved museum in the region, primarily because of the kids.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/the-blue-mountain-and-its-nearby-attractions-423254.html

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