Car from Dubrovnik to Plitvice?

I have just responded on your other post. When we looked into car rental, we found that there was a drop-off fee if the car was picked up in Dubrovnik. I would suggest taking the bus from Dubrovnik to Split (there are not a lot of spots of interest along the way to stop), pick up a car in Split, travel to Plitvice, into Slovenia, and then plan on going back in Croatia - maybe to a Istra Peninsula town before taking a ferry to Venice - see other post for info re this re drop-off and checking with rental company for approval to take car into Slovenia - we found some companies did not allow this. Driving in Croatia and Slovenia is easy - roads are generally OK and local drivers fairly polite. In Slovenia, there is a "vignette" (road tax) to travel on any major highway - it is like a toll. There is info about it in RS's book but if you don't a vignette and are on a designated road, the fine is high. We bought one just after crossing into the Slovenia for the number of days we were going to be in the country and then did not have to worry about which roads we needed it and not. It was (I think) 15 Euros for a week and they are available at gas stations once you cross into Slovenia. We did not have a GPS (are low tech) and had no problem finding our way around with maps from TI offices. There are not a lot of roads or big cities to get confused with.

Both in Croatia and Slovenia, it was worth every penny to take the toll highways. It's pay as you go in Croatia and vignette in Slovenia. It's especially worthwhile to get to Plitvice, then again to/from Ljubljana. No matter where you pick up the car in Croatia, I would return it in one of the Istrian towns and take the ferry. Pick up another car when you leave Venice, i.e. in Mestre.

There is actually a section about this very dilemma in the RS book, if you read that. It has tips for where to pick up and drop off a car, where you need one and where you don't.

Our family visited Croatia and Slovenia in the summer of 2005 and flew into Dubrovnik. We spent 4 nights here and upon leaving Dubrovnik, we took the bus to Split, which is very easy to do and stunning scenery. We spent 2 nights in Split, where upon leaving we picked up our rental car, as a previous poster stated too. There was a brand new interstate that had recently opened (fireworks our first night in Split to celebrate it!) that we took from here to Plitvice Park. From here we went on to Ljubljana and Lake Bled, ultimately ending our trip in Venice. You will love Croatia and Slovenia! If you need a place to stay near Plitvice--we stayed at a B&B conveniently located just a couple miles outside of the park. Was in the R.S. book and was new in 2005 with lovely people that run it. They don't speak much English but we still could communicate. One of our fondest memories of staying here was one evening sitting out on the huge deck and visiting with some of the other guests (Holland, Luxembourg) and sipping slivovitz!

GADS!!! Slivovitz is deadly stuff!!
ah... fond memories ;-)

I should say very slowly sipping slivovitz!

Janet, where did you stay in Plitvice?