I am in the process of finalizing our trip for our family of 4 - boys are 18 and 15.

We will be spending a week in Paris and then flying to Croatia - just not sure where to fly to.....

We already have the flight from Dubrovnik back to the States booked and I have the last 3 nights booked in Dubrovnik and the 3 nights before that booked in Split. This leaves me with 2 -3 nights to spend somewhere else in Croatia......

could fly to Zagreb and then rent a car to explore until we get to Split and then I would ditch the car. Just having a tough time figuring out what to add - this is also the first week of August so I know it will be busy - but thats the time we have off and thats why I jumped to secure the 6 nights of hotels mentioned.

Any advice welcome!!!

Fly to Zagreb, stop at Plitvice and Zadar before Split.

And stay all nights in one place? Where? Or break it up? Hate to stay one night and move.....

Personally, I would save Zagreb and the Plitvice Lakes for a separate trip. With 3 nights in Duprovnik and 3 nights in Split, I think there is merit to the idea of more fully exploring southern Croatia. You might consider flying into Split. You could add Korcula or Hvar or one of the other nearby islands– or add another night or two to Split to allow day trips, perhaps to include the Krka National Park (which you can see from Split, but perhaps more conveniently from Sibenik) or an overnight trip to Mostar….

Any tie breakers - I'm torn between kja and PolSmits ideas.

I’m with kja, in August Plitvice will be mobbed, it’s a two lane road to get in and out of there. Stay closer to Split and enjoy some island time (they will be busy too, in August.)

Anyone else want to chime in - I'm having a tough time figuring this all out. I know that we dont want to stay in Hvar - want to go as a day trip I think - I have read that its really party central when we are going.

I'm sure you realize that Hvar Town -- known for its high season parties -- is just one place on Hvar Island...

And of course, your options include Korcula and the Peljesac peninsula and MANY other locations.

If you don't already have it, you might benefit from consulting the Rough Guide for Croatia.

I have the DK Eyewitness Travel Book...... Guess Ill order the Rough Guide too.

It will be hell on earth in those main spots at this time of the year in Croatia. Season is July / August and the rest of the year except Dubrovnik is pretty much dead. So I would consider going a bit off path .... otherwise you will just end up spending time in transport and crowds in high temperatures- I would suggest staying somewhere smaller between Sibenik and Split. (but not less nice) like Primosten an take one day trip to Trogir - lot of history, Another day just relax on the beach and explore the place you are in , third day day visit Sibenik - lovely but small and walkable a lot to see and eat ,4th day drive to Sibenik and take a short boat ride to Zlarin (or one more boat stop to Prvic)- adorable islands (see jadrolinija schedule), swim there and have some lunch,head back to the mainland in the evening . 5.th day short car ride to Krka national park...take into consideration when visiting Krka you need to get to Skradin , park a car , wait in the line to get onto boats to take you to Krka national park ,when you get back from Krka (you can swim there unlike Plitvice lakes where it s not allowed ) in the afternoon walk and have lunch in Skradin, do some yahtwatcing from a cafe maybe Bill Gates drops by,,haha,, once he actually did )etc, 5t day Split .. walk around the city but in the evening get back out of there, 6 th day keep open so you can decide on the spot what you wanna do. That s what I would do. And then head off to Dubrovnik...good luck with crowds from cruisers.If you land in Zagreb stay for a day or two.,ll make some sugestions if you want, and then drive down to Dalmatian coast,,,roughly to Zadar its about 2.5 hours and to Sibenik 3,5hours and to Split 4,5.

Thanks so much for the reply!!! I already booked the 3 nights in Split - so Im going to leave it be and we can do the some of day trips from there. What about staying in Sibenik for the other nights as a base and see Trogir, Sibenik, and Krka. The flight Im looking at from Paris gets in late in the day to the first day is a wash. That leaves me 8 full days.

Well you could do that but take into consideration downtown is steep and narrow old stone streets, no cars, the rest of the city is not too attractive to stay in. , Also for instance in case of rain ppl from the neighbouring little towns have noting to do so they flock to shopping centre to Sibenik and it becomes prettty much one whole traffic mess. That s why I m suggesting some smaller places as a base.. preferably with a beach in front of the house and free parking spot.But you are right maybe a hotel on the outskirts of Sibenik would be fine base....there are big ex Solaris hotels now called Amadria....or something in the vicinity.
Trogir is next to Split so do a day trip from there..

what about heading to zadar? anything that way?

Zadar is nice old town a little bigger then Sibenik .I think it would be just too much for 8 days. . On the coast from Zadar to Sibenik there are a lot of small similar coastal places all very nice nature and sea but not much to do (Biograd ,Vodice .Pirovac ,Murter,) If you want to relax ,lay on the beach. look at the sea and eat ice cream those are perfect but that s it. Don t expect too much action there.
Good luck with teenagers, I took my sons who are the same age as yours to Venice 2 yrs ago and they almost chopped my head off,, nagging all the way.....how boring it is and whyyy on earth I took them to this shitty old city,. ( I went to meet some american friends I didn t see for 15 yrs). BTW Venice is great,

My kids loved Venice. They are easy travelers! I was just thinking zadar for the 2 or 3 nights (not 8) before split and dubrovnik.

I understood you ment just 2, 3 days in Zadar. I ment if you go to Zadar as a base you have to ditch Sibenik otherwise it ll be too much running around. in 3 days. I'm jealous your kids like to travel with you!

Again, I'd wait for Zadar (and Sibenik) until you have time to make productive use of your time north of Split, particularly when you have so many wonderful options between Split and Dubrovnik -- but only you can decide what works for you and your family

And yes, Trogir is just a half-hour from Split, and well worth a visit from there.

So I just rearranged a bit -
GOing to fly to Split, stay 4 nights .
Then still open 2 nights
Then Dubrovnik 3 nights.

Kids really want to go to Krka. We would have to go super early to beat crowds. Should we stay somehere up in that region for the night or go from split?

If the Krka National Park is a priority, then you could consider staying in Skradin (closest, but VERY tiny) or Sibenik.

So after researching we all decided to spend the 2 nights somewhere between split and Dubrovnik as originally suggested - but not on an island so we dont have to worry about the ferry availability. Would like a nice 4 or 5 star hotel for the 2 nights - any suggestions that dont require ferrying?