Skip to content

Blog articles

For Select Dates Through December 24

Now through Wednesday night, all 31 Opal Collection properties are offering up to 25% off select dates through the end of the year.
So, cash in those vacation days you’ve been saving all year and enjoy this travel-window sweet spot – when the sun is still shining, the crowds have thinned, and your dream room is easier to snag.

Browse Properties
Two people sit close together on a rocky surface, overlooking a scenic landscape with clouds and a colorful sunset sky—a perfect moment to enjoy the peace of shoulder season, as shrubs and trees line the edge of the rocky area.

FEATURED

6 Best-Kept Travel Secrets of the September-October Shoulder Season
From beachfront bites (at a fraction of the price) to backcountry hikes, these are the signature experiences you’ll only find across Opal destinations during the golden stretch of September through October.
Read more
A split image showing a white modern house with lawn and patio furniture on the left, and a luxury hotel with balconies and a pool surrounded by loungers and greenery on the right.

FEATURED

A Tale of Two Historic Hotels & Their Unique Reinventions 
On opposite coasts, two new Opal Collection additions are taking opposite approaches to history. One reinterprets the past through new construction. The other preserves a storied legacy through thoughtful reinvention.
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
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 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

Whether you're planning where to go next or what to do on an already‑booked vacation, discover the travel destinations with Opal

Jazz month festivals

Festivals and Fixes for Your Jazz Month Cravings

April is Jazz Appreciation Month. To celebrate, we’re highlighting the best ways to get your jazz  fix, no matter if you’re exploring the coast of Maine or playing footsie with some golden sand on the coast of Florida. June Freihofer’s Jazz Festival [Saratoga Springs, NY] Just 30 minutes south of…

Read more
Tennessee Williams museum

Tennessee Williams’s Key West

One of the most celebrated writers marked Key West as his inspirational epicenter. Now on his 104th birthday, the city is celebrating the literary influence of Tennessee Williams all March long. Photo © Tennessee Williams Key West Exhibit  More than 100 miles from Florida’s mainland, Key West has lured noteworthy literary spirits…

Read more
Samoset Resort weddings

Real Lake George Wedding: Belinda & George

A longtime love of the region made The Sagamore Resort the ideal location for this playful couple’s Lake George wedding. Photos © Clark + Walker August 26 | The Sagamore Resort [Bolton Landing, NY] Their Story While Belinda and George first met in a master’s degree program…

Read more
Aerial view of Sarasota reveals a narrow strip of land with a sandy beach separating the green-tinted ocean on the left from a dark blue river or lagoon on the right. The landscape, nestled in this coastal paradise, is dotted with dense green vegetation and a winding dirt path.

10 Reasons to Visit Sarasota, Florida

While the circus may be its cultural signature (and there’s nothing wrong with that), there’s more to Sarasota than just Ringling and trapeze art. 1. Pristine Mid-Century Architecture Few realize that Sarasota is home to some of the country’s finest examples of mid-century modern architecture. Architectural enthusiasts that are in…

Read more
OPAL Collection Delray Beach Resort

Lay of the Land: Delray Beach, FL

A healthy mix of art, angling, and alfresco dining mingles among the sand and salt air of this Atlantic Coast destination. Orientation Nestled between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale on Florida’s east coast. Nearby Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and Florida’s Everglades. Date incorporated 1911. Namesake A Detroit neighborhood. Notable for Old School Square, anchoring…

Read more
Ghost Orchid

Ghost of a Chance

Catching a glimpse of a ghost orchid is rare, but even rarer is the multiple blooms this mysterious flower continues to produce in Naples’s swamps. By Jason Fitzroy Jeffers “Can you see it?” asks RJ Wiley, pointing high up into the dense tangle of trees in the swamp before me.

Read more
Bloody Mary drink festival

Save the Date: 2015 Drink Festivals

The typical brewfest or wine event gets a fresh makeover at these events in OPAL destinations. Photo © The Bloody Mary Festival February Clearwater Beach Uncorked [Clearwater Beach, FL] It’s a beach party not to forget: Two days walking barefoot through Florida sands,…

Read more

Sign up for news & updates from the Opal Collection