The Blue Mountains National Park is located in New South Wales, Australia, just a two hour drive from the city of Sydney. (Zoom out 6 times on Google Maps and you’ll see that the city is nestled tightly amongst much greenery, mountains and incredible natural landforms). The park covers 664,681 acres and, despite its name, is actually an uplifted plateau.

The Blue Mountains are magical any time of the year. They glow in autumn and are cool in winter; they’re colorful in spring and refreshing in summer.

The blue-hazed beauty of the mountains is quite a viewing, with different hikes that take you to many majestic lookouts. Some of my favorites include Sublime point, Govetts Leap/Evans Lookout, Princes Rock Lookout, Charles Darwin Walk, Echo Point, and Hanging Rock.

Hanging Rock is best explored at sunrise. I suggest getting there in the earliest hours of the morning so as to be able to watch the sun come up from behind the mountains. The hike (round-trip) is about 9-10km, but the views are well worth it.

There are tons of activities to try in the Blue Mountains, from bush walking and hiking, to biking and camping, to horseback riding and 4WD adventures. Abseiling and rock climbing are also on offer and tend to be the most popular among tourists.

The last time I visited, my friends and I stayed at the pub at Wenworth Falls, surrounded by hiking tracks and lookouts. All of the trails are easily accessible with lots of signage on the main roads to lead you to the path you’re looking for.  If you’re brave enough, though, go get lost and create your own journey!

Exploring the Blue Mountains National Park always makes me feel so alive. The scenery is breathtaking, and it is amazing to feel a sense of freedom and emptiness despite being so close to the cluster of city life in Sydney. For anyone who needs to recharge and experience a change of pace, I absolutely recommend a weekend away in the park.