Orangedale is positioned midway between Highway 5 and the beautiful Bras d'Or Lake. A part of Inverness County, Orangedale was founded by Orangemen. Orangemen were supporters of the King of England. In 1866, Orangedale become a stop for passengers travelling on the Intercolonial Railway of Canada. The railway would become a major employer in Orangedale until its demise in 1990. The railway still rests unused and intact as part of a local railway museum. Orangedale is approximately 49.8 km (30.9 mi.) southwest of the popular community of Baddeck, the home of Alexander Graham Bell.

The most extensive tourism destination in Orangedale is the Orangedale Railway Museum, which delves in the history of the railway, displaying artefacts, an operational model of the former railway, a tourist information centre, an old-fashioned tea room, a box car turned gift shop and so much more. The wilderness surrounding Orangedale is calm, pristine and tantalizing, and includes many types of animals and a lake fit for swimming, canoeing, fishing and picnicking.

Orangedale accommodations include bed and breakfasts.