ALBION, N.Y. — Orleans County is celebrating its bicentennial and its best year yet for visitor spending. The county had the largest increase in tourism dollars among the five counties in the Greater Niagara Region.

What You Need To Know

  • Orleans County was incorporated on April 15, 1825, and will be celebrating its bicentennial throughout 2025

  • Tributary waters like the Oak Orchard River and Lake Ontario make for year-round trout, salmon and steelhead fishing

  • Orleans County has 400 boat slips located on various waterways 

Dawn Borchert is Orleans County's first full-time tourism director. She’s all in when it comes to showing off why people should play, stay, eat and shop in Orleans County.

"We have the lake fishing, and we have stream fishing,” said Borchert. "Once they get up here, they realize what we have. They are like, 'Oh, it's so serene and quiet and inexpensive,' and they really cherish what we have, and then we have repeat customers. People are looking for the countryside and the ruralness.”

She works with neighboring counties to cross-promote and says it's working.

"The economic impact of our tourism industry in Orleans County alone is $32 million a year,” said Borchert.

The biggest draw, Borchert added: anglers along Oak Orchard River, Johnson and Sandy Creeks and Lake Ontario.

Joe Kluczynski is from Clarence, but he loves fishing here anytime. 

"It is something to do during the winter," Kluczynski said. "I'm off of work, so I might as well go fishing. It is usually steelhead or brown trout this time of year."

Oak Orchard Tackle and Lodge hosts visitors from all over the East Coast and Canada. Owner Rob Bierstine is the sports fisherman coordinator for the county and dock master for the marine park. He posts a year-round fishing report. He loves promoting the tributary fishing.

"Orleans County is a world-renowned trout and salmon fishing destination and especially with this spring weather breaking hopefully soon, I'm excited about the steelhead fishing opportunities in the Oak Orchard River and of course the lake fishing coming up just a little bit later on,” said Bierstine.

The county is celebrating its bicentennial this year. The county is proudly sharing 40,000 copies of its tourism guide — and the county's new mascot, Orly the Ox, who is everywhere, every week, all year. There are several community events planned each month.

Orleans County is hoping to top tourism numbers again this year. To do that, Borchert says this rural county of about 39,000 residents is looking at welcoming more international visitors who tend to stay longer and boaters out on Lake Ontario. The county has a 79-boat slip marina.