Family

Turn a vacation into the kind of moments you’ll be laughing about together 20 years from now.

Oktoberfest may have originated in Bavaria, but the tradition is alive and well here in the States. Dust off...

Which Oktoberfest is Best for You?

Active, Arts & Culture, Bar Harbor, Beach, Experiences, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Florida Gulf Coast, Food & Drink, Jupiter/North Palm Beach, Lake George, Lake Placid, New England Coast, New York Adirondacks, St. Petersburg/Clearwater

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Summer is winding down. Here, we list six quintessential experiences to squeeze into your summer bucket list before the...

6 Last Chances for Summer

Active, Arts & Culture, Bar Harbor, Beach, Camden/Rockport/Rockland, Delray Beach/Boca Raton, Experiences, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Food & Drink, Key West, Lake George, Lake Placid, New England Coast, New York Adirondacks

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The timeless appeal behind ballooning, an experience Adirondack Balloon Company Owner Kiersten Owen describes as the “closest sensation to...

Celebrating the Skies at the Adirondack Balloon Festival

Arts & Culture, Experiences, Family, Lake George, New York Adirondacks

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When it comes to things to do in Rockport, Maine, we have the perfect ways to spend two days...

Day On, Day Off: The Samoset Resort

Active, Beach, Camden/Rockport/Rockland, Experiences, Family, Food & Drink, New England Coast, Opal Moments

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As summer wears on, you may want to mix up your days beyond the pool and beach. We highlight...

Creative Ways to Beat the Heat in Opal Destinations

Active, Arts & Culture, Bar Harbor, Clearwater Beach, Delray Beach/Boca Raton, Experiences, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Florida Gulf Coast, Jupiter/North Palm Beach, Lake Placid, Naples, New England Coast, New York Adirondacks

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We guide you through two days spent in Florida’s southernmost outpost – one reserved for living up luxuries on-resort...

Day On, Day Off: Sunset Key Cottages & Key West

Active, Arts & Culture, Beach, Experiences, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Food & Drink, Key West, Opal Moments

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If you and your inner circle of friends are looking to escape the cacophony of city life for a...

The Nature Lovers’ Getaway Guide to Bar Harbor

Active, Arts & Culture, Bar Harbor, Experiences, Family, Food & Drink, New England Coast, Opal Moments

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If you’re looking for things to do in Hutchinson Island and its neighboring town of Stuart, Florida, you’ll appreciate...

5 Unexpected Highlights around Hutchinson Island

Active, Arts & Culture, Beach, Delray Beach/Boca Raton, Experiences, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Food & Drink, Jupiter/North Palm Beach, Key West, Opal Moments

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Summer is around the corner. Which means it's time to shake off hibernation and get outdoors to explore a...

The Best Outdoor Summer Adventures in Every Opal Destination

Active, Bar Harbor, Camden/Rockport/Rockland, Clearwater Beach, Delray Beach/Boca Raton, Experiences, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Florida Gulf Coast, Jupiter/North Palm Beach, Key West, Lake George, Lake Placid, Naples, New England Coast, New York Adirondacks, Sarasota/Longboat Key

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It’s been a long quarter. Time to grab a handful of your closest friends and retreat to Jupiter Beach,...

The Spa Group Getaway Guide to Jupiter Beach

Active, Arts & Culture, Beach, Experiences, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Food & Drink, Jupiter/North Palm Beach, Opal Moments

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When it comes to truly cool pools, no other properties know how to make a splash quite like these...

Aquatic Paradises: Opal’s Best Hotel Pools

Active, Bar Harbor, Camden/Rockport/Rockland, Clearwater Beach, Experiences, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Florida Gulf Coast, Food & Drink, Jupiter/North Palm Beach, Naples, New England Coast, Opal Moments, Sarasota/Longboat Key, St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Treasure Island

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If your gang of friends prefers cooler temps, fiery colors, and active adventures, look no further than a getaway...

The Fall Group Getaway Guide to Lake George

Active, Experiences, Family, Food & Drink, Lake George, New York Adirondacks, Opal Moments

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When you think of your last vacation, chances are, your mode of transport to your destination – an airplane...

The Group Boating Getaway Guide to Longboat Key

Active, Arts & Culture, Beach, Experiences, Family, Florida Gulf Coast, Food & Drink, Opal Moments, Sarasota/Longboat Key

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Growing up is hard enough as is it. Which is why when it comes to those big birthday milestones...

Your Birthday Bash Guide to Sunset Key

Active, Arts & Culture, Beach, Experiences, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Food & Drink, Key West, Opal Moments

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Any parent knows that traveling with kids is an exercise in logistical planning. Not when you’re on a family...

8 Things Your Kids Will Love About Lake Placid

Active, Arts & Culture, Experiences, Family, Food & Drink, Lake Placid, New York Adirondacks, Opal Moments

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When it comes to things to do in Bar Harbor, there’s a slew of hands-on learning highlights that transform...

The Best Hands-On Learning Activities in Bar Harbor

Active, Arts & Culture, Bar Harbor, Beach, Experiences, Family, New England Coast

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Who says only movies get a soundtrack? We’ve handpicked the best songs for five Opal vacation experiences, crafting the...

The Soundtrack to Your Vacation: Top Opal Playlists

Active, Bar Harbor, Beach, Camden/Rockport/Rockland, Delray Beach/Boca Raton, Experiences, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Florida Gulf Coast, Lake Placid, New England Coast, New York Adirondacks, Opal Moments, Treasure Island

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We dug deep into all Opal destinations from Florida, Maine, and New York to build this list of top...

10 Top Events and Reasons to Visit Opal Destinations This Spring

Active, Arts & Culture, Clearwater Beach, Delray Beach/Boca Raton, Experiences, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Florida Gulf Coast, Jupiter/North Palm Beach, Lake George, Lake Placid, Naples, New York Adirondacks, Sarasota/Longboat Key, St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Treasure Island

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A family retreat headquartered at Treasure Island Beach Resort puts you within striking distance of John’s Pass Village in...

The Family Reunion Guide to Treasure Island

Active, Arts & Culture, Beach, Experiences, Family, Florida Gulf Coast, Food & Drink, Opal Moments, Treasure Island

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A brand-new resort, an easy-to-reach location, and all the best multi-generational Sarasota activities? That’s just a few of the...

The Family Reunion Guide to Longboat Key

Active, Arts & Culture, Beach, Experiences, Family, Florida Gulf Coast, Food & Drink, Opal Moments, Sarasota/Longboat Key

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Between all-you-can-eat Amish dinner buffets to a massive shark observation tank, Sarasota’s multi-generational attractions make it the ultimate location...

The Family Reunion Guide to Sarasota

Active, Arts & Culture, Beach, Experiences, Family, Florida Gulf Coast, Food & Drink, Opal Moments, Sarasota/Longboat Key

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Is your friend’s – or maybe your own – 40th birthday coming up? Celebrate this milestone with a destination...

Your Special Birthday Bash Guide to Clearwater Beach

Clearwater Beach, Family, Florida Gulf Coast, Food & Drink, Opal Moments

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Home to cultural, active, and foodie-focused activities that appeal to a range of generations, Lake Placid makes for the...

The Family Reunion Guide to Lake Placid

Active, Arts & Culture, Experiences, Family, Food & Drink, Lake Placid, New York Adirondacks, Opal Moments

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Grab the grandparents, and set out on an intimate family vacation in Delray Beach, Florida, where multi-generational activities appeal...

The Family Getaway Guide to Delray Beach

Active, Arts & Culture, Beach, Delray Beach/Boca Raton, Experiences, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Food & Drink, Opal Moments

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Yes, you’ll hit the beach on your Florida gulf vacation. But the Clearwater Beach and St. Petersburg areas are...

Getting into Nature in St. Petersburg and Clearwater, FL

Active, Clearwater Beach, Experiences, Family, Florida Gulf Coast, St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Treasure Island

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Consider 2017 the year you actually book the vacations you’ve been talking about for years. We offer some ideas,...

Opal’s 2017 Travel Bucket List

Active, Arts & Culture, Camden/Rockport/Rockland, Experiences, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Florida Gulf Coast, Jupiter/North Palm Beach, Key West, Lake George, Lake Placid, Naples, New England Coast, New York Adirondacks, Sarasota/Longboat Key

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We give you the basics on how to play this family-friendly sport sweeping the country.

What Is Pickleball? Rules, Roots, and Where to Play

Active, Camden/Rockport/Rockland, Experiences, Family, New England Coast

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Three Opal destinations as the best places to visit in August and an unexpected thing to do in each.

Summer’s Last Gasp: Best Places to Visit in August

Active, Arts & Culture, Bar Harbor, Beach, Destination Guides, Experiences, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Key West, Lake Placid, New England Coast, New York Adirondacks

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Sarasota has plenty of unexpected things to do in addition to its beach, architecture, arts, and circus roots.

5 Unexpected Things to Do in Sarasota

Active, Arts & Culture, Beach, Destination Guides, Experiences, Family, Florida Gulf Coast, Sarasota/Longboat Key

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The Edgewater Beach Hotel’s top picks for what to bring to the stunning white sand beaches of Naples.

What to Pack in Your Naples Beach Bag

Beach, Destination Guides, Experiences, Family, Florida Gulf Coast, Naples

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Using the Samoset Resort as a basecamp, the coastal towns of Camden, Rockport, and Rockland offer everything from hiking...

The Family Weekend Guide to Midcoast Maine

Active, Arts & Culture, Camden/Rockport/Rockland, Experiences, Family, New England Coast

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The Grapefruit League’s five ballparks near Opal destinations get you up close with your favorite Major League stars.

Opal’s Guide to Florida Spring Training

Active, Clearwater Beach, Experiences, Family, Florida Gulf Coast, Jupiter/North Palm Beach, Naples, Sarasota/Longboat Key

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Family vacations at the Palm Beaches are full of wildlife, sunny outdoor adventures, and kid-friendly attractions from laser tag...

A Family Travel Guide to the Palm Beaches

Destination Guides, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Jupiter/North Palm Beach

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We offer you five great reasons to get the gang in the car – or even on a plane...

Our Picks: Fall Festivals for Families

Camden/Rockport/Rockland, Clearwater Beach, Family, Florida Gulf Coast, Lake Placid, Naples, New England Coast, New York Adirondacks, Sarasota/Longboat Key, St. Petersburg/Clearwater

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Co-organizer of fun for the Samoset Kids Club Rick Bagnall, dad of two, dishes out advice on traveling with little...

Family Vacation Tips: Traveling with Young Children

Camden/Rockport/Rockland, Clearwater Beach, Destination Guides, Family, Lake George, Sarasota/Longboat Key, St. Petersburg/Clearwater

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From southern Florida’s largest display to a Fourth set in an Americana time warp, here are six fresh ways...

Our Picks: Top Fireworks and Celebrations for the Fourth of July

Bar Harbor, Destination Guides, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Florida Gulf Coast, Jupiter/North Palm Beach, Key West, Lake George, Lake Placid, Naples, New England Coast, New York Adirondacks

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This year for Dad, don’t settle for anything that comes in a box. Give him one of these six...

Father’s Day Gift Guide

Bar Harbor, Clearwater Beach, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Florida Gulf Coast, Jupiter/North Palm Beach, Lake Placid, Naples, New England Coast, New York Adirondacks, Sarasota/Longboat Key, St. Petersburg/Clearwater

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From fall ceremonies below crimson fall trees to waterfront receptions along the Atlantic, we have five Northeast OPAL Collection...

The Opal Northeast Weddings Guide

Bar Harbor, Camden/Rockport/Rockland, Family, Lake George, Lake Placid, New England Coast, New York Adirondacks

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Acadia National Park itself is a veritable garden of incredible natural wonder. But Mount Desert Island’s past as a...

3 Amazing Estate Gardens of Mount Desert Island

Active, Bar Harbor, Experiences, Family, New England Coast

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Whether you want to swim with Florida “mermaids” or hand feed sharks, there’s an OPAL destination for your inner...

Top Florida Wildlife Encounters

Active, Clearwater Beach, Experiences, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Florida Gulf Coast, Jupiter/North Palm Beach, Naples, Sarasota/Longboat Key, St. Petersburg/Clearwater

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Plenty of vacation ideas across the map have caught 15 seconds of fame in movies, but these OPAL destinations figured...

Our Picks: Vacation Ideas For Movie Lovers

Arts & Culture, Delray Beach/Boca Raton, Experiences, Family, Florida East Coast & Keys, Jupiter/North Palm Beach

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Our writer learns how hot air ballooning in Lake George can include mid-air races, some serious razzing, and quite...

Breath of Fresh Air: Hot Air Ballooning in Lake George

Active, Experiences, Family, Lake George, New York Adirondacks

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A regular visitor recalls his on-again, off-again love affair with lobster while visiting Midcoast Maine with his family.

A Lobster Affair in Midcoast Maine

Camden/Rockport/Rockland, Family, Food & Drink

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