Bowling, Movies and Indoor Fun in Sussex County NJ

Bowling, movies and indoor fun in Sussex County NJ are easy to find this winter, from 32 lanes of bowling and a movie theater in Sparta to public skating in Hardyston and underground mine tours in Ogdensburg. Our team confirmed every spot below on its own website in late 2026, so you can plan a cold or rainy day across the county with confidence.

Use this guide as your winter hub: start with bowling and a movie, add a skate session or a museum, and finish with dinner in town. Each listing includes the address, phone and the details that matter most before you go.

At a Glance

• What: Indoor things to do in Sussex County NJ, including bowling, movies, ice skating, museums and library programs
• Where: Sparta, Newton, Stockholm (Hardyston), Ogdensburg and Franklin
• When: Open now through winter 2026 to 2027, with seasonal notes below
• Cost: Varies by venue; libraries are free, and paid prices are listed where each venue publishes them
• Links: Each venue is linked to its own site below

Bowling: Sparta Lanes

Sparta Lanes is the county’s big bowling center. Per its website, it is a 32 lane bowling center that has been family owned and operated for over 55 years, with league, tournament and open bowling, live concerts and the Sparta Pour House bar and grill on site. It sits at 43 Theatre Center in Sparta (use 83 Woodport Road for GPS), and the phone is (973) 729-6135.

• Hours: Monday from 4 p.m., Tuesday from 11 a.m., Wednesday from 9:30 a.m., Thursday from 2 p.m., Friday from noon, and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m., each until close. The center asks you to call first if you are arriving late, and notes hours are subject to change.
• Pricing: The hours and pricing page lists $6 per game per person Monday to Friday before 5 p.m., plus $5 shoe rental, with hourly lane rates for up to six people at other times.
• Laser light bowling: Every Saturday night from 4 p.m. to close.
• Reservations: Lanes can be booked online. Sparta Lanes notes there are no refunds on web bookings and no outside food or beverages.
• Parties: Birthday packages include a party host, and the top packages add laser lights and music videos on three giant 15 foot screens. Bumpers are available.

Movies: Box Office Cinemas in Sparta

Also in Sparta, Box Office Cinemas at 25 Centre Street shows current movies every day of the week. The phone is (973) 729-2222, and the site posts a full week of showtimes at a time, with afternoon and evening shows.

The cinema’s ticket pricing page lists $11 for weekday matinees before 5 p.m., $14 for adults on weekday evenings and all day on weekends and holidays, and $11 at all times for children ages 2 to 9 and seniors 68 and older, plus a $3 surcharge. It also offers birthday parties and private theater rentals. Prices and showtimes are subject to change, so check the site the day you go.

Make it a night: Bowl a few games at Sparta Lanes, catch a movie nearby, then grab dinner from our Sparta and Lake Mohawk restaurant guide.

Ice Skating: Skylands Ice World

For indoor skating, head to Skylands Ice World at 2765 State Highway 23 in Stockholm, in Hardyston Township. Public skate times are posted on the rink’s public skate calendar, and the rink also runs learn to skate, figure skating and hockey programs and hosts birthday parties. The phone is (973) 697-1600.

Two things to know: the rink says you can save up to 33 percent by pre-registering and paying online, and it can no longer provide helmets, so bring your own. Our full ice skating in Sussex County guide covers lessons and hockey.

Museums Worth a Winter Visit

Sterling Hill Mining Museum, Ogdensburg

Go underground at the Sterling Hill Mining Museum. From September 8, 2026 through June 26, 2027, its main guided tour of the mine and two museums runs on Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m. only, and the museum asks visitors to arrive between 12:30 and 12:45 p.m. to buy tickets. The gift shop, collecting and sluicing are open every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Read our Sterling Hill Mining Museum guide for the full story.

Franklin Mineral Museum, Franklin

The Franklin Mineral Museum at 32 Evans Street is open April through November, Wednesday to Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., per its website. That makes late November your last chance this season to see the glowing Fluorescent Room before the winter break. Our Franklin Mineral Museum guide covers admission, rock collecting and the Kids Adventure Package.

Van Kirk Homestead Museum, Sparta

The Sparta Historical Society’s Van Kirk Homestead Museum at 336 Main Street is open April through December on the second and fourth Sundays of the month, 1 to 4 p.m., with a 2 p.m. talk. In December 2026, those Sundays fall on December 13 and December 27. Before you go, browse our historic photos of Sparta NJ for a then and now look at Main Street and Lake Mohawk.

Sussex County Historical Society, Newton

The Sussex County Historical Society is based at the Hill Memorial, 82 Main Street in Newton, at the corner of Church Street. Its listed visiting hours are Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is run by volunteers, so the society asks visitors to call ahead at 973-383-6010, and appointments are available.

Live Shows: The Newton Theatre

For a night out in Newton, the historic Newton Theatre, operated as the Skylands Performing Arts Center (SkyPAC) at 234 Spring Street, hosts concerts, comedy and tribute shows. Our Newton Theatre November 2026 guide lists every show date by date, and the SkyPAC website is the place to check for December shows. Pair a show with dinner using our things to do in Newton NJ guide.

Free Indoor Fun: Sussex County Library

The Sussex County Library System has a Main Library and the Dennis Branch in Newton, the Dorothy Henry Branch in Vernon, plus branches in Franklin, Stanhope and Wantage and a Mobile Library that travels the county. The Main Library at 125 Morris Turnpike in Newton is open Monday to Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is closed Sundays.

Recent programs on the library calendar have included a LEGO Club at the Main Library, and the library lends museum passes, games like chess and Scrabble, and a Library of Things with items such as iPads. With a library card, hoopla Digital lets you stream movies at home, too.

What About Trampolines, Arcades and Escape Rooms?

We looked hard. Our team could not confirm a trampoline park, a stand alone arcade or an escape room currently operating inside Sussex County on its own website, so we have left them out rather than send you to a spot that may not be open. For a similar high energy outing, Saturday laser light bowling at Sparta Lanes is the closest thing in the county. If you know of one we missed, let us know and we will check it out.

Plan Your Winter Indoor Day

• Sparta day: bowling at Sparta Lanes, a matinee at Box Office Cinemas, then dinner around Lake Mohawk.
• Mining day: the 1 p.m. weekend tour at Sterling Hill, with a stop in Franklin before the end of November.
• Newton day: the Historical Society on a Friday morning, the library in the afternoon and a show at the Newton Theatre at night.
• Family day: see our things to do with kids in Sussex County NJ hub for more ideas, and our Mountain Creek snow tubing guide for when you are ready to head back outside.

A tip from our team: Book online when you can. Sparta Lanes takes lane reservations on its website, and Skylands Ice World says pre-registering online can save up to 33 percent, which adds up fast for a family. On stormy weekends, these indoor spots fill up quickly, so reserving ahead is the easiest way to skip the wait.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a bowling alley in Sussex County NJ?

Yes. Sparta Lanes at 43 Theatre Center in Sparta is a 32 lane bowling center with open bowling, leagues, birthday parties and laser light bowling every Saturday night from 4 p.m. to close.

Is there a movie theater in Sussex County NJ?

Yes. Box Office Cinemas at 25 Centre Street in Sparta shows movies daily. Check its website for the current week’s showtimes.

Where can I ice skate indoors in Sussex County?

Skylands Ice World at 2765 State Highway 23 in Stockholm (Hardyston) holds public skate sessions on its posted calendar. Bring your own helmet, since the rink no longer provides them.

Which Sussex County museums are open in winter?

The Sterling Hill Mining Museum runs weekend 1 p.m. tours through June 26, 2027, the Van Kirk Homestead Museum is open the second and fourth Sundays through December, and the Sussex County Historical Society lists Friday morning hours. The Franklin Mineral Museum’s season runs April through November.

What free indoor activities are there in Sussex County?

The Sussex County Library System is free to visit, with programs like LEGO Club, games, museum passes and streaming movies through hoopla Digital with a library card.

Primary sources: Sparta Lanes, Box Office Cinemas Sparta, Skylands Ice World, Sterling Hill Mining Museum, Franklin Mineral Museum, Van Kirk Homestead Museum, Sussex County Historical Society, Skylands Performing Arts Center and Sussex County Library System.

Featured photo: Sparta Lanes via spartalanes.com.