Blog articles from Sarasota/Longboat Key

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

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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
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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

5 Ways to Reclaim Your Postponed Vacations

Postponed doesn’t have to mean canceled. Whether it was an annual holiday celebration the whole family was excited for or a big anniversary you had hoped to spend on white-sand beaches, it’s due time to cash in your rain-checks and cancelations for check-in confirmations. Here are five fabulous… Read More

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Wood Street Studio

Inside Sarasota’s Wood Street Studio

Across the country, more and more woodworkers are jumping on the urban lumber bandwagon by breathing new life into old wood destined for the dump. But only in Sarasota will you find an abundance of rare tree species and a man, named Dale Reike, who transforms it into stunning pieces that tell a unique story about this southwestern spot on the gulf. Read More

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