Slovenia and Croatia June/July 2026

I would add time in Zagreb as it is a cool city with a great vibe.

I would look into flying into Slovenia to cut down on day 1 driving. When we did this we picked up the car in Slovenia and dropped off in Croatia. The company we used Avantcar did not charge a huge fee for this (unlike in Western Europe).

I would look into focusing on Istria instead of the south as those 2 long drives will kill 2 days and perhaps your spirits.

You will need 2 nights in Plitvice as you will feel super rushed to get through the park either after or before a long drive. The last hour of the drive in is no fun fyi.

Thank you Matt. It was 2x as expensive to fly into Slovenia as Zag. Originally I had 2 days slotted for 2 days in Plitvice but it looks so crowded and that scared me a bit but after your reply I will add two days and I will look into Istria instead of those longs drives. Could you elaborate on what you mean by "the last hour of the drive in is no fun" Thanks

There are beautiful places all over Croatia--no need to drive all the way to Dubrovnik unless you especially want to see it. You said outdoor stuff was your goal, so I would not spend all that time driving. I do a lot of outdoor focused trips, primarily hiking, and two night stays can be tough for that--all the check in and check out time can add up, plus occasionally doing laundry, plus finding supplies like food and water. More time in fewer places might really make a difference. There are several parks in the north (using Google Maps to see the large green areas is a good way to get started). I have not been to Slovenia but if you are set on that, then spend your Croatia time in the north. (I have only visited Kvarner region in the north (aside from Zagreb/Plitvice) but you have many options.)
Also, will you be ready to drive two hours on arrival?
I love Rick's whole ethos, but there are other books--I see you have got a year, but you can check others out at a library or peruse their offerings online. The Cicerone hiking guides are one I would look for.

Give yourself the first day/night in Zagreb. Aside from the obvious pitfalls of all the driving and rigamarole on your arrival, Zagreb is a terrific low-stakes sort of city. Very enjoyable. I think it’s well underrated, you won’t regret a day here.

I also agree with the other poster that Dubrovnik is kind of an unnecessary complication here. It’s an outlier in both location and style of destination imo. With the car, I would prefer Istria (Rovinj, Piran for coastal destinations) over trudging down to Dubrovnik. I don’t see any reason to go further south than Split/ Zadar area. Sure, Dubrovnik is the headliner act of Croatia, but it’s not required. It’s a destination that is better suited as the lynchpin for a Dalmatian Coast-centric trip. I had a great time there, but if you were looking for permission to exclude Dubrovnik on this itinerary you would get it from me.

If Dubrovnik is an absolute must, I would consider dropping the car in Split in favor of the ferry, and/or look at short flights via Croatia Airlines. I took one of these quick flights from Sarajevo to Zagreb and wonder why I hadn’t before. It’s an easy proposition between these smaller airports, and beats a 6hr drive any day of the week.

In your Slovenia/Soca Valley itinerary, I would recommend visiting Skocjan caves if you weren’t already.

We drove from Rovijn to Plitvice and the last hour (if I’m remembering right as this was 2019) was forested twisty narrow roads.

Our 2019 trip was
Bled (4)
Rovinj (4)
Plitvice (2)
Starrygrad (2)
Zagreb (3)

Few more thoughts-
If you can fly into Ljubljana, it would save time and you might have half a day to wander the city. One day in Bled and one in Bohinj is probably sufficient. (They are only 30min apart, so sleep at same location). The city of Bled is very unattractive in my opinion. It is not quaint, charming or historic. What is beautiful is the lake. That is where your activities will center.
Vintgar gorge is beautiful, but touristy and hard to navigate. I recommend taking the shuttle bus from Bled (and I normally do not like shuttle busses). Be aware, you will hike the gorge for 30min and then hike 90min on a trail to get back to the bus. I recommended the route that goes by St Katarina church as you will get nicer countryside views.
In Bohinj there are a variety of trails and the Vogel cable car if it’s open. Closed for us right now in Sept. SUP is also nice in the summer as lake temps aren’t too cold if you fall in.

The drive over Vrsic Pass is nice - very tight hilly curves in a narrow road, requires a lot of focus, especially if you have a manual car. We enjoyed a bike ride from Kranska Gora (rental) to Laghi di Fusine (in Italy!). Also a nice but demanding hike at the top of Vrsic Pass to Slemenova Spica. You could probably fit both into a long day from Bled to Bovec. If you’re lucky to find parking at the pass.
We enjoyed walking along the Soca River in several places near Soca (the Soca gorge) and in Kobarid. Part of the Alpe Adria Trail, I believe. Tolmin gorge is short but also beautiful. We had a good breakfast at Bar Gouf in Bovec. A great lunch at Hisa Polonka in Kobarid. Others recommend Thirsty River in Bovec. The Kanin cable car in Bovec is currently closed.

If you rent your car in Slovenia, they may provide the vignette. If you rent in Croatia, you may have to purchase it online as we did when we rented our car in Italy. Very easy to do. Just Google it and you’ll find it. About €25 for a week.
Earth Trekkers has some good hiking info for the main trails. You might find other resources with a greater number of trails outlined.
Enjoy your travels. All the planning is worth it in the end.