Choosing focal points for 2-week trip

The easy way to get to Venice is to take a ferry from Rovinj to Venice. Rovinj is a town on Istrian peninsula. Split is on your way. Zagreb is out of way. Plitvice quite less out of way.

How about this:

Dubrovnik - 4 nights
(Pick up rental car; probably won't need one in Dubrovnik unless you want to day trip to Montenegro or Mostar or something)
Split - 3 nights (plus day trip to Hvar)
Plitvice - 1 night (stay over in one of the park hotels; arrive late, get in first thing the next morning when the park opens at 7AM to avoid the crowds; spend 5-6 hours, be done and on the road by about 4PMish)
Rovinj - 3 nights
(Drop rental car; ferry to Venice)
Venice - 4 nights

The itinerary Andrew suggests is good.

As an alternative, you could take a ferry from Dubrovnik to one of the islands, then ferry on from there to Split. That would save you a few days on a car rental, since you won't need a car until you depart Split for Plitvice. But it might mean spending a night on one of the islands, which isn't a bad thing, but does require one more night of changing lodging.

Just something to consider.

Given your tastes, I would recommend Split and Istria out of your four choices. All three of the islands (Korcula, Hvar, Brac) are easily reachable by ferry from Split, so you could make a day trip to any of these locations while remaining based in Split. The only out of the way location is Zagreb -- even at Plitvice, Zagreb is still a two hour drive north. Also, Zagreb is hit or miss. I thought it was okay, but not spectacular, but some people love it.

If you are planning to rent a car, you will only need one north of Split. The Split - Dubrovnik section of your trip can all be handled on ferries. If you were planning on public transportation, the catamaran between Split and Dubrovnik is just as fast as the bus. I prefer the ferry just because you have much more space than on the bus, although the Croatian busses are usually fine way to get across the country if you will be without a car.

Yes James, and I also repeat: Venice, Venice, Venice, Rome, Rome, Rome, Mt.St.Michel, Mt.St.Michel, Mt.St.Michel, Brugge, Brugge, Brugge, Manhattan, Manhattan, Manhattan, Shangai, Shangai, Shangai, Bangkok, Bangok, Bangkok and many many more.

Dubrovnik makes a poor day trip in my opinion - it's much better at night or in the morning when the crowds (mostly from cruise ships) are largely gone. It is a touristy place, though.

My wife & I are planning on doing the same for our proposed trip -- flying into Dubrovnik and out of Venice -- for a 15 night trip. As of now we eliminated Zagreb and Plitvice, but are doing 1, 2 and 4 from your list. We're planning on spending 4 nights in Dubrovnik, 2 nights in Split, 2 nights in Hvar, 2 nights in Istria (in Rovinj) before heading to Venice (with a stopover in Trieste en route).

If Plitvice is the non-negotiable destination, I think Dubrovnik --> Split (or Hvar) --> Plitvice --> Istria --> Venice (or vice-versa) might be a good itinerary. Zagreb is a bit out of the way if Venice is going to be the end (or start) of your trip.

Good luck with the itinerary and happy travels!

han1974, I am wondering how your are going to get from Istria to Venice, and how you work in a stop in Trieste?