Blog | Page 8 of 61 | Opal Collection

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

Spacious restaurant with colorful mosaic ceiling and woven wood decor. Tables are set with pink and white dishes. A well-stocked bar with shelves of bottles is in the background, with wooden chairs and decorative lights. Large windows offer an ocean view.

FEATURED

Opal Key’s Fresh Dining & Design: A Key West Resort Renovation

If you’ve been waiting to hear the latest on Opal Key Resort & Marina’s renovated spaces – an upgraded arrival experience, expanded pool area, and exciting new restaurant concept – here’s what you need to know. Read More

A gourmet dish featuring grilled octopus served in Ringside, Cirque St. Armands newest Sarasota restaurant.

FEATURED

10 Best New Sarasota Restaurants to Visit in 2025

Whether you’re a local foodie or planning an upcoming visit, this insider’s guide reveals the most anticipated restaurants to open in Sarasota, Florida, including Opal’s own Ringside restaurant at Cirque St. Armands Beachside. Read More

The eighth-floor views at The Lucie in Hutchinson Island, Florida.

FEATURED

5 Digital Detox Retreats Designed for Distancing

We live in a noisy world with so much content vying for our attention. If you’re looking to distance yourself with a digital detox retreat, we have five worthy – and diversly different – picks in Opal destinations. 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

A person in a pink bikini surfs underwater, holding a surfboard against a backdrop of crashing ocean waves. The text #OpalUnpackedContest is displayed above the image.

Meet Our #OpalUnpackedContest Finalists

How do you unpack your Opal vacation? Read More

A couple dines at the bar of Sea-Guini at Opal Sands.

Eating Your Way through Clearwater Beach

Everything tastes better when you’re eating by the beach, and everything already tastes pretty great in Clearwater Beach. Here’s our guide to eight eateries you can’t (or at least shouldn’t) miss during your next visit. Read More

Meet Our 2015 #H2Opal Photo Contest Finalists

Whether it’s on the lakes of New York, the beaches of Florida, or the rocky coast of Maine, on-the-water experiences are at the heart of every OPAL Collection resort and destination. So it’s little surprise our #H2Opal photo contest saw us flooded with great entries. After careful consideration,… Read More

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

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

The Opal Seaside Florida Weddings Guide

White-sand beach weddings are a part of every Opal hotel experience. They also, however, offer some experiences brides won’t find anywhere else in Florida. Stress-Free Zone Along the Gulf of Mexico in Naples, Edgewater Beach Hotel helps you find some inner-Zen before the ceremony in its Serenity Suite. Overlooking the… Read More

6 of the Best Fishing Piers in Florida

Some of Florida’s best fishing spots aren’t landbound or only accessible via boat; they’re hovering on stilts and piles at the edge of the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. On the Gulf Coast of Florida Long-Cast & Slow-Reel Fishing [Sarasota, FL] Recently undergoing a 1.4… Read More

Our Picks: Views From Above

Cars in the sky? The tallest city hall in the US? Pick these five Opal destinations to have thrilling sky adventures, and catch the stars. . Acadia Night Sky Festival [Bar Harbor, ME] Each September, science, art, and nature conservation convene around… Read More