Croatia - tips

[IcarusFlies]

Travelling mid-Aug, 2 adults, 3yo and 5yo, 1 week between Dubrovnik, Split and Plitvice Lakes, 1 week resort near Split.

Any top tips please?? Particular beaches, restaurants, activities, views, tours / tour guides… anything at all!

First and foremost, check the cruise ship arrivals to Dubrovnik to avoid huge crowds of people all coming in at the same time to the Old Town. Visiting Dubrovnik when there are a lot of cruise ship arrivals is no fun at all. Crowds can be huge and very hard to navigate. cruisedig.com/ports/dubrovnik-croatia#google_vignette
Try to plan sightseeing or even the beach early in the morning and to finish by 11, when you can have some well deserved rest and lunch. If you do must go out, try to keep it short.
The boardwalks at Plitvice are uneven and slippery in certain areas so keep a good grip of the dc and wear good shoes! There are very few handrails and even those are built for adults. The boardwalks can get super crowded and are full of people who are late for their tour bus or aggressively jostling for their Instagram photo. The small loop near the P2 boat dock and near the big waterfall (Veliki Slap) near Entrance 1 are the worst.
If the line to take the boat back from P2 to P1 is huge, you can walk back to Entrance 2 on the same road the Plitvice Lakes scenic train takes. It takes about 30-40 minutes to walk, but that will likely equal your time waiting for the boat.
There are very few toilets in Plitvice and there is rushing water everywhere; a bad combination! It’s a little easier for small kids at Plitvice Lakes as people will forgive them for peeing next to the walking trail.

If wanting to go in the sea you may need sea shoes - beaches near Dubrovnik at least were very rocky and would’ve struggled to actually walk on the stones without sea shoes!

we loved it, hope you have a great time

Take a kayak trip and see Dubrovnik from the sea. Go to Plitvice lakes late afternoon/ early evening when all the tour buses have gone home

Always wear wetsuit boots in the sea as most shorelines have
sharp stones, don’t bother with snorkels, ordinary swim goggles work better as children don’t need to worry about the breathing tube. Avoid inland because of extreme heat and horrendous forest fires

You can take a bus from Central Split to nearby Kasjuni beach. Not really a beach, as you swim from the rocks, where you can hire sun loungers, and cafes are nearby. It's a lovely space to cool off.
I'd avoid Dubrovnik like the plague, it's been ruined by the cruise boats.

Budget €5-6 for a cup of coffee made with UHT milk in Dubrovnik 😂
Cavtat was a quieter side trip we enjoyed. Better quality food as well.

Thanks so much for all the replies! We have two full days in Dubrovnik (that cruise link is genius - thank you!) so we need to find what to do with ourselves on those two days. Unfortunately don’t think kayaking will work due to the DC’s ages.

Top tips on beach shoes, thank you…

Telling the OP to avoid Dubrovnik “like the plague” is a bit pointless on a post where she has already said one of her pit stops is Dubrovnik! OP, we just got back from a trip there, and I cannot praise it enough. Loads to do in the Old Town, beautiful scenery and compared to the other Med resorts, it’s hugely unspoilt. I cannot wait to get back. People are friendly and happy to chat away. One tip - the Old Town has stairs everywhere so be prepared for a lot of climbing.

Lokrum island is a 15 minute ferry trip from Dubrovnik. Lovely island with peacocks , restaurants and a saltwater lake for swimming in.
Ston is lovely, city walls, lovely restaurants, a little quieter as is Slano.

OP I would see if you can squeeze in a day on Mjlet - even diverting some of your Dubrovnik time. It's the closest island to the capital (maybe 40 mins away), and is one of the most beautiful and child-friendly places. The island is mostly a National park with two big salt water lakes in the middle, you can rent bikes and ride all around them, and just stop to jump in anytime you want. The water is crystal clear, shallow and great for kids. Barely any cars. DH and I went before we were married and even then said we'd want to go back when we had little ones (haven't managed it yet though)!

In Split, Pizzeria Galija and Luka ice-creams, by cat island. Froggyland may entertain the DC! Lokrum is a good call just off Dubrovnik, there is a naturist beach there. The rest of the restaurants I'd recommend are really more suitable for adults or teenage DC, though the Uje Oil Bar may suit, not sure. Strongly agree re beach shoes

Thanks @Greenshake ! You’re not wrong. And thanks for the positive review, I’ve been getting a little nervous about the days in Dubrovnik… Mjlet looks gorgeous but seems like it needs some planning, based on Tripadvisor. Lokrum looks promising with the kids. Ston is already on the itinerary. And I bought water shoes last night!

The Dubrovnik cable car is also entertaining. Nice restaurant with views at the top.

Yes! I think the cable car is a great idea though need to check what there is to do with the little ones at the top. See whether the restaurant is worth booking for lunch.

Ooh another top tip - their version of Walls type ice creams are absolutely delicious! Try a King Obsession - it’s bloody lovely.

We are not long back, the restaurant at the top of the cable car is lovely, quite a simple menu. It’s windy though! There is nothing else up there though except a gift shop and meeting point for a buggy tour & zip wire.

Yeah the cable car is the thing to do, nothing much at the top!

we did do the kayaking and loved but that was just us two adults, definitely not doable with small kids!

you’re going to have such a great time!

Aha, good to know! Maybe not bother staying up there for lunch. Also, any idea on 72h parking in Dubrovnik?! We’re hiring a car from the airport and only leaving after 3 nights…

We're going to Dubrovnik, Plitvice Lakes and Split too!

We might try the cable car, but it's a lot of money. Is there a straightforward walk back down, instead of returning in the cable car?

Yeah the cable car was €54 return for 2 adults and took less than 5 mins! It would be a long walk down scary hairpin bend roads unless there is a path somewhere! There is a great Dubrovnik Facebook page for info.

Amazing, what’s the Facebook page called please?

Croatia travel: split, Dubrovnik, Hvar & islands

Going on Sat so bumping for restaurant and activity recommendations in Dubrovnik and Split! And how to navigate the Plitvice Lakes.

Apologies c+p wasn’t working

Ciri Biri Bella was amazing for brunch, be prepared to queue though.

Have a lovely time, we really loved Split. It’s quite expensive compared to Spain/Greece/Italy.

We did a trip to Brac which was lovely

Our favourite restaurant was Konoba Dubrava and it even has a little area for the dc to play.