Orleans County brings together historic routes, museums and canal history with waterscapes and natural areas. Sandstone and cobblestones characterize the county’s historic villages and routes. The landscape also includes a lake plain, quiet streams and wooded wetlands. For your trip, you can explore cultural history, water and nature as distinct highlights.
Cobblestones, Sandstone and Museums
The Cobblestone Society Museum is a National Historic Landmark on historic Ridge Road in Orleans County. It is dedicated to cobblestone masonry and is considered the only museum of its kind in the world. The museum arranges guided tours for groups of ten or more by appointment; confirm availability before you arrive. The history of Ridge Road goes back further: it was first used by the Seneca and Iroquois, and in 1798 it was developed into a stagecoach road.
Medina sandstone is also part of the region’s cultural heritage. The Medina Sandstone Society founded the Sandstone Hall of Fame in 2013 to recognize outstanding examples of this sandstone. The Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum shares the region’s maritime history and is also the only lighthouse in Orleans County. The collections at the Medina Historical Society Museum, located in the Chase-Merritt House, include historic living spaces, local military artifacts, antique tools and photographs of the Erie Canal.
Railroad Museum and the Erie Canal
The Medina Railroad Museum is housed in a 300-foot-long wooden New York Central freight depot. Its exhibits cover railroad, fire service and military history. The museum also has the largest HO-scale model railroad layout in the eastern United States. The offered round trip is a particularly well-defined activity: it covers 34 miles through the Erie Canal Heritage Corridor between Medina and Lockport and takes two hours.
The Erie Canal can also be seen in its infrastructure. Seven of the Erie Canal system’s 16 lift bridges are in Orleans County. There are three public boat launches along the canal, each with parking and a picnic area. The canal port towns of Albion, Holley and Medina offer dockage beside historic downtowns, where restaurants, shops and museums are within walking distance. Along the canal, engineering history and downtown amenities come together, without requiring a particular route.
Landscape, Birdwatching and Trails
Lakeside State Park offers panoramic views of Lake Ontario as well as the surrounding farms and orchards. The park is also home to the two 18-hole disc golf courses at Shore Winds Disc Golf Course: Wind Rush Alley and The Beast. The two course names and the same number of holes give you a specific choice within this offering.
The Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge lies on the boundary between Orleans County and Genesee County. The grounds are open from sunrise to sunset, and birdwatching opportunities are available during migration and breeding seasons. The Mohawk Ski Trail offers a different landscape: the relatively flat, 7.5-mile loop passes through grassland and woods and along the dikes around Mohawk Pool. Along the Oak Orchard River, a meandering gorge provides a setting for paddling.
At Holley Falls, Oak Orchard Creek plunges 45 feet after flowing beneath the Erie Canal. The 35-foot waterfall is made of red Medina sandstone and is surrounded by woodland. Holley Falls Park has a picnic pavilion, a footbridge and hiking trails that connect with nearby Holley Canal Park. From Public Square, Holley Falls is accessible via Frisbee Terrace and Holley Falls Park Road.
Waterways and Regional Orientation
Point Breeze is where the Oak Orchard River flows into Lake Ontario. Boats and kayaks can be launched there into both the river and the lake. The public Orleans County Marine Park covers 11 acres and is on the Oak Orchard River in Kent, on Point Breeze Road (Route 98), beneath the bridges of the Lake Ontario State Parkway and along the Seaway Trail. It rents 72 boat slips with electrical and water hookups; check seasonal details before your trip.
For a general sense of the area, Orleans County is roughly halfway between the Buffalo/Niagara Falls and Rochester/Finger Lakes regions. The county is connected to the New York State Thruway (I-90) via Exit 48 at Batavia and Exit 48A at Pembroke.
Discover more destinations: Albion, Essex, Albany, Oswego, Putnam County, Wayne County, Wyoming County, Washington County.
For the broader travel overview: New York.
