I spent 2 weeks in the summer of 2017 exploring Croatia with my family. There is enough to experience and explore in this not-so-hidden-gem for a month. Limited time off and other realities for most families demand a two-week Croatia family vacation itinerary. So if you are visiting Croatia with kids, dive right in!
The two-week Croatia & Slovenia Itinerary gave us an opportunity to visit UNESCO Heritage sites like Plitvice national park and Ston walls. Following this Croatia itinerary for families, we relaxed in beautiful islands of Hvar and Vis, and explored medieval cities of Split and Dubrovnik.

This 2 weeks Croatia and Slovenia itinerary is suitable if you are exploring Croatia with kids. It is also suited for travellers who desire to balance the city sightseeing with island relaxation and adventure activities. Croatia offers several adventure activities – cycling, kayaking, diving, and we grabbed them with both hands.
The 2 days in Slovenia was a last-minute addition to our Croatia itinerary for families. We had extra time in Zagreb and decided to use it to visit the lovely city of Ljubljana.
Croatia Family Vacation Itinerary Overview –
Zagreb (1 night) – Lake Bled, Slovenia (1 night) – Zagreb (1 night) – Plitvice national park (1 night) – Split (2 nights) – Hvar (3 nights) – Vis (3 nights) – Dubrovnik (3 nights)
Day 1 of Croatia 2 week Itinerary: Zagreb
We landed in Zagreb via a connect through Frankfurt one late afternoon. By the time we checked into our hotel and settled in, it was already evening. Thankfully, Zagreb gets at least 15 hours of sunlight.
We started with the main square, Ban Josip Jelacic square and took in the drama. The views, the people thronging about, and the energy was palpable. My husband and daughter settled into having ice-cream at the swanky Millenium, while I visited the unusual-to-say-the-least Museum of Broken Relationships during the one day in Zagreb. For our Croatia family vacation itinerary in 2 weeks, we at times did activities together as a family. And at other times, split up, with one parent doing a more kid-friendly activity with our daughter.

Even if you give this museum a miss, strolling around Upper Town is recommended. It is a charming area full of interesting landmarks, museums and small cafes. Another recommended area to explore is the pedestrian-only Tkalčićeva Street, a beautiful street lined with restaurants, cafes and small boutiques.
Day 2 – 3 of Croatia Slovenia Itinerary: Ljubljana / Lake Bled
We had decided to limit our time in Zagreb for our two-week Croatia itinerary for families. And while a couple of days are hardly enough to explore neighbouring Slovenia, we did get a delightful whiff and hopefully, would be back someday.
The next morning, we picked up our rental car and drove down to Ljubljana. A beautiful city! I cannot recommend it enough. My favourite part was the pedestrian-only town center with its colourful buildings.

We did an entertaining food walk in Ljubljana, something that even my daughter enjoyed. After spending few hours in the city, we drove to our charming B & B in Lake Bled.
We hadn’t planned any activity around Lake Bled. I do recommend renting cycles and exploring the area, for couples with older kids (or without kids). We wanted to reach Zagreb by early evening and a visit to Postojna caves would have eaten up the whole day. This is a subterranean cave, one of the key tourist attractions that would be of interest to families, about 1.5-hour drive away) .
We decided on taking a hike in the Vintgar gorge which was just a 15-minute drive away. The walk turned out to be an easy and satisfying half-day trip from Bled. It is something we enjoyed together as a family.

Perhaps because it was a Friday, the drive back to Zagreb had a lot more traffic than what we got coming to Ljubljana.
Day 4 – 5 of Croatia 2 week Itinerary: Plitvice National Park
Next for our Croatia itinerary for families, we drove to the most visited attraction in Croatia – Plitvice national park. We reached there by evening and parked opposite Entrance 2. We explored the Upper Lakes area before going to our charming B & B. As luck would have it, we had this area mostly to ourselves in the evening.
Even if you do minimalist research on Croatia, you will be warned about the crazy crowds that visit the Plitvice park during summer. This park plays host to more than 1 million visitors each year. So you have to plan ahead for adding this park to the Croatia itinerary for families.
To beat the crowds, we woke up early the next day and I would recommend that for anyone visiting Croatia with kids. We had a big breakfast and went to Park entrance. We managed to reach Entrance 1 by 8 am and the Lower Lakes area was already crowded. Here is what we did to stay away from the crowds and get the best viewpoints in the park.

After having lunch at a restaurant near Entrance 1, we drove down to Split. We then returned the rental car and checked into our hotel in the old town. The buzz in the old town during summer is marvellous. I loved our decision to stay in the old town.
Day 6 of Croatia 2 week Itinerary: Split
There was Dalmatian singing – we were staying at the Vestibul Palace – by a group that was performing nearby for tourists. We spent the day roaming around the old town in Split. We explored the underground caves, bought ferry tickets for next day, had long lazy meals. Climbing the bell tower and soaking in the atmosphere made for a perfect day in the old town.

We had time to visit and stay at 2 beautiful Croatian islands after Split. But you can also consider a sailing day trip to nearby islands from Split.
Day 7 – 9 of Croatia 2 week Itinerary: Hvar island
The Croatia itinerary we followed gave us ample time to relax on 2 different islands, something that our daughter loved. We took a morning (Jadrolinjia) ferry to Hvar.
The tag of “one of the 10 most beautiful islands in the world” sits well on Hvar. This being June, there is breathing space. We were transferred to our resort – Little Green Bay, a new luxury property set within a secluded bay.

We like to indulge in some adventure activities during our travel – sometimes individually and at times, together as a family where possible. Hvar offered some opportunities – a cycling tour on offbeat trails that my husband loved and my first time diving experience in the Adriatic sea.
Hvar has a reputation of being a party town. While that is true, this beautiful island also offers a lot to couples and families. So don’t rule it out on a trip to Croatia with kids. We rented a car in Hvar town to explore the island. You could drive through Stari Grad Plain, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and look at old olive tree plantations and lavender fields. And visit the towns of Jelsa and Vrboska on the island.
For the culturally inclined, a visit to the Fortica is a must. Even if you are uninterested in the history, the views looking down over Hvar town and Pakleni islands are stunning.

Day 10 – 11 of Croatia 2 week Itinerary: Vis island
We planned to spend the next 2 days in Vis, one of the furthest inhabited islands in Croatia. Direct ferry plies only once a week from Hvar to Vis, so a trip to this island needs some advance planning.
Instead of taking 2 ferries at different times – morning ferry from Hvar to Split, and the evening ferry from Split to Vis – we found a boat taxi. There are several you would find docked in Hvar town, and it is a matter of negotiating the price for a private transfer to Vis.

Cycling is popular in Vis, my husband did another off-road cycling trip with a local. And then the day went on an interesting Military tour. Tourists were not allowed on the island of Vis prior to 1989 and it was the military base for the Yugoslav National Army. This makes for some unique spots on this island.
The next morning, with increasing winds and choppy sea, our kayaking tour was cancelled. We rented cycles to explore the village of Kut and Vis town in an easy way. A great activity for my Croatia family vacation itinerary!
Day 13 of Croatia 2 week Itinerary: Makraska Riviera / Ston
The morning started early with us on a Krilo ferry from Vis island to Split.
In Split, we cancelled our plan of taking a ferry to Dubrovnik and opted to drive instead. We rented a car just for the day (via Last minute rental) and drove towards Makarska. What a wonderful drive!

En route, we stopped at Mali Ston for lunch and climbed the Ston walls thereafter. Ston, in my opinion, is quite underrated. The afternoon we visited, there was hardly any visitor to be found.
The Walls of Ston are a series of defensive stone walls, originally more than 7 km long (today 5.5 km long wall links Ston to Mali Ston). They surrounded and protected the city of Ston, part of the erstwhile Republic of Ragusa. There are many other places to visit in the medieval town of Ston and Mali Ston.
And then we dropped off the car in Lapad, before taking a taxi to the old town of Dubrovnik.
Day 14 – 15 of Croatia 2 week Itinerary: Dubrovnik
Our Croatia family vacation itinerary ended in the touristy and yet charming Dubrovnik. We loved staying in the old town (apartment booked via Dubrovnik Rentals). We woke up early to walk the old town walls; the stunning views of the Adriatic Sea and the entire old town don’t disappoint.
We had booked the sunset kayaking tour, and that turned out to be a good, albeit a tiring experience. There are at least 7 or 8 companies outside Pile Gate, that run kayaking tours around Dubrovnik, and we were very happy with our choice of Adventure Dalmatia.

The cable car ride to the top of Srd hill, just behind the walled city, was the highlight of the next day. A highly recommended activity if you are visiting Croatia with kids. The Imperial fortress on top of Srd hill, hosts the Museum of the Patriotic War, with an extensive collection. A visit to the Franciscan Monastery on Placa street was interesting.
Day 16: Morning flight back home

For additional information for planning your trip to Croatia, visit the Croatia Tourist Board.
Also, read other family-friendly itineraries in Europe –
La Dolce Vita: The classic two-week Italy Itinerary
Greece with kids: A 10-day Itinerary for a family trip
Places to visit in Turkey: The classic ‘Cultural Triangle’ Itinerary
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If you’ve been to Croatia, what was the favourite part of your trip?
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Croatia is on my bucketlist for long. Thanks for sharing the post it’s very helpful.hope I get to visit soon
Hope you get to go soon, Madhu. It is a wonderful country.
Glad you enjoyed it. You will love visiting it.
Croatia looks so amazing! I don’t know why more people don’t have it on their top 10 list! I can’t wait to visit one day soon. Thanks for the amazing itinerary. Thanks for the killer photos
We visited Zadar last year, and it left us with a strong desire to see so much more of the country. You’ve shared a great itinerary, and we’ll certainly be earmarking some of these suggestions for a future trip! Thanks!
Thanks for reading it. Croatia is a lovely country, and there is so much to explore. Even 2 weeks don’t do justice – we had to let go of Istria region, but wanted a un-rushed relaxed family vacation where there is time to explore and experience more.
So much beauty! I think I will plan a month when we go.
There is enough to experience and explore for a month. in 2 weeks, we didn’t even visit the Istria region. So many different islands with unique characteristics to go to.
What a great itinerary. I’m so glad you were flexible on opting to drive, as to taking the ferry. The views look like they live up to what Croatia has to offer. It looks absolutely beautiful.
Road travel does give you some freedom and flexibility. And ferry tickets can be taken a day in advance. Croatia lived up to all my expectations and more!
Ah, it looks s beautiful. I had been hoping to go to Croatia this year; postponing it for another time, and this post will help with my planning! I do recommend you go back to Slovenia – it’s a truly beautiful little country 🙂
Slovenia was a last minute addition to our Croatia itinerary. two days dont do justice to that gorgeous country. I will definitely go back.
Thanks Mary. Croatia is a beautiful destination, you and your family will love the islands.
What a dreamy itinerary! We loved Croatia during our visit last June. We were in Split and Dubrovnik via cruise ship stops. We had a limited time and have already decided we want to do road trips and ferry around to the other islands like what you did. Hvar looks so beautiful.
I absolutely loved Croatia. In 2 week husband and I did Split – Dubrovnik – Korcula – Mljet – Trogir (incl Krk NP). Loved it and would go back in a heartbeat. Your itinary looks like a winner to me!
#weekendwanderlust
It is tough choosing which islands to go to. I tossed between Vis and Mljet for the longest time. The good part is that whichever one you choose, would be great. Croatia is truly amazing.
Croatia seems amazing! Would love to visit one day. I especially liked the picture of the lake/waterfalls at Pitvice National Park! So pretty!
You must Edith, you will love it. There is a reason why Plitvice is the most visted attraction in Croatia; it is a place unlike any I have seen. I am told Krka national park is equally beautiful.
Croatia is a great travel destination! How many days would you recommend staying in Split to explore it?
I would say, couple of days. One day definitely exploring the charming old town. Another day doing an activity (cycling, hiking, rock climbing) at Marjan hill or at the beach or exploring couple of neighbourhoods, depending on your interest.
I would really like to do a similar trip. I kind of have the plan, now I need the time to do it. There is a lot to do in the area but I know I have to compromise on some things. I am thinking about skipping the islands but that seems like a bad idea. #WeekendWanderlust
Thanks for dropping by. Its amazing how much there is to explore and experience in Croatia given the size of the country. We didn’t even venture to Istria region.
Looks like a great trip! Hvar is stunning, we hope to see it someday. Great tip on getting to places early, we always get to popular spots for opening to beat the crowds! Thanks for linking up with #weekendwanderlust
Thanks for dropping by. There are limits to how early we can reach places at time, travelling with a kid. But one trick that works for us is to stay in old towns / near historic places, where at least I can get up early and get my fill. Early morning walk in Dubrovnik, with only cats and cleaners for company, was one such scenario.