2 weeks in Croatia

You don’t need a car in Zagreb, it is a very small city and very walkable. There is an upper town and lower town. You can walk to the upper town or take the funicular. The upper town has the government buildings and a few interesting museums. There is St. Mark’s church, with the famous tiled roof, and the Cathedral. The Cathedral sustained some damage from the earthquake and is being renovated but I read it is still open. Most of the museums in the lower town sustained earthquake damage and when we were there last Sept there was no sign of renovation. We are going to be in Zagreb for 4 nights with some family at the end of this June and will see what’s open. Just do me a favor, and PM in July cause I tend to forget a lot these days.
I would rent a car when leaving Zagreb for your drive to Dubrovnik. If you read Rick’s Croatia guide it will give you various places to stop along the way. Driving is very easy in Croatia since they upgraded their roads. The toll roads are usually not crowded cause locals don’t want to pay the toll. BTW, all tolls can be paid at the booths with a credit card. We like Samobor for it’s famous Kremšnita (a custard cake similar to a napoleon, but better, google it.) We also like Karlovac which is where they have their brewery. Of course there is Plitvice Lakes (Rick has an entire chapter about it). Look up the ferry to Bari on Croatiaferries.com. You do not need a car in Dubrovnik. Parking is a nightmare. When we drive there we drop off the car, usually near the port of Gruž and take an inexpensive taxi to our hotel. You can also stop for a one or two nights at either Zadar or šibenik (see which one speaks to you) then stay in Split, return car, and ferry to Dubrovnik. I find that the cities in Croatia are small and 2, maybe 3 nights are sufficient to see most of the sights and just wander. We always stay at least 3 because we don’t like to feel like we are always packing/unpacking and being rushed. But that is us. 2 night stops may be okay for you. Korčula is also very nice, we haven’t been to Hvar which is very popular.
I don’t know if you have your hotels set up, but in each place stay within the old town or within walking distance. Our first trip after the war in 2002, we stayed outside to save a few dollars but it was a PIA to take the bus everywhere. Once we returned say at 4:00, we didn’t want to venture out again. Taxis aren’t too expensive but we were on a budget then and had our kids with us. I can recommend hotels and a great guide in Split. PM if you would want the info.
Just an FYI, after traveling around Europe for the past xxx years, we find Croatia to be a more relaxed trip. It is more nature vs museums and sights. When you are in Dubrovnik, you look out to the coast and Adriatic Sea for swimming/water sports, while behind you are the mountains for hiking. Also, the beaches are all pebbles, no sand. I know there is a sand beach somewhere but we haven’t been to it.
Have a lovely trip.

Also, an FYI - Croatians eat their dinner early, around 2-3:00 and have a very light meal or just their dessert in the evening. That’s how we eat. My husband has his dessert and coffee in the evening. You will see many cafes and you can sit and just have a coffee for as long as you like, they don’t rush you.

Hi Barb, Welcome to the Forum. Great idea to relax in Zagreb for the first several days for some R&R after your transatlantic flight. After that, unless you have specific interests otherwise, I would suggest hopping a 2-hr bus for Plitvice Lakes National Park and overnighting in one of the National Park Lodges- the Plitvice Hotel, the Hotel Jezero or the Bellevue Hotel. They are all within the park and just steps away from the trail entrances. After exploring the Park the afternoon you check-in to one of the park’s hotels, you can enter the park again the next morning on a “One-Day Ticket” only available to guests of one of the three hotels.

Then take a 3.5 hour bus to the coastal city of Split- Croatia’s second largest city. Stay for two-three nights within the ancient Roman walls of Diocletian’s Palace- the last residence of the only Roman emperor ever to retire. Today, Diocletian’s Palace is filled with some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in Europe, and is home to hotels, restaurants and nightspots. Nearby Bacvice city beach is great for a beach outing.
The island of Hvar is just about an hour from Split by the Krilo catamaran. It was a Venetian town and has a castle above the town, fine beaches and one of the oldest continuously-inhabited towns in the world— Stari Grad— just 40 minutes from Hvar Town.
Continuing south toward Dubrovnik, Korcula Town, a walled medieval city on the island of Korcula and the reputed birthplace of Marco Polo, can be reached in about 80 minutes on the Krilo catamaran or a little longer by ferry.

There are vineyards that make the local Grk wine on Korcula or you can take a local ferry boat in 15 minutes to Orebic where wine tasting is possible on the nearby Peljesac peninsula.
Your final destination, Dubrovnik, can be reached in about two hours by catamaran or by ferry from Korcula.
One of the joys of traveling in Europe is being able to relax and take reliable public transit. To me, the most relaxing of all is taking inter-island ferries and catamarans to get from place to place without the concerns of a car.
Have a great Trip!

Lots of good advice here already, but if you will take the time to read back through the Croatia section, you will find a lot of good information. :) My trip was last September, but maybe some of my experience will be helpful. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/croatia-it-s-been-nice

I know you will have a great time!

Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions. All this info really gives us something to work with - along with Rick's travel book of course😊. Thanks again. Hope you don't mind but I may be in touch if we need a little extra help.

For planning purposes, I also recommend Fodors and Rough Guides. Keep in mind that there are some places that Rick omits from his book, and not just in Croatia. There is nothing in his Croatia book about Zadar, for example.

I highly recommend renting a car to drive from Zagreb to at least Split. Driving in Croatia is very, very easy. After Zagreb, you can stop in Plitvice Lakes National Park, and spend one night there. Visit the Upper Lakes in the late afternoon, let's say by 4PM, to avoid the daytripper crowds. Then visit the Lower Lakes the next morning. Be there by 9AM. For hotels, I also recommend Plitvice Miric Inn. It is just outside the park, but very close. Their price includes a delicious, huge breakfast buffet. Not sure if they are still offering dinner, but when we were there in 2019, you could have dinner at their restaurant for, I think, 20 euros PP. Delicious! One of the best meals on our trip. You would have to purchase the 2-day ticket to see Plitvice if you don't stay inside the park, but it's not expensive. I heard, but have not been there, that the hotels inside the park are not very nice and serve a mediocre breakfast.

You could spend 4 nights in Split. It's a beautiful city right on the water. We had a private guided tour of Diocletian's Palace by Maya Benzon, recommended by Rick. We visited Hvar Town for a day from Split. It is beautiful and not a party town in September when we were there. We also visited Trogir from Split.

You could then either continue driving to Dubrovnik from Split, or you could take a ferry to Korcula and spend a night or two there. I think you could then continue to Dubrovnik by ferry. You do not need a car in Dubrobnik. Spend at least 3 nights in Dubrovnik. We also hired a private driver to drive us around the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro, one of the highlights of our trip.