Moncton 
The winter sightseeing around Sussex in New Brunswick offers chances to explore the heart of the town. Plus, Kings County and the areas around Sussex have even more to offer for a winter getaway or day trip to the area.
Credit: Matthew Hewitson/Tourism New Brunswick
Sussex is an arts and culture hub- a fact reflected around every corner in town. Public art decorates the historic streets and town, all of which is easy to view and access on self-guided mural and art tour. All of the public outdoor art is set against a backdrop of well-preserved history, architecture, and buildings, to add a self-guided historical tour of Sussex to your trip’s itinerary.
Sightseeing in Sussex
The awesome display of history and art around Sussex add several ways to enhance a winter walk. Winter sightseeing in Sussex could centre around the historical landmarks and buildings, the many murals which decorate the small city, or both.
- The several murals around Sussex depict an array of themes and scenes with abstract, collage, landscape, or portrait art. And as you uncover mural after mural, you’ll also learn about the unique or interesting parts of Sussex history.
- The murals are largely supported and due in part to the AX Arts & Culture Centre of Sussex. The public gallery is open year-round with rotating exhibitions. The AX Arts & Culture Centre is also home to a boutique offering locally made goods.
- Explore over 20 designated historic buildings around Sussex on a self-guided history tour. While many may not be open to the public, these are well-preserved pieces of local history and architecture that add to local charm and scenery.
- If you’re looking for a way to navigate the art and history tours more easily, the town of Sussex has more than 6km of multi-use nature trails winding around the local parks.
- For those with vehicles, a winter drive around Sussex and Kings County will offer a unique and quaint experience as many of these roads pass over covered wooden bridges. The covered bridges of Kings County are all relatively close to one another with over a dozen to drive over or from which to get great winter photo ops.
Frozen Waterfalls & More Winter Adventures
Some of the hiking trails around Sussex offer some incredible or unique views. And some trails are ones you’ll want to hike before spring arrives in Sussex.
- The Parlee Brook Amphitheatre Trail (14 km from Sussex) is one of the most popular hikes in Sussex and Kings County thanks to the frozen landscapes surrounding the trail. In the colder months of winter, the amphitheatre, a massively tall rock wall, becomes encased in ice. The ice wall becomes tall and thick enough to host ice climbers who may be up the wall during your hike.
- This trail also connects to the Friar’s Nose Lookout trail from where you’ll get expansive views of the hills and valleys.
- More great views are available from the Sussex Bluff Trail which follows a small creek as the trail and bluff rise above Sussex.
- Hitting the Parlee Brook trail in the winters is as important as hitting the Midland Ice Caves trail (33 km from Sussex) while temperatures are below zero. This roughly 4.5km trail brings hikers to ice formations similar to those of the amphitheatre but are a bit smaller. The Midland Ice Caves, however, often offer the chance to walk behind walls of ice to offer a surreal experience from within the “ice caves.”
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- TimberTop Zip Tours offers a winter zipline experience at Snider Mountain Ranch, just north of Sussex. Those looking for a winter adventure can fly through the air above a picturesque old-growth forest and then warm up by a campfire with hot chocolate and cookies. After the campfire experience, you are taken back to the check-in building via a horse-drawn wagon or sleigh ride (depending on trail conditions). The complete trip is approximately two hours in length.
Winter Adventures with Poley Mountain Resort
This nearby ski resort (~13 km) has numerous activities to fill a winter day or afternoon in Sussex. The Poley Mountain Resort is a winter playground with everything you would need to take on any type of activity like food and drink sales, or equipment rentals.
- Poley Mountain is a great ski and snowboard destination for kids or families with 13 runs classified as easy. There are still challenges around the hill, with 5 intermediate, 8 difficult, and 3 expert runs. A terrain park is also open for sharpening those skills and tricks.
- The resort also maintains trails that are exclusively for either split boarding, or for snowshoeing. Rentals are also available for these two sports. The snowshoe and uphill trails encompass all of Poley Mountain to offer incredible views from the top.
- Poley’s Slopeside Bar & Restaurant have everything you’d need for a pre- or post-adventure meal including a kids’ menu, a drink/alcohol menu, and hot, cozy beverages.
Planning your Trip – Sussex
What: Sussex have made it simple and convenient to create self-guided art and history tours. The town is decorated with beautiful and well-preserved architecture, and over a dozen murals. Plus, murals are regularly added to buildings across town through the support of the AX Art & Culture Centre of Sussex.
Plus there are plenty of winter adventures around the town for a wonderful winter getaway, making Sussex an ideal base for a weekend long or more trip.
Location and how to get there: town-wide, Sussex
Best time to go: year-round for art and history tours, hikes year round, ice caves: Winter
Cost: free
