Three Days of Mist, Blooms and Good Company
13-15 October 2026
Our first stop was Roses Café in historic Goulburn, where warm coffees and chatter set the tone for the trip. A short stretch at Pheasants Nest followed, and then we climbed on towards the mountains.
By lunchtime we were at Conservation Hut Café, perched at the edge of the national park. With the valley spread out below us, it felt like the mountains and mist were welcoming us in.
After lunch we wandered down the main street of Leura, popping in and out of artisan shops, boutiques and galleries.
Then came the part we’d been looking forward to: checking in at the Hydro Majestic. This grand, heritage-listed hotel sits along the cliff line above the Megalong Valley, and we spent the late afternoon exploring its art deco elegance and long history on a self-guided tour.
[Videos: Hydro Majestic]
Day 2: Peaks, teapots and a lucky sky
Wednesday started with breakfast at the hotel, then a short drive to Scenic World. Of its three famous rides, we chose two: the Skyway and the Cableway. We left the steep red Scenic Railway for another day, and nobody minded. The views over the valley were so good that cameras and phones barely went back in our pockets, and we finished with a stroll along the rainforest boardwalk.
[Video: Scenic World]
Next up was the Bygone Beautys Treasured Teapot Museum & Tearooms, a Blue Mountains landmark with more than 5,500 teapots. We sat down to lunch and tea with classic tearoom treats, surrounded by teapots of every shape and size. It was funtastic, full of laughter and good food.
[Video: Teapot Museum]
After a rest back at the hotel, we headed to Echo Point. We had hoped for golden hour and didn’t quite get it, but the mountains had a surprise for us. The sun was out, the clouds had lifted, and the Three Sisters stood clear and bright in front of us. After the mist, it felt like a gift.
That evening we enjoyed a vibrant, modern Asian-inspired dinner at Basil Nut Café & Restaurant in Katoomba.
Day 3: Gardens, art and the road home
On our final morning we had breakfast looking out over the valley, then set off for Campbell Rhododendron Gardens. The weather had turned misty, so ponchos and umbrellas came out, but so did the flowers. From the lookout, the valley was wrapped in fog, with splashes of red, pink and yellow glowing through the trees. Further along, towering magenta rhododendrons arched over the path, and we stopped for a group photo among them, smiling despite the drizzle. Afterwards we warmed up with a new take on Devonshire tea and scones.
Gardens in full bloom
[Photo: misty lookout group shot, then the rhododendron path group photo, then the azalea close-up]
Lunch was at GIA in Leura, a gourmet meal made with fresh local ingredients.
In the afternoon we headed to Faulconbridge for a guided tour of the Norman Lindsay Gallery & Museum. We explored the heritage sandstone home with its white-columned verandah, the artwork and the grounds, then strolled arm in arm under the wisteria-covered pergola, a highlight for many of us.
Join us next time
Hotel accommodation at the Hydro Majestic, breakfasts and select dinners, all activity entries, teas, dining and transport were included, so all we had to do was relax and enjoy ourselves. Spaces on our getaways are limited, so if you’d like to come along next time.
Good Life Tribe
