Skip to content

Blog articles from Clearwater Beach

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

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
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
OPAL Collection Weddings

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
Pier-60-at-Clearwater-Beach

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
dream vacation

Our Picks: Vacation Ideas For Movie Lovers

Plenty of vacation ideas across the map have caught 15 seconds of fame in movies, but these OPAL destinations figured front and center in classic films. Photo © Alcon Entertainment Great Expectations [Sarasota, FL] By the late 1990s, John Ringling’s Ca’ d’Zan was in…

Read more

Sign up for news & updates from the Opal Collection