Marina Hopping down Florida’s Gulf Coast
Three of Florida’s best marinas are attached to Opal resorts. But what makes them great isn’t just what’s at the water’s edge; it’s what you can do once you get on dry land, as well.
Sandpearl Resort [Clearwater Beach, FL]
At the Marina
Coordinates 27°98.4N, 82°82.5W
Slips 5, accommodating vessels up to 30 feet. Maximum draft of seven feet at low tide; ten feet at high tide.
Marina Amenities Electric and freshwater hookups, gated entry and access.
At the Resort
With two restaurants – including Clearwater Beach’s only four-diamond restaurant, Caretta on the Gulf – a full-service spa, and a zero-entry pool with private cabanas and beachfront fire pits, there’s plenty to do once you disembark.
In the Area
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium lets you check out all that marine life you’ve missed while maintaining a heading. Pair it with a show at Capitol Theatre, one of Florida’s oldest operating theaters, known for having some of the best natural acoustics in the southeastern United States.
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The Resort at Longboat Key Club [Longboat Key, FL]
At the Marina
Coordinates 27°22.36N, 82°36.96W
Slips 291, storm-protected slips, accommodating vessels up to 150 feet. The marina is full service and deep water.
Marina Amenities Electric, freshwater, cable TV hookups, fuel, showers/saunas, laundry, dock crew and marina concierge, marina store, Wi-Fi, boat maintenance and repair service, private pool, complimentary shuttle, and pickleball and bocce ball courts.
At the Resort
After a long stretch with only a galley kitchen and limited meal options, the eight restaurants on the grounds of The Resort at Longboat Key Club will feel like decadent luxury. Spend a day stretched out on the resort’s white sand beach, or book a massage to work out the kinks from those long days at sea. This resort is also legendary for its award-winning Tennis Gardens and 45 holes of golf rated among the “Best Places to Play” by Golf Digest.
In the Area
Sarasota has emerged as one of the preeminent cultural centers of Florida’s Gulf Coast. From the Selby Botanical Gardens to the Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium to the Sarasota Classic Car Museum, there are plenty of ways to spend a day off the boat. But our favorite recommendation for anyone looking to kick up their heels and have some fun is a trip to The Ringling, a campus of fascinations including Ca’ D’Zen, home to John and Mable Ringling (yes, that Ringling), as well as the Museum of Art, the Circus Museum, and the historic Asolo Theater.
Learn More The Resort at Longboat Key Club
Sunset Key Cottages [Key West, FL]
At the Marina
Coordinates 24°33.4N, 81°48.6W (located at Margaritaville Key West Resort & Marina)
Slips 37, accommodating vessels up to 200 feet.
Marina Amenities Electric, freshwater, cable TV hookups, and fuel.
At the Resort
Located on beautiful Sunset Key, a secluded 27-acre island just a short launch from Key West, Sunset Key Cottages offer a serene escape highlighted by jasmine scented courtyards, bougainvillea-laced cottages, and panoramic views. Discover the quintessential island retreat, with days spent lounging on a pristine beach or being pampered at the spa. Where brightly colored hibiscus greet you at every turn, and award-winning dining celebrates the flavors of the Caribbean. It’s an experience like nothing you’ve encountered before.
In the Area
You could get lost for days in all of the diversions of Key West. We’d recommend exploring Old Town by bike, sampling some of its Cuban delicacies, or going a little high-brow at the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum for a tour of where “Papa” Hemingway wrote some of his seminal literary works.
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