Blog articles

Book Now
A holiday-themed cocktail part of Opal's seasonal cocktail program.

FEATURED

Top Holiday Cocktails To Ring in 2026
These holiday cocktails – part of Opal’s specialty holiday cocktail program – aren’t just complex symphonies of flavor, they’re liquid works of art. And we’ve got the recipes for you to recreate during your own holiday festivities.
Read more
A Florida-themed Christmas ornament on a tree.

FEATURED

5 Game-Changing Benefits of Taking Your Holidays on Vacation
If the stress of your holiday hustle has been weighing you down (especially if you’re the one hosting the festivities), this may be an article you want to read. Because a holiday week getaway may just be the best gift you can give yourself.
Read more
Aerial view of a winding coastal road bordered by dense forest with autumn foliage, rocky cliffs, and waves crashing against the shoreline below.

FEATURED

Why Mount Desert Island Was Voted America’s Favorite Island
It wasn’t a tropical escape that scored number one in the “Top 15 Islands in the Continental U.S.” list in Travel + Leisure’s 2025 World’s Best Awards. It was a lobster-claw-shaped piece of land off the craggy coast of Downeast Maine.
Read more
The view of Frenchman Bay from Bar Harbor

FEATURED

A Coveted Coastal New England Road Trip
The beauty of a multi-day, 220-mile road trip up the craggy coast from Portsmouth, New Hampshire to Bar Harbor, Maine isn’t just the plethora of enticing pit stops along the route – from high culture to scenic coves. It’s also the way that Opal properties serve as your easy and convenient overnight waypoints for piecing together one epic coastal cruise.
Read more
A man and three children, all wearing swimwear, run and play together on a sandy beach with Sandpearl Resort in the background.

FEATURED

Best Family Beach Resorts in Florida
Planning a family beach vacation to Florida? From morning splash time to sunset s’mores, Opal Collection offers a variety of beach resorts up and down the coast that take the hassle out of family vacations.
Read more
A serene beach scene unfolds in Clearwater, Florida, with a long pier extending into calm, blue waters. Sandy dunes with patches of grass grace the foreground. The clear sky holds a whisper of clouds near the horizon, while small structures dot this idyllic attraction on the pier.

FEATURED

Must-See Clearwater Florida Attractions You Never Knew About
Think you’ve experienced all of Clearwater Beach? This list of hidden gems might make you think again.
Read more
A father and daughter play in the gin-clear waters of Jupiter, Florida.

FEATURED

6 Best Crystal-Clear Water Beaches in Florida that Rival the Caribbean
You don’t need a passport to frolic in the blue waves identical to what you’d find in everyone’s favorite tropical sea. You just need these favorite Florida beaches.
Read more
A family enters the lobby at Hutchinson Island Beach Resort & Spa.

FEATURED

10 Experiences to Level Up Your Next Opal Escape
Opal Collection resorts and hotels are more than just luxurious places to lay your head. From private chef-led culinary events to hands-on outdoor adventures you’ll be raving about for years to come, here’s how our collection can craft and connect you to indelible experiences that discerning travelers covet.
Read more
folding kayak

Travel Smart: Products for the Outdoor Enthusiast

Waterproof phone cases. Folding kayaks. Our outdoor products guide has everything you need to enjoy your next great adventure at six OPAL destinations. Bushnell 6x 50mm Equinox Z [Naples, FL] You can spy on alligators, ibises, and deer in the sprawling Everglades National Park on clear mornings and inky nights…

Read more
downtown Naples, Florida

Lay of the Land: Naples, FL

This Southern Florida, Gulf Coast city is home to some of the country’s most luxurious shopping and endangered orchids. Orientation Less than an hour south of Fort Myers on Florida’s west coast. Nearby Marco Island and the Everglades. Date incorporated 1925. Namesake Naples, Italy. Notable for Swamp buggy races, the ghost…

Read more
Florda and Maine beers

Battle of the Brews: Florida & Maine Craft Beer

Maine and Florida are two of the most hopping (and hoppy) states in America’s white-hot craft beer scene, but also a study in contrasts. We sample some highlights. The Maine craft beer scene dates back to the early ’90s, with legendary brewers like Allagash and Atlantic Brewing Company doing high-quality…

Read more
Jupiter and Naples

This or That: Jupiter or Naples

While vibrant Naples and sunny Jupiter are just two-and-a-half hours apart, two of Florida’s most popular beach cities boast very different Florida vacations for those seeking adventure in the Sunshine State. Best Wildlife Adventure Jupiter: Loggerhead Marinelife Center June Beach has become one of the most active nesting beaches for…

Read more
Couple on Lake George overlooking The Sagamore Resort

The Best Lake George Water Activities

When the temperatures rise, the waters surrounding Lake George feature plenty of water activities that are inviting to kayakers, swimmers, fishermen, and wildlife explorers. Cruise with The Morgan An hour-and-a-half tour peeking over the railing of The Sagamore Resort’s replica nineteenth-century touring vessel, The Morgan, reveals a shoreline full…

Read more
florida ghosts

Ghost Stories and the Haunted History of Florida

A chill is rarely in the air in Florida – except when learning about some of the spookiest ghost stories found along its coasts. Voodoo Doll [Key West] While his tale was inspiration for the 1988 horror film Child’s Play, in reality, there’s no ghost story, just a curse.

Read more
ice cream month

National Ice Cream Month: The Scoop on Our Favorite Flavors

From blueberry basil to guava, Opal destinations boast dozens of unique ice cream flavors within a cone’s throw. Join us on a taste bud–led tour in celebration of July as National Ice Cream Month. Marble Cake [Lake George, NY] Martha’s Dandee Cream near The Sagamore maintains a…

Read more
Hemingway Days

Inside Key West’s Hemingway Days

Each July on the birthday of Key West’s most famed writer, hundreds of white-bearded, cocktail-slinging Ernest Hemingway doppelgangers take to the streets for a mock bull run and then to the stage with song and dance at Sloppy Joe’s Bar. For visitors, there’s great history and enjoyable events everywhere you…

Read more