Itinerary For September 2017 thoughts

I would island hop from Split to Dubrovnik.

9-11 Zadar (with day trip to Plitivice Lakes)
11-13 Split
13-15 Bol
15-17 Korcula
17-21 Dubrovnik (with day trips to Mostar & Kotor)

I urge you not to try to hit Plitvice en route or as a day-trip. It gets mobbed with people who stay elsewhere and show up by perhaps mid-morning. You really, really need to spend the previous night near the park so you can beat the day-trippers. Others have enjoyed a few hours in the park during the late afternoon, after the day-trippers have departed.

Montenegro has many really interesting destinations that you could visit rather easily if you're going to have a rental car (verify that it's OK to take the car into all the countries you're planning to visit). Herceg-Novi, Cetinje (road may be challenging), and Budva (rather similar to Kotor, though) were among my favorites. There are some beautiful natural areas, too.

We've spent a great week based in Kotor after a RS tour. Many interesting places to day trip. But, this was the vacation from our vacation: http://www.montenegro4sail.com. We had 2 teens with us and between the diving and swimming off the boat, exploring an abandoned island fortress, the crazy little dogs, it was one of the highlights of our trip. Here is your extra unplanned day in Kotor!

I, too, wondered about the wisdom of Plitivice as a day trip. But for many people it's a 'bucket list' item.

London cheap food: Hit the deli in the corner grocery and picnic in park. Pub food can be tasty too even though it is probably microwaved. Eat a big breakfast where you are staying as it may be included. Go to the street markets...there are food booths and nook cafes. There may be a Costco but I don't know if there are as liberal with samples as ours are.

Our teens are going to be 14, 16, 17. We will have a rental car and I read that the green Insurance book is good for all three countries and not to pay any extra fees to take the car into these countries if they try to charge you. I hope it's true. I will look more into that.

I really don't want to even drive to Plitvice at all. I would rather skip it but my husband seems to think it's a must do. I'm trying to convince him it will be mostly dried up by September. I would much rather go sit on the beach. We will be going directly from the airport and our flight is arriving at 7:40 am. Which puts us there in the thick of it but it is September and not August so hopefully not that bad.

Thank you for all the pointers. So should we do two nights in Kotor Bay or 1 night in Cavtat?

He likes National parks. Than from Zadar driving to Plitvice national park. Stay one night there and drive to Split. Day trip to Bol. Than drive to Mostar - Dubrovnik . One more national park which I will recommend is Island Mljet. Staying in Dubrovnik or Korcula you can visit Mljet by day trip.

Have a good time on the sandy beaches!