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

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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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Opal Sol or Opal Sands? A Guide to Clearwater Beach’s New Resort Duo
Considering a stay at either Opal Sol or Opal Sands? Here are the essential things you should know about Opal Collection’s new "sol" mate properties – including what makes each resort unique, their shared resort amenities, and which one best suits your unique stay. 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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Best Beaches in Florida: Why Delray Beach Was Voted Number One in 2024
Scenic, natural, and accessible – these are just a few of the reasons Delray Beach was deservedly awarded “Best Beach in Florida” in USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. 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

Camden, Maine and Delray Beach, Florida

This or That: Camden or Delray Beach

Despite being separated by more than 1,600 miles of Atlantic coastline, Camden, Maine, and Delray Beach, Florida, share beautiful beaches, thriving arts communities, and a treasured small-town feel. Best Glimpse of History Camden: Camden Opera House This 500-seat gem, built in 1894, boasts the stellar acoustics of a Victorian-style… Read More

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Lido-Beach-Resort-Sunrise-Aerial

Where to Stay: Lido Beach Resort

Situated on Sarasota’s exclusive Lido Key, Lido Beach Resort is the epitome of coastal cool. Step inside, and you’ll see a seaside motif, with weathered wood floors reminiscent of a ship’s deck, oars as wall decor, ocean tones as far as the eye can see, and plenty of natural texture. A 300-foot stretch of powder-soft white sand beach runs along the Gulf of Mexico, with private cabanas at the ready for some serious beach relaxation. Sarasota – known as Florida’s “cultural coast,” even with its own era of modern architecture – is then a directly across the John Ringling Causeway. Read More

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Jupiter Beach Sunset

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

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Treasure Island Beach

Lay of the Land: Treasure Island, FL

The aptly named Treasure Island is home to sparkling beaches, one of the best Cuban sandwiches in Florida, and a classic beachfront bar scene you won’t find anywhere else. Orientation Between the Gulf of Mexico and Blind Pass, eight miles west of St. Petersburg. Nearby Shell Key Reserve, St. Petersburg, and… Read More

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National parks for kids

Our Picks: National Parks For Every Child

Inspired by the National Parks Service’s new “Every Kid in a Park” initiative that grants free access to parks nationwide for every fourth-grader in America, we share our picks for the best natural wonders around for every family. Acadia National Park [Bar Harbor, ME] Best for Families looking for a National… Read More

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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… Read More

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clearwater sarasota

This or That: Clearwater Beach or Sarasota

These two Florida gulf gems sit on either side of Tampa Bay from each other, but where Sarasota has its eye on arts and culture, Clearwater Beach turns to classic beach options. Here’s your guide to choosing your ideal beach adventure. The Biggest Thrills Clearwater Beach: Sky Surfing Take to the… Read More

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folding kayak

Travel Smart: Products for the Outdoor Enthusiast

Waterproof phone cases. Folding kayaks. Our outdoor products guide has everything you need to enjoy your next great adventure at six OPAL destinations. Bushnell 6x 50mm Equinox Z [Naples, FL] You can spy on alligators, ibises, and deer in the sprawling Everglades National Park on clear mornings and inky nights… Read More

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downtown Naples, Florida

Lay of the Land: Naples, FL

This Southern Florida, Gulf Coast city is home to some of the country’s most luxurious shopping and endangered orchids. Orientation Less than an hour south of Fort Myers on Florida’s west coast. Nearby Marco Island and the Everglades. Date incorporated 1925. Namesake Naples, Italy. Notable for Swamp buggy races, the ghost… Read More

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