Itinerary Thoughts?
 

My husband and I are going to Croatia for our honeymoon. I want to see if we can just have a car for the first part of our trip and then get rid of it in Split (and just do day trips to the islands from there)Thoughts? Also, are airbnbs the best way to go? Any feedback on the below would be fantastic as we have only planned our flights (I know I'm behind)May 24 – Arrive Zagreb

· Airbnb in Zagreb

May 25 – two-hour drive to Plitvice Lake National Park (must get tickets ahead of time or at gate)

· Airbnb in Plitvice

May 26 – Plitvice

· Airbnb in Plitvice

May 27 – Leave Plitvice and stop in Starigrad for lunch/hiking/beaches then go to Zadar

· Airbnb in Zadar

May 28 – Leave Zadar and go to Krka to hike/boat/waterfalls – head to Sibenik

· Airbnb in Sibenik

May 29 – Drive to Split

· Airbnb in Split

May 30 – Day trip to Vis

· Airbnb in Split

May 31 – Day trip to Korcula

· Airbnb in Split

June 1 – Day trip to Bol

· Airbnb in Split

June 2 – Day trip to Trogir

· Airbnb in Split

June 3 – Drive to Dubrovnik

· Airbnb in Dubrovnik

June 4 – Day trip to Peljesac

· Airbnb in Dubrovnik

June 5 – Dubrovnik

· Airbnb in Dubrovnik

June 6 – Depart Dubrovnik

Your plan has some wonderful features, but also some problems IMO.

The biggest problem: If you will be crossing multiple time zones before reaching Croatia, you will not be able to drive safely (for you or anyone else on the road) for at least a day or two.

One way to deal with that problem would be to reverse the order of your trip -- start in Dubrovnik, end in Zagreb. Actually, at that time of year I think it makes more sense to go in that direction. Wait until you are ready to leave Dubrovnik to pick up your car ... or better, take the bus (my preference) or a ferry from Dubrovnik to Split and only pick up your rental when you are ready to leave Split. For that matter, you can easily use buses until you are ready to leave Zadar for Plitvice.

It seems you are planning at most a few jet-lagged hours in Zagreb.. Maybe that's your intention; FWIW, I thing it's underrated.

There are several "Stari Grads" ("Old Towns") in the region. The one I know in Croatia is on Hvar Island; I don't see how a stop there makes sense between the Plitvice NP and Zadar. Perhaps you can clarify?

Your time in Zadar is also quite liimited. It sounds like you won't get there until mid-afternoon at the earliest and will need to leave early the next day. Is that sufficient time for your purposes there?

It seems that you are planning a day trip for every day you are in Split. No time for that fascinating city?

You'll see some wonderful places, but you also run the risk of seeing little of many of the places you visit.

I hope that helps!

These day trips to the islands make little sense. Vis is 2.5 hours each way. Korčula is two hours from Split on the catamaran. Have you spent any time researching how long to get to these places?

I would choose one island (and probably not Vis) and spend a couple of days rather than going back and forth and spending hours on ferries and catamarans.

Also for the Pelješac peninsula it would be better to go en route to Dubrovnik, otherwise you are driving to Dubrovnik and then back in the direction you came from.

it’s your honeymoon. Splurge on some nice hotels.

I would also allow a little more time for Split itself. The old town, constructed inside an enormous ancient Roman imperial palace, is fascinating. There is also interesting architecture from the long period when Split was ruled by Venice. And there's a very nice park high above the sea, with great views.