Orono can be found on the north shores of Lake Minnetonka. It's 25 square mile area is nearly 40% water and is home to many of Lake Minnetonka's most breathtaking lakeside estates. It is served by Highway 12 to downtown Minneapolis and Wayzata, the former a 20-28 minute commute and the latter a 10-15 minute drive. Orono surrounds Long Lake in it's entirety, making the two cities synonymous in nature. The area known as Navarre is technically a part of Orono and can be found in the south part of the city and serves as a commercial hub for much of the surrounding community. With about 3,300 mostly detached single family housing units, Orono supports a population of around 7,500 people.

Orono does not lack for outdoor distractions and recreational activities. The Dakota Rail Trail can be accessed in the south close to Navarre and along other points to the west of the city near Smith's Bay, Tanager Lake, and Brown's Bay, and the Luce Line Trail can be accessed in many spots across the central swaths of the city, providing residents with two excellent options for walking and jogging. The Luce Line Trail also allows for horseback riding in the summer and snowmobiling or cross county skiing (depending on the part of the trail) in the winter. Four different golf courses can be found within it's borders, including Woodhill Country Club, Orono Public Golf Course, Wayzata Country Club, and the Spring Hill Golf Club. Another local favorite is the beautiful Noerenberg Memorial Gardens. Situated between the south shore of Maxwell Bay and the north shore of Crystal Bay, it is considered one of the most beautiful formal gardens in the state of Minnesota and a beloved spot for weddings.

Lake Minnetonka can be accessed in Orono from any of it's multiple commercial Marinas. Conversely, you can use one of the public boat launches located on North Arm and Maxwell Bay. Once you get out there fishing, swimming, water skiing, sailing, general boating, tubing, wake boarding, and scuba diving are just some of the activities to be enjoyed out on the lake. One of the main attractions of Lake Minnetonka is the Big Island Nature Park, which is owned and overseen by the city of Orono. A 56 acre park located on the eastern side of Big Island, it is accessible only by boat and offers camping, hiking, beaches and other recreational activities. Big Island also contains the Allen Wildlife Refuge on the western half of the island. Several dozen privately cabins call the island home as well. These houses are highly coveted and rare to see on the market.

Despite it's name and association with the Orono School District, the city of Orono is actually served by four different school districts. The cabins of Big Island are in the Minnetonka School District, the southern and western parts of the city are served by the Westonka School District, and some northeastern parts are included in the Wayzata School District. But, by and large most of the city is served by the Orono School District. Lifelong learners will spend their K-12 years on the sprawling Orono campus, starting at Schumann Elementary and graduating to the Intermediate School, then completing the Middle School and finishing at the award winning and nationally recognized Orono High School.