What city to visit for 3 days leaving from Zagreb

Are you going to Plitvice National Park? Where else are you going? How many nights is three or four days?

Yes will be visiting Plitvice National Park while in Zagreb. Will be attending a convention in Zagreb. Also visiting Ljubljana as a day trip from Zagreb. We have 4 nights at the end of the trip to explore another city. Looking for recommendations.
Thanks!

Instead of just a day trip to Ljubljana, you could spend several days in Slovenia including Lake Bled and/or Lake Bohinj. If you are renting a car you could include the Julian alps in Slovenia.

If you are renting a car, I'd drive to Ljubljana for two nights only two hours max.(I like Hotel Slon-a fantastic breakfast buffet!-but there are lots of great places to stay overnight) It's a wonderful city with lots of sites, museums, great food. And then, I'd drive another 2 hours to the town of Ptuj in Eastern Slovenia and stay overnight there. (we stayed at Hotel Mitra) There is a castle on the hill, a great ethnographic museum, amazing gin tasting bar, and lots of wonderful wineries in the area. Then an easy 2 hour max drive back to Zagreb. Lots of pretty scenery as you drive. You can PM me for wineries in Slovenia. We went to a lot of them! And they are excellent.

Thanks for these ideas I will share with group. We were considering a train to Split. Then I thought what about Budapest by bus? Wineries sound enticing. Sorry I sound like I’m all over the place because I am.
Thanks

There are no nonstop flights from Zagreb to Budapest but there is one direct train departing Zagreb at 16:30 arriving in Budapest at 22:54. To get back to Zagreb you can take a direct train from Budapest departing at 15:05 arriving in Zagreb at 22:00.
There is an overnight train from Zagreb to Split departing from Glavni kolodvor at 22:30 arriving the next morning at 6:58. Be sure to rent a cabin with beds if you take an overnight train.

I thought what about Budapest by bus?

And there is a train as pointed out above. But its a long trip. I think a great trip as i love the city. But to spend two travel days to get two days in Budapest really isnt something I would consider. Your problem is you bought round trip Zagreb. When ever I am going someplace isolated like that I buy an open jaw so I can use time well to visit a different place. If its not too late, and you want to see Budapest, then change your flight and fly home out of Budapest. But for me that would only be worth it if the schedule gave me 3 full days in Budapest.

It would be a tough one for me. Croatia is interesting but not my top ten. Further south and east are amazing locations like Sarajevo and Montenegro. But you have the problem with the RT out of Zagreb. If you were to work your way down the coast (10 days is enough) there are flights from Dubrovnik to Zagreb and there are non-stop flights from Sarajevo to Zagreb.

I do know a good travel planner for the region if you want to reach out for advice.

There is a large part of Croatia that lies to the east of Zagreb. It is seldom visited. I would try there because it will be off the beaten path.

Thank you all for the suggestions! I’m sharing this with my travel group. I’m sure I will be reaching out with more questions.

To me, Ljubljana is the obvious solution, with some time in Bled (an easy day trip) and/or at Vintgar Gorge, Postojna Caves or Skocjan Caves, and other beauty spots. Ljubljana is worth more time than you'll have there on a day trip. Another possibility would be to head over to Istria, but you'd want a car there.

I hope your trip to Plitvice involves spending a night nearby. I absolutely do not recommend Plitvice as a day trip from Zagreb. The park gets absolutely blasted with daytrippers; you will not have a good experience at all if you try to daytrip in from Zagreb.

I’d turn that day trip to Ljubljana to a destination. It’s a beautiful, relaxing place with as much (or as little) as you can want to occupy yourselves. It’s a very good hub for day trips into the countryside, with a number of small group excursions available.

Also, how long are you in Zagreb? I only ask because it seems to consistently get overlooked on most itineraries. I thought it was just lovely, and plan on going back. I’d recommend two nights there, so that you have a full day at least.

August is high season and will be very hot. Check the records.

Northern Croatia has hilly wine country around Cakovic - pronounced Chackohvetz - with winery tours and tastings.
The old capital of Varazhdin has history and culture.
Bath can be reached bt Arriva bus from Zagreb and probably Ljubljana, but best to check.
August is hot. You do not want too many long trips, and you want to stay in now good place.
Coastal cities of any kind from Rovinj to Split are heaving in the summer which is also Italian holiday month.
I attended a convention in Cavovec some years ago and loved the area and the friendly people. Low stress.
Zagreb is hot and humid in August, find a region of hills and lakes. Even Bled would be good.
Take sunhat and cooling neckties. The Bornstein wine store in Zagreb has tasting evenings, underground. With snacks...