Blog articles

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

FEATURED

6 Top Holiday Cocktails You’ll Want to Sip in 2024
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. Read More
Read more

FEATURED

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
Read more

FEATURED

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
Read more

FEATURED

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
Read more

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
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

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

Read more
OPAL Collection Delray Beach Resort

Lay of the Land: Delray Beach, FL

A healthy mix of art, angling, and alfresco dining mingles among the sand and salt air of this Atlantic Coast destination. Orientation Nestled between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale on Florida’s east coast. Nearby Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and Florida’s Everglades. Date incorporated 1911. Namesake A Detroit neighborhood. Notable for Old School Square, anchoring… Read More

Read more
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

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

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

Read more
Jupiter Florida OPAL Collection

Lay of the Land: Jupiter, Florida

Exploring Jupiter, Florida, has never been easier for turtle trackers, lighthouse lovers, and the art appreciative. Orientation On Florida’s east coast, 90 miles north of Miami. Nearby Loxahatchee River and Jupiter Inlet. Date incorporated 1925. Namesake Jupiter, Roman god of light and sky. Notable for Being ranked as one of the… Read More

Read more
Lake Placid Lodge in winter

Outdoor Winter Excursions in Lake Placid

Some lakes are strictly for summer fun. Lake Placid might have its most to offer when the mercury drops below freezing.   Winter Walk With more than 2,000 miles of walkable terrain, the Adirondack Park’s frozen waterfalls and snow-covered trees are best sought after with snowshoes strapped on. Start at… Read More

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

Read more
Happy hour at Delray Sands Resort

After Check-In: Delray Beach, Florida

There are plenty of ways to build your afternoon and evening after check-in at Delray Sands Resort on Highland Beach into some of the most memorable moments of your entire vacation. Cue the Jimmy Buffett There’s no better place to get your Delray Beach vacation mind-set started than at happy… Read More

Read more