Base in Central Croatia

Staying in Makarska on the “Makarska Riviera” puts you within 35 minutes of the Cetina River at Omis, one hour of Split and three hours of Plitvice Lakes National Park. There are excellent beaches in the vicinity of Makarska and quick ferry access in a half hour to Bol on the island of Brac.

The only really worthwhile way to visit highly popular Plitvice National Park these days is to arrive mid- to late-afternoon, see part of the park then, spend the night in the area and see the rest of the park very early the next morning. The park is utterly slammed with day trippers, so it's critical not to be visiting the park during day tripping hours.

Trogir. World class historic town and closer to all of your suggestions. I suspect you will find the sort of tourism support there that makes for a better holiday (transfers, tours, etc). After seeing this, I ask myself, why did I spend time in Split? https://youtu.be/gmN1mPbhEFs?si=liXfPhvd49IKdmf1

In Dubrovnik look for a place you can afford inside the walls. Anything else is sort of a compromise when you are dealing with Dubrovnik. Okay, once i stayed in a miserable little aribnb right outside of one of the gates. I mean, 30m to the gat and I could see it from my front door. But still a miserable and expensive little hole.

Sounds like a great trip. Nice way to enjoy Croatia too.

Oh, Acraven is one of the more reliable here, but I still argue with her on Plitvice. If you stay at Trogir and leave at 8 or 8:30 in the morning you can be at the park entrance before 11 am. Especially, because its September and for a little extra insurance avoid Saturday and Sunday if possible, and I suspect you will be able to walk until at least 1 pm if not a little later before the crowds make it unpleasant. Some want to spend 8 hours walking and you can do that there. I find myself here encouraging going to a place that never seemed to be worth the effort. But others like it and it wasn’t a bad day when I did go (3 or 4 years ago at 11am in July for about 3 hours – no crowds – but building as we were exiting).

The other time that I have read that is better to go is late afternoon till closing. The crunch according to what I read is “mid-day” which to me means noon to maybe 3pm? Don’t know.

There was some discussion in your other threads--I am not sure exactly what to tell you beyond what has already been suggested.

I'm not certain, but I think I recall that Mr. E went to Plitvice in 2021 or 2022, during the period when tourist levels in Europe were still significantly depressed due to COVID. It's a different world now.

But I agree that avoiding weekends (and holidays) would be a good plan no matter what time of day you arrive. At least in 2015, a lot of the (too many!) people in the park seemed to be local, in the sense that they were speaking Croatian/Serbian/Montenegrin/etc.

Much as I like Plitvice, I don't think you need to spend all day there. The time estimate for the route I followed (I don't remember which one it was) was very, very generous. I easily completed the loop much faster than indicated, and I was slowed down by the packed walkways. Someone short on time could see a great deal in just 2 to 3 hours in the late afternoon after a lot of the day's hordes had departed. That's very different from arriving at 10 AM or 11 AM.

Plitvice Is definitely mobbed from 10am-3pm in season.
We were in an uncrowded Dubrovnik in September 2021 when no cruise ships were there— a heavenly experience that probably can’t ever again be repeated in Dubrovnik—or Plitvice Lakes National Park.

I'm not certain, but I think I recall that Mr. E went to Plitvice in
2021 or 2022, during the period when tourist levels in Europe were
still significantly depressed due to COVID. It's a different world
now.

Acraven, being there in 2022 might have made a difference. Here is a little more on it from the horse’s mouth. https://www.plitvicenationalparktickets.com/timings-opening-hours/ If I couldn’t find a way to see it during the day and then move on, I would skip it. As mentioned before I just couldn’t give it so much value as to make an overnight tour out of it. It’s very very nice, but so are a lot of other things in Croatia ... that dont require an overnight in a motel for a 4 hour walk. (give me just a little hyperbole please LOL).

I was in Dubrovnik on that same trip. The same crowds I saw in previous years there. Of course I was there in July. But Dubrovnik the crowds dont kill me. I love the place for 2 or 3 nights and fortunately have had the opportunity to go with friends on 3 occasions before heading south to Montenegro.

Now if you do go to Plitvice before 11 am duing the week in September and you do find it unbearably crowded, I will buy the four of you drinks at the wine bar down the street from where I live; as a way of saying "oooops! Sorry".

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions and insight. We originally were going to stay in Plitvice over night to do a late afternoon, early morning visit but like some of you decided an overnight was too much of an investment. I like the idea of getting there around 3 or 3:30 and see what we can see until the park closes. Thought we are tempted to take Mr. E up on his drink guarantee.

Visitors always welcome. https://kep.cdn.indexvas.hu/welove-media/d6/kadarka_korosi-tamas_20140605.exact1980w.jpg

Maybe a Hungarian wine at Menza Etterem es Kavezo in Budapest.

Because of the drive time from the other places you intend to visit, I'd be looking at Krka instead of Plitvice. I'd also consider Blagaj, which I have not been to but Mr. E might know it.
I would not want to be in the car longer than I was at the park! All the other places you mention are closer together.

This just a random website, but it gives a brief overview of a base and places to visit from:
https://dreamindalmatia.com/excursions-from-makarska-riviera-10-top-daily-trips/

Menza? Naaaa. We will get away from the tourist haunts. Wine or craft beer with locals.

valadelphia. Croatia is a place i am careful when giving suggestions (yes Acraven, it's true LOL ... I think you are probably closer to correct than I am on Plitvice). I've been in Croatia 3 times but never fell in love to the point I am a good advocate. So can't help on yout comment. Now, let's move the discussion to BiH or Montenegro and even though I've only spent a little more time in each than Croatia, I will be hard to shut up.

But to get the most out of a short stay, I think the OP has a good idea ... with or without Plitvice.

Just googled Krka. Oh! HECK YES!

Blagaj is in Hercegovina region of Bosnia--there are many examples of karst geology and pretty waterfalls, perhaps none as dramatic as Plitvice, but I'd take a peek for an hour drive versus several hours in a car.

I like the idea of considering substituting KRKA for Plitvice. Is KRKA as crowded as Plitvice, or are there more options as to when we visit?

Hopefully someone who has visited both in season will come along. It is different in that there are boat trips and you can swim at Krka (not Plitvice). It seems like being less famous would be in your favor.

RE Your Dubrovnik stay: have you decided to drop the car? Without it, you can basically choose anywhere. I preferred staying in or just outside old town. With a car, you will want to find a place with dedicated parking for sure, but maybe looking at the suburbs like Lapad would be easier. There is an easy bus service that drops just at the gate of old town, which also goes to the port if you are doing any boat trips while there.

You can also compare the price of renting a car against private drivers and private tours. You might be surprised. Car, gas. Parking. Insurance, gas, repairs, tickets, accidents, dead pigs, incarceration, etc ...

I've never been to Krka, but at least a few people have mentioned it on the forum. You should be able to find their earlier posts via the Search function. Choose Travel Forum and specify a time frame to get relatively recent input. Here's what popped up for me:

https://search.ricksteves.com/?button=&date_range=2y&filter=Travel+Forum&query=krka&utf8=%E2%9C%93

You might also Google crowds at Krka and see what comes up.

No more swimming allowed in Krka. And yes, it is a lovely substitute. Crowds were manageable.

Diocletian’s Palace (Split) to Šibenik is a 60-minute drive; Šibenik to Krka National Park is a 15- minute drive. The synergy of the three destinations almost cry out to be a part of anyone’s Croatian itinerary

valadelphia, its a Croatia thread so I have been trying to keep my mouth shut on what I prefer and help out on Croatia. But after setting up camp at Trigor for a few days a drive to Dubrovnik that takes the route Jajce, Travnik, Blagaj, Mostar, Dubrovnik if done over a few days would be something unforgetable. I like it a bit more because its September. But really a major shift in plans so I will be quiet. Then there is the issue of a rental car from Croatia into Bosnia (I just dont know on that count). But like I said previously I wouldnt mess with a rental, especially in BiH where the prices drop quite a bit. Either Croatia or BiH I do know a trip planner that has contacts for drivers. With a rental, I would try and keep it a tad more simple.

I can’t speak to crowds because I slipped in there in 2021. It was a great time to go. Ha! I did spend the night at Plitvice but you have to stay somewhere….. Then walked the C loop starting about 8:30 in about 6 hours that included a lunch stop. Then I drove on elsewhere.

I haven’t taken a look at your schedule, but Krka is very lovely and a really good substitute if it works better. Smaller, less dramatic, but also easier.

Blagaj is very interesting in its own way but I wouldn’t call it the same sort of thing at all - maybe that’s just me. Kravica is similar but far less impressive. (And both of those are in Bosnia.)

Thanks for adding that info about Blagaj TexasTravelMom. I was just trying to think of places that would not require hours upon hours in a car that might be at least somewhat similar--considering distance, not borders.