At the heart of Kings County sits sunny Sussex, a town of roughly 4000 people. Just over a decade ago, Sussex was voted "most desirable place in which to live" by Chatelaine magazine. A short visit to this lovely town will attest that this is in fact still true today. With beautiful Victorian homes that dot the pastoral landscape and townsfolk that are very likely to be the friendliest anywhere in the Maritimes, it is no wonder that most visitors end up coming back again and again.

The downtown streets are newly decorated with large murals covering the entire side of certain buildings. Hockey games from the past and family scenes familiar to all become alive as you stroll through Main Street – never sure what scene awaits your next turn.

If you go there in the summer, aim to go the second week of September for the hot air balloon festival. It is a treat to see even if you don't go up in a balloon yourself. If you do want a balloon ride, you need to book your place in person and in advance. Even then, there is no guarantee; the weather decides what will happen. It is definitely a worthy and magical experience, and I would recommend everyone try it if only once. I was proposed to in one of their hot air balloons last year – so you never know what may happen to you once you are up in the air!

Before heading home or to Poley Mountain, I would suggest a stop at Mrs. Dunster's Bakery which sells the best carrot cake at rock bottom prices. Even if carrot cake doesn't pique your fancy, I can assure you that you won't leave empty handed.

Sussex Corner

Driving along the twisting highway of Sussex Corner, there wasn't a speck of snow in sight, not even a snowflake. Then in the distance, we spotted Poley Mountain, covered in fresh blankets of snow.

Just 10 km outside of Sussex, Poley Mountain is conveniently located between New Brunswick's three major cities – Moncton, Fredericton and St-John. Well-known as a premier ski resort, it offers 23 trails during the day and seven that are lit for night skiing.

Overall, with a summit elevation of 277 meters and a vertical drop of 201 meters, Poley Mountain offers a little something for everyone, from green beginner trails to black diamond trails for advanced skiers. Though there are no moguls on a regular basis, when the trails aren't groomed properly you may get lucky!

It had been almost five years since I had last donned my down-hill skis. Only three trails were open as it was their opening day and there had been no natural snow despite it being mid-December. After nearly getting killed by the Pony Tow, I was relieved to make it down the Bunny Hill in one piece. The next trail was a lot more challenging, as I discovered when I rolled down half the mountain. The Bullet, as it turned out be called, is one of their two intermediate trails, and it can get quite icy on some parts because of all the snowboarders. Luckily, the 26 snow guns are always working which helps quite a bit.

If you're a newbie at the sport or just plain rusty, consider taking one of their six week-end long lessons or you can go on Tuesdays – Seniors Day – where you can ski without fear of being run over by some speeding sixteen-year-old on a snowboard.

End your day with some hot chocolate with whip cream on top – and if you're not too worried about your cholesterol – a greasy poutine!