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

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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.
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A Florida-themed Christmas ornament on a tree.

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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.
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Aerial view of a winding coastal road bordered by dense forest with autumn foliage, rocky cliffs, and waves crashing against the shoreline below.

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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.
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The view of Frenchman Bay from Bar Harbor

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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.
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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.
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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.

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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.
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A father and daughter play in the gin-clear waters of Jupiter, Florida.

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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.
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A family enters the lobby at Hutchinson Island Beach Resort & Spa.

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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.
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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

cardio workout vacation

Vacations with a Cardio Workout

We’ve got a great list of outdoor activities that will get your heart pumping and get you to some of the best sights of Opal destinations at the same time. Hiking Lake George [Lake George, NY] For one of the highest and closest around Lake George, Black Mountain Loop is the…

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© Ali Mitton for The Beach People Co.

10 Holiday Gift Ideas for Travelers

With several priced $100 or below, our holiday gift ideas for every Opal traveler range from stylish weekend getaway accompaniments to high-tech gadgets great for experiencing our favorite destinations. A Beach Towel Statement Price: Starting at $99 Most beach towels are so…rectangular. The Beach People’s hand-woven round designs let…

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Lake Placid Lodge

Truly Unique: Lake Placid

Lake Placid’s pristine wilderness and isolation from the busy digital world make it the perfect escape, and these four attractions are unique to the rugged region. Authentic Adirondack Furniture Anyone can say that they have rustic decor, but can they say that their furniture was both inspired by and built in the…

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Persephone's Harvest The Artisans Restaurant Lake Placid Lodge

The Rustic and Culinary Treasures of the Adirondacks

At The Artisans at Lake Placid Lodge, Executive Chef Mark Hannon has embraced the farmed and foraged spoils of the mountains to create dishes distinct to the Adirondacks. Hannon has traveled the world, serving as the culinary mastermind for hotels and restaurants in Chicago, New York City, Australia, and Thailand,…

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pumpkin festival

Our Picks: Fall Festivals for Families

We offer you five great reasons to get the gang in the car – or even on a plane – for a fall weekend getaway built around everything from Florida’s tastiest crustacean to Maine’s most magnificent boats. September Windjammer Festival [Camden, ME] September 4–6 Sidle up to magnificent schooners…

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Lake Placid Bar Harbor

This or That: Bar Harbor vs. Lake Placid

For mountains alongside the water, it’s hard to beat Bar Harbor…or Lake Placid. We compare these two Northeast outposts known for their natural spoils and picturesque downtowns. Most Picturesque Hike Bar Harbor: Jordan Pond Loop – 3 miles This moderate route takes hikers along the water’s edge at Acadia National…

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Father's Day 2015

Father’s Day Gift Guide

This year for Dad, don’t settle for anything that comes in a box. Give him one of these six OPAL experiences in our Father’s Day gift guide that will have him raving for years. Night Photography in Acadia [Bar Harbor, ME] Give him a different perspective of Acadia…

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Lake Placid vacation homes

Behind the Front Door of Lake Placid’s Great Camps

In the late 1870s, the son of a railroad tycoon headed off into the dense woods of the Adirondacks – to what is today just a 30-minute drive west of the Lake Placid Lodge – to start an architectural revolution. His name was William West Durant, and his vision was…

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Opal love story contest

Our #OPALlovestorycontest Winner

This spring, we challenged our fans to build a tribute Pinterest board to their love. Ginny Dembek’s nine-year long-distance relationship, Whiteface proposal, and a Lake Placid wedding won us over. Above photo © Tracey Buyce Photography Love Long Distance When starting their careers separated college sweethearts Dan and Ginny Dembek…

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