Florida Gulf Coast Archives - Page 25 of 28

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

FEATURED

6 Top Holiday Cocktails To Ring in 2025

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

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

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

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

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

Whether you're planning where to go next or what to do on an already‑booked vacation, discover the travel destinations with Opal

Where to Stay: Zota Beach Resort

Longboat Key’s newest luxury beach resort promises to be a chic study in casual beach cool. Read More

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

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

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

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

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

For the Thrill of the Hunt

There’s a sense of pride to successfully testing your hunting and fishing skills. So why not try spearfishing in Key West, pulling in lobster traps in Maine, or hunting deer in the Adirondacks? Spearfishing [Key West, FL] Diving down into the waters while scoping out your prey is best done in… Read More

Two Times the Wine Pairing at Opal Resorts

Wine lovers are rejoicing along Florida’s Gulf Coast and in the foothills of the Adirondacks. Why? Just ask the organizers of two of the year’s biggest wine pairing events: Lake Placid Lodge Executive Chef Truman Jones on the Gastro Getaway and Director of Food and Beverage Bob Weil at The… Read More