Orono Homes for Sale

Located 15 miles west of Minneapolis right alongside the northern edge of Lake Minnetonka, Orono is a beautiful lakeside city. Well over a third of the city’s total area—25 square miles—consists entirely of lakes and lakeshore property, making it an ideal place to buy a home for anyone looking to buy a lakehome.

Orono’s most distinctive feature is its lakeshore property and lakeside real estate. Located entirely along Lake Minnetonka, Orono offers access to a number of Lake Minnetonka’s most beautiful bays, including Browns Bay, Smith Bay, Crystal Bay, Maxwell Bay, Stubbs Bay, North Arm, West Arm, and Jennings Bay. And in addition to the city property that wraps around these gorgeous bays, Orono has access to a number of other lakes, including Long Lake and Tanager Lake. As a result of all these lakes and bays lying within Orono’s borders, the city is home to 8.9 square miles of lakes and lakeshore real estate. That abundance of beautiful lakeshore property makes buying a lakehome or buying a summer cabin, as well as buying a home on beautiful Lake Minnetonka real estate relatively easy in Orono. Residents not directly on the lake can enjoy one of Orono’s four public beaches and swimming areas or one of Orono’s four points of public lake access.

In addition to those four public beaches and lake access areas, Orono’s Parks and Recreation maintains a number of parks and public areas. The city preserves four large nature preservation areas, securing Orono’s natural beauty. In addition to those nature preservation areas, the city maintains thirteen parks and playgrounds. Thus the city offers not only a beautiful location right on Lake Minnetonka, but also a large amount of parkland area for recreational enjoyment.

Despite its beautiful resort location, Orono is a relatively smaller city, with under 8,000 residents and under 3,000 households. As the city is primarily residential, Orono’s focus on residential area ensures each home’s privacy, peace, and independence. The city council historically maintained and continues to maintain its natural beauty, with preserves and parks preserving the natural open spaces and wetlands of Orono. Orono residents seeking nearby entertainment or restaurants find it easily at nearby Long Lake’s Wayzata Boulevard and Wayzata’s downtown area for shopping, restaurants, and entertainment venues. And Orono’s seclusion from these busy and bustling areas ensure the privacy and peace of Orono homes.

The city also has a rich history. Initially inhabited by the Dakota Indians of the area, the Orono lakeside area was first settled around 1860 as a small village of only a few families. By the turn of the century, the Orono Township had grown to a population of 600. The popularity of Lake Minnetonka as a resort area along the Great Northern Railroad and the beauty of Orono’s natural lakeside property caused increased growth—by 1950, the Orono was officially inducted as a city with just under 5,000 people. As Minnesota’s suburbs began their rapid expansion in the 1960’s with the addition of highway 494 and the construction of major shopping areas, Orono was reserved for residential living, and quietly expanded. Today, the population remains stably and slowly growing, now with just under 8,000 residents.

Orono, with its rich history, quiet and peaceful location, and, most of all, its beautiful lakeside area, makes it a beautiful location for anyone looking to buy a home in Minneapolis suburbs. Its unique combination of lakeside serenity and convenient location close to downtown Wayzata and to Minneapolis makes it a great place to buy a home.

If you are ready to work with an experienced Realtor in the Orono area, list your home for sale, schedule a showing for Orono real estate, or have questions we are ready to help. Simply call or text Travis Senenfelder at 651-216-9466 or send us a message online here.

Buying a home in Orono secures a lifetime of a lakeside lifestyle in a peaceful, beautiful residential area. But it also secures quality education for your children, with a number of both public and private schools. All schools in the area rank highly, both nationally and state-wide, for test score sand for educational quality.

Orono public schools are mostly either within the Orono district or the Wayzata district. Public schools maintained by Orono public school district #278 include the following:

Schumann Elementary, serving 525 students in grades K-2
Orono Intermediate School, serving 575 students in grades 3-5
Orono Middle School, serving 700 students in grades 6-8
Orono High School, serving 850 students in grades 9-12

Orono also has a number of private schools in the area:

Providence Academy, at http://www.providenceacademy.org/, a prestigious college preparatory school serving approximately 900 students in grades PreKindergarten through 12 in Plymouth.
Saints Peter and Paul Academy, at http://www.saintspeterandpaul.com/academy, a Catholic school serving grades preK-8
Cedarcrest Academy, a private, Roman-Catholic school serving grades preK-8
Heritage Christian Academy, at http://www.heritageweb.org/Home, serving grades K-12

Prestigious private schools in the metro area include the following:

The Blake School, at http://www.blakeschool.org/, serving approximately 1,350 students in grades PreKindergarten through 12, with a lower school in Wayzata, a middle school in Hopkins and a high school in downtown Minneapolis
Breck School, at http://www.breckschool.org/, a private, Episcopal school serving approximately 1,200 students in grades PreKindergarten through 12 in Golden Valley Minnesota

Restaurants

Sunsets on Wayzata Bay Restaurant: Sunsets is a restaurant on a beautiful strip of Lake Minnetonka lakeshore property in a gorgeous Wayzata real estate locale. The atmosphere is welcoming and beautiful, as are, as the name would suggest, the views. Sunsets is home to delicious burgers, steaks, sandwiches, and all other kinds of foods, as well as a great list of wines and drinks. And as they are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Sunsets makes for a great place to eat if you buy a home in Orono.
Birch’s Restaurant: Birch’s Restaurant is home to a number of delicious Italian and Mediterranean dishes. Birch’s is a neighborhood gem right on Wayzata Boulevard with a vibrant bar scene, making it a great stop for business meetings, romantic dinners, or anytime you want good food!
Peppercorn Grill: Peppercorn Grill serves a number of American dinners, from pastas, to pizzas, to steaks. It’s located right on Wayzata Boulevard, making it just a short drive from any Orono home. With family nights and a full bar, Peppercorn Grill would be a great place to frequent if you buy a home in Orono.
McGarry’s Pub: McGarry’s is an authentic Irish pub with classic Irish foods like shepherd’s pie, beef stew, and bread pudding—all delicious. The pub atmosphere and décor, as well as its location just a few miles away in Maple Plain, make it a great spot for lunch or for a night out.
NorthCoast: Located on a beautiful piece of lakeside real estate on Lake Minnetonka, NorthCoast would make for a beautiful evening even if it didn’t serve delicious American meals. The wait staff is courteous, quick, and pleasant, and the view is amazing, making it a great spot for business meetings, romantic dinners, or pleasant afternoons on Lake Minnetonka lakeshore property.

Entertainment

Plymouth Cinema 12: Plymouth Cinema is home to ten movie theatres showing the latest in Hollywood entertainment. The movie theatres are clean, quiet, and comfortable, and the snacks and staff are there to make your experience worthwhile every time. It’s a short drive from Long Lake, and it makes for a great movie night or afternoon any day of the week.
Medina Entertainment Center: Medina Entertainment center is home to a number of entertainment venues, including live music, 12 total bowling lanes, a ballroom dance floor, a restaurant, and a bar and patio. The center is a great place to visit any time, for special celebrations or just for fun, and its many options make it a fun place for anyone. While not directly in Orono, it’s certainly worth a visit.
Chanhassen Dinner Theater: In addition to its delicious meals, the Chanhassen Dinner Theater provides quality theatrical and musical entertainment that is appreciated and renowned throughout the Twin Cities Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Visit http://www.chanhassentheatres.com/ to learn more or to hear more about upcoming shows.
Plymouth Playhouse: The Plymouth Playhouse has been putting on local theatrical shows since 1974 and continues to be a well-loved community favorite, putting on a number of shows and musicals for wonderful theatrical entertainment close to your Plymouth home.
Guthrie Theatre: The Guthrie is Minnesota’s most famous and most prestigious theatre, and has been argued to be the best American off-Broadway theatre. Show after show, the Guthrie wows its audience with the very best in live theatre, and the experience is certainly worth the drive from Long Lake homes.

Leisure

Lowry Woods Nature Preserve: Lowry Woods features 100-year-old red oaks, sugar maples, ash, and hickory tress in a beautiful 15-acre woodland. The preserve makes for beautiful walks through genuinely natural woodland, whether after a fresh February snowfall or during an autumn stroll.
Wayzata Country Club: Wayzata Country Club has so much to offer, with a full 18-hole course golf course and a junior 6-hole course, as well as professional lessons for golf and tennis. The club is also home to a number of restaurants, a European spa, a full pool and a kiddie pool, a trap and skeet shooting range, and, in the winter, ice skating, hockey, sledding, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. And the club is conveniently close to Orono homes, making it a wonderful country club to visit.
Wayzata Yacht Club: Wayzata Yacht Club is home to one of the United States’ largest sailboat racing programs with a number of Lake Minnetonka racing programs as well as a few Lake Superior programs. The club is also home to a nationally recognized sailing school, with summer day camps and youth racing programs. Any Orono home or family with a passion for sailing and boating should certainly look into the community at the Wayzata Yacht Club.
Long Lake Park and Campground: Long Lake Park and Campground is Long Lake’s home for camping, fishing, scuba diving, exploring nature trails, and more. With 91 campsites and 53 acres of woods and a number of trails, Long Lake Park and Campground is Long Lake’s home for outdoor recreation, and is only a few miles north of any Orono home.
Nelson Lakeside Park: Nelson Lakeside Park is located right on Long Lake real estate with a public boat launch, a fishing pier, a rack for canoe storage, a swimming beach, picnic tables and grills, and playground equipment for any weekend or afternoon.

Churches

St. George Catholic Church, at http://www.stgeorgelonglake.org/
Trinity Lutheran Church, at http://www.trinitylonglake.org/
Woodridge Church, at http://www.woodridgechurch.org/
Calvin Presbyterian Church, at http://www.calvinchurch.net/
Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Community, at http://www.hnoj.org/
Peace Lutheran Church, at http://www.peaceofplymouth.org/
St. Anne’s Catholic Church, at http://www.saintannehamel.org/
Trinity Lutheran Church, at http://www.trinitylonglake.org/
Woodridge Church, at http://www.woodridgechurch.org/
Plymouth Baha’i Community, at http://www.bahai.org/

Orono hosts its community events through the Three Rivers Park district. A wide variety of year-round events are offered, including the following:

Archery camps
Boating
Biking
Camping
Canoeing and Kayaking
Fishing
Frisbee Golf
Golf
Horseback Riding
Live Music
Picnics
Swimming
Winter activities, including sledding, snowboarding, and snowmobiling

For a list of year-round and upcoming events, visit the Three Rivers Park events listing, at http://www.threeriversparks.org/events.aspx.

As a beautiful lakeside city nestled along the northern shore of Lake Minnetonka, Orono has beautiful parks and lakes that beautify its location. The city is home to four public beaches, four large nature preservation areas, and thirteen parks and playgrounds, including the following:

Nelson Lakeside Park, located right on Long Lake real estate, features a public boat launch, a fishing pier, a rack for canoe storage, a swimming beach, picnic tables and grills, and playground equipment for any weekend or afternoon.
Lowry Woods Nature Preserve features 100-year-old red oaks, sugar maples, ash, and hickory tress in a beautiful 15-acre woodland. The preserve makes for beautiful walks through genuinely natural woodland, whether after a fresh February snowfall or during an autumn stroll.

Casco Point Swimming Beach
Summit Park Swimming Beach
Bederwood Park
Livingston Tower Park
Seven Nations Park

For a full list of parks and amenities, visit http://www.ci.orono.mn.us/parks_&_recreation.htm.

In addition to these many parks, the city is also home to a number of lakes. Lakes in the area include the following:

Lake Minnetonka, including Stubbs Bay, Maxwell Bay, Crystal Bay, Smith Bay, Jennings Bay, the West Arm, and the North Arm
Forest Lake
French Lake
Tanager Lake
Lake Classen
Long Lake

The city is also home to a number of smaller lakes and ponds.

Orono Homes for Sale

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