Here we explore all the most fun things to do in the Blue Mountains with kids. From thrilling rides to bushwalks, gardens, and candy stores we’ve got you covered.
The Blue Mountains national park is a world heritage area just a 2-hour drive from Sydney and is one of the most popular places in Australia with visitors.
Australia’s answer to the Grand Canyon, this stunning mountainous area offers 1 million hectares of spectacular scenery, including ancient rainforest, impressive rock formations and sandstone cliffs, canyons, waterfalls and ravines.
With 140km of walking tracks to explore, the Blue Mountains area is a popular daytrip or weekend getaway for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts from Sydney. But its not just for hardcore hikers – there are plenty of activities in the Blue Mountains for kids and families too.
Here we take a look at some of these fun Blue Mountains activities for families, from kid friendly bushwalks to riding the world’s steepest passenger railway.
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Table of Contents
Visit Scenic World Blue Mountains
An easy and family friendly way to take in the stunning views of the Blue Mountains in a short time is with a visit to Scenic World, one of the most popular Blue Mountains attractions.
Families will love the choice of fun record-breaking rides here, including the steepest railway in the world, the steepest aerial cable car in the Southern Hemisphere and the largest aerial cable car in the Southern Hemisphere.
Kids will love the thrill of the Scenic Railway – the steepest passenger railway in the world. With a 52-degree incline, it takes passengers plunging 310 meters through a cliff side tunnel, to emerge in to the rainforest below.
While the Scenic Railway is more about the thrill than the scenery, the Scenic Skyway is all about the views.
The largest aerial cable car in the Southern Hemisphere is an awesome way to take in incredible 360-degree views of the Jamison Valley. My kids love watching the trees glide by through the glass bottom floor.
Finally, the 454-metre Scenic Cableway is the steepest aerial cable car in the Southern Hemisphere and is another thrilling way to take in the scenery.
If you want to stretch your legs, there are also 2.4km of buggy-friendly boardwalks to explore, with 10, 20 and 50-minute well signposted loops. You can also walk to Echo Point Lookout from the Skyway East Station.
You can buy discounted tickets to Scenic World here.
Click here to read more about visiting Scenic World Blue Mountains.
See the Three Sisters from Echo Point Lookout
Echo Point Lookout is the most famous of the Blue Mountains lookouts. Most times when you see photos of people posing with Three Sisters in the background, it will have been taken at Echo Point.
The Three Sisters are the most iconic sight in the Blue Mountains. These three weathered sandstone peaks rise dramatically above the Jamison Valley, and Echo Point is the best place to admire this famous Blue Mountains tourist attraction from.
Echo Point is the gateway to several beautiful walks, including the Three Sisters Walk and the Prince Henry Cliff Walk, that takes you to the Leura Cascades.
Echo Point is easy to get to, being located right in the heart of Katoomba. There is parking here and a visitor centre with restrooms. It is also an easy walk from the Skyway East Station at Scenic World.
Walk the Three Sisters Walk
This family friendly Blue Mountains hike gives you the opportunity to view the famous Three Sisters up close.
To follow this walk, pass through the archway next to the Echo Point Visitor Centre and follow the meandering pathway for around 500 metres. This brings you to the Oreades and Lady Game Lookouts, each providing more incredible views over the Jamison Valley.
Next to Lady Game Lookout, you will find the Giant Stairway. This short but steep set of stairs takes you down to the Honeymoon Bridge, where those who don’t suffer from vertigo can cross the bridge to the first sister.
Explore the Campbell Rhododendron Gardens
Pack a picnic and head to the Campbell Rhododendron Gardens.
These beautiful Blue Mountains gardens are set within 45 hectares of Australian bushland and boast the world’s largest scale of exotics planted in native bushland.
There are several nature walks through the blooms to explore, leading to the valley floor and lake.
The gardens are open every day of the year, but some times of year are more popular than others:
- Apr-May: when the autumn leaves are on display
- Sep-Oct: when the spring blossoms and bulbs are in bloom
- Oct-Nov: peak blooming time for rhododendrons and azaleas.
We were lucky to be visiting the Blue Mountains during rhododendron blooming season and the gardens were looking spectacular.
For 5-6 weeks of the year, between early October and mid November, you can also enjoy a Cream Tea at the Rhodo Tea Room.
Entry is a $5 donation per person.
Hike the Wentworth Falls Walk
There are so many fabulous Blue Mountains walks to choose from, but the Wentworth Falls walk is one of our favourites.
The walk is fairly short (1.4km return) but steep in places. My kids have no problem walking it, although you should be wary of cliff edges with small children.
Park at the Wentworth Falls picnic area (there are restrooms here, as well as water fountains, picnic tables and barbecue facilities) and follow the signs to the walk.
The walk takes you to the numerous lookouts to admire the waterfall that gives the walk its name and culminates at the top of the falls.
From here you can continue a little along the path of the National Pass for some awesome views and boast-worthy selfies before retracing your steps back to the car park.
Wander around Leura
The quaint little town of Leura is perfect for an afternoon wander, with its abundance of Blue Mountains coffee shops, boutiques, and galleries.
Top of the hit list for kids is The Candy Store, aka the Leura Lolly Shop, a treasure trove of lollies, candy and treats from around the world.
Pop in to Leura Gourmet to stock up on supplies before heading off on a bush walk, or head to one of the nearby Blue Mountains picnic spots such as the Leura Cascades Picnic Area or the Everglades Garden.
Ride the Blue Mountains Explorer Bus
For a stress free Blue Mountains sightseeing experience, hop aboard the Blue Mountains Explorer Bus.
These hop on hop off Blue Mountains buses run every 45 minutes, picking up at many hotels and restaurants in Katoomba and Leura and calling at all the famous landmarks in the Blue Mountains, including Scenic World, Leura Cascades and Echo Point.
Best of all – children ride for FREE!
Family Friendly Blue Mountains Hotels
There is a good choice of Blue Mountains accommodation to choose from, with choices ranging from luxury Blue Mountains hotels to backpacker hostels. Some of our favourite hotels in the Blue Mountains are highlighted below:
Fairmont Resort & Spa
This Blue Mountains resort is very popular with families thanks to its handy location, good choice of accommodation and kid friendly facilities.
Accommodation options include family suites with interconnecting rooms and the KidZone is perfect for younger kids, with its merry go round, jungle gym and mirror maze. There’s also ride on cars, pony rides and even a resort train for the little ones.
The Blue Mountains Fairmont Resort has both indoor lap pool and outdoor resort pool, a gym, spa, cinema and a choice of restaurants and bars. No wonder it is one of the most popular Blue Mountains resorts for families!
Click here to check availability and prices for the Fairmont Hotel Blue Mountains.
Lilianfels
Lilianfels boasts an enviable position right in the heart of Katoomba and just a short walk from Echo Point Lookout.
This gorgeous luxury Blue Mountains hotel is often seen as the perfect spot for a romantic getaway, with its traditional décor reminiscent of a bygone era.
But it is equally suitable for family holidays in the Blue Mountains, with the Deluxe Twin rooms featuring two queen-sized beds, perfect for two adults and two children.
Facilites include an indoor pool and outdoor resort pool, floodlit tennis court, gym, day spa, mountain bike hire and a choice of restaurants. The High Tea with its scones and sandwiches is always a hit with the kids.
Click here to check availability and prices for Blue Mountains Lilianfels.
Blue Mountains YHA
At the other end of the scale, the Blue Mountains YHA offers great value for money low cost accommodation. While you may not immediately consider a youth hostel for family accommodation, this is definitely worth a look.
Private Family Rooms with ensuite bathrooms are available and there is also a large kitchen, lounge, outdoor relaxation area, games room, barbecue and free WiFi.
Click here to check availability and prices for the Blue Mountains YHA.
Other family accommodation in Blue Mountains
Sometimes it can be easier to have a place to yourselves when you are traveling as a family, and hiring a house can be a great option for both freedom and privacy.
Here is our pick of some of the best family friendly Airbnbs in the Blue Mountains. Click here to explore more Airbnb options.
Blue Mountains Children Paradise
This 3-bedroom Katoomba holiday home is perfect for families with young kids. It has a large backyard with swings, a slide and a sandbox. It also has an indoor playroom inside a yurt with toys and kids books.
There are plenty of handy kids amenities, including a high chair, kids crockery and cutlery, and a cot can be provided on request.
It is just a 10-minute drive to both Echo Point and Wentworth Falls.
Click here to check availability and prices.
Family Friendly Leura Cottage
This charming garden cottage boasts a fantastic location right in the heart of Leura, just a couple of blocks away from all the boutiques and cafes.
There is a kitchenette, barbecue facilities and a games room with table tennis. There are also board games, books, toys and DVDs on offer.
This is a great option for families, with a queen bedroom, bespoke bunk beds (2 doubles, 2 singles) in the loft and a sofa bed in the living room.
If you are visiting the Blue Mountains without your own car, this is perfect. The train station is just a short walk away, as are the Blue Mountains Explorer Bus stops. The shops, cafes and restaurants are within an easy walk too.
Click here to check availability and prices.
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What a great trip you guys had. Top post, by the way, so detailed – nothing missed out