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A man and three children, all wearing swimwear, run and play together on a sandy beach with Sandpearl Resort in the background.

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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
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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
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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
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Stone Crab Season in Florida: What to Know & Where to Get It
Beloved for their delicate, sweet meat, Florida stone crabs dominate minds and menus from October to May. Here’s why they’re so sought after and the best places to get your claws on, well, these delicious claws. Read More
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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
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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
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Whether you're planning where to go next or what to do on an already‑booked vacation, discover the travel destinations with Opal

A woman and a child playfully pose at the beach, holding hands. Both wear sunglasses and casual summer clothes. The woman bends down to kiss the childs nose, and gentle waves touch their feet under a clear blue sky.

The Opal Mother’s Day Gift Guide

Instead of picking out flowers or sending a quick card to Mom this year, why not find her a present that recaps your last vacation together? We’ve curated a Mother’s Day gift guide for unique treasures made to remind Mom of the allure of the Eastern coastline. Combing the Beach [Bar… Read More

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opal collection surfing

Exploring the Florida Surfing Scene

It’s certainly not Hawaii or California, but Florida has some of the best breaks, not to mention some of the biggest names in surfing. Cocoa Beach, just north of Opal Collection’s Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa, is home to six-time world champion Kelly Slater and plays host to the… Read More

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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