How to maximize your Plitvice Lakes National Park visit: Discover tips for exploring the breathtaking turquoise lakes, cascading waterfalls, and scenic trails of Croatia’s natural wonder, ensuring an unforgettable adventure in this stunning UNESCO World Heritage site.

Visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park is like stepping into a natural wonderland that provides a serene and breathtaking landscape perfect for peaceful exploration.

Whether you choose to wander along the wooden boardwalks, take a boat ride across the shimmering waters, or simply relax and absorb the tranquil surroundings, Plitvice offers a rejuvenating escape into nature’s pristine beauty.

This park was the second stop during my husband and mine’s April 2024 Croatian vacation (we started the trip in Zagreb – read that travel guide here).

We learned a lot of tips from locals that I hadn’t found anywhere on the internet which I am including in this Plitvice Lakes National Park visit post ;).

In a rush?

The Little Details

How to Get to Plitvice

The easiest and most flexible way to get to Plitvice Lakes National Park is by car which is what we did during our April 2024 visit.

After spending a couple of days in Zagreb and adjusting to the time change from San Diego to Croatia, we continued on to Plitvice with a Hertz rental car from the Zagreb airport.

Once we arrived at our hotel in Plitvice, we did not need our rental car for the 36 hours we visited the park.

We returned our car two days later at the Split airport for a nominal fee.

Another option for getting to Plitvice is to do a day trip from either Zagreb, Split, or Zadar but truthfully, this would not be my recommended way to visit this incredible park.

In my humble opinion, I strongly feel spending at least one full day to explore this scenic natural wonder before the day trip crowds arrive will help you enjoy the area so much more.

However, here are some day trip options if that is the only way Plitvice will fit into your Croatian itinerary:

Best Time of Year to Visit Plitvice

The best time to visit Plitvice Lakes National Park is during the spring and early summer months when the waterfalls are at their fullest, and the lush greenery is in full bloom, creating a vibrant and picturesque landscape.

For a quieter experience with stunning autumn colors, visiting in late September to October offers a serene escape, perfect for those looking to enjoy the park’s beauty without the massive summer crowds.

Our visit was mid April in 2024 and while we noticed heavy day trip crowds around noon, having spent the night before close to the park, we were able to enjoy the park for a couple of hours with very few other visitors ;).

While our temperatures were in the 30’s and 40’s – we were surprised at how the air did not feel cold to us as we walked along the wooden pathways.

How Many Days You Need in Plitvice

As mentioned above, I strongly advise to spend one full day and two nights in the area in order to enjoy Plitvice Lakes as soon as it opens in the morning to avoid crowds on the paths.

We arrived at our hotel around 3pm on our first evening and were in the park by 10am the next morning where we spent the entire day before arriving back to our hotel room around 6pm.

We left for Split the following morning after our full day at Plitvice.

Money and Plug Details in Croatia

Croatia uses the Euro (€) as its official currency. We predominantly used Apple Pay from our Iphones or credit cards but occasionally wanted to pay with cash.

In this case, we had leftover Euros from our December trip to Germany (read that travel guide here).

However if you don’t have any leftover Euros lying around (because well really – who does?!), I would suggest using a BANK ATM in Croatia to get maybe between 100 to 200 Euros for your entire trip for instances when you will want to pay with cash instead of credit card.

In Croatia, including Plitvice, you’ll need Type C and F plugs for your electronics, with a standard voltage of 230V and a frequency of 50Hz.

I bring this extension cord with me everywhere I travel and these adapters when traveling to Europe.

Best Places to Stay in Plitvice

And here is where my tips are EXTREMELY VALUABLE!!

I did not find this information anywhere but lucked out when finding our accomodations after Googling “best hotel in Plitvice”.

WHERE our hotel is located is what I had no idea would be so key to our enjoyment on our one full day at Plitvice.

While we obviously only stayed at one property (the first on the list below) – use the map below to find a property to stay at on this ideally situated side of the park.

And if you are wondering why I say this – keep reading to the “best tips” section of this travel guide ;).

Fenomen Plitvice Resort

Fenomen Plitvice Resort offers a luxurious and tranquil retreat near Plitvice Lakes National Park, where you will enjoy elegantly designed accommodations amidst the serene beauty of nature.

The resort features top-notch amenities, including a gourmet restaurant, wellness spa, and outdoor activities, providing the perfect base for exploring the stunning landscapes of Plitvice.

As mentioned above, the location was unexpectedly ideal and close to the postcard viewpoint that most visitors to Plitvice will not take the time to find ;0.

Plitvice Ethno House

Plitvice Ethno House offers a charming blend of rustic elegance and modern comfort, providing a cozy retreat near the park.

Surrounded by traditional wooden architecture, a stay here will provide a peaceful atmosphere with authentic Croatian hospitality, making it an ideal base for exploring the park’s natural wonders.

We ate two out of our four meals in the area at Ethno House (that says a lot that we returned!) and would absolutely say a stay here would have been equal to our stay at Fenomen ;).

Best Places to Eat in Plitvice

As mentioned earlier, once we parked our car at Fenomen Plitvice, we did not use it again until we left for Split 36 hours later.

Therefore, our meals were only places we could walk to however if you are following my recommendation for what side of the park to stay on, you will likely also enjoy the food options too ;).

April being pre-season for Plitvice also means many of the dining options in the park are not open yet however you can see all your options and check their opening dates and times here.

Restaurant Kozjak

The restaurant at Fenomen Plitvice Resort, Restaurant Kozjak, offers a delightful dining experience, featuring traditional Croatian cuisine crafted from fresh, local ingredients in a cozy, rustic setting.

A delicious breakfast at Fenomen was included in our room rate.

We also had a late lunch in this restaurant upon arrival in the area however dinner in the restaurant is a fine dining affair ;).

Plitvice Ethno House

The first time we ate at Ethno House was because it is conveniently located near the viewpoint path we walked along on our first day in the area.

The second time was because we enjoyed it so much the day before we decided to return ;).

Lička kuća

Located near entrance 1 in the park, if you follow my suggestions on how to explore the park and avoid the crowds, you can get an early lunch at Lička kuća before the tour buses arrive :).

Also – the food here is DELICIOUS which makes it a must stop (even if you are there with the buses ;0).

Top Tips to Maximize your Day in Plitvice

As luck would have it, when we were walking from our hotel along the viewpoint trail, we ran into a fellow Southern Californian who had just come back from his day in the park.

He advised us to ask the front desk at Ethno House for their suggested itinerary for seeing the park against the flow of the crowds ;0.

So of course, we went to Ethno House for a beer and a snack and got the best advice for our one full day in the park – see below for what entrance to start at and what program (what Plitvice calls their trails!) to follow for the day.

But first:

What Entrance and Time to Buy a Ticket For

Whether you will be visiting as a day trip or staying two nights like we did, BUY THE TWO DAY TICKET!

Purchase your two day ticket online here starting THE DAY BEFORE you plan on going into the park.

Tickets are for a timed entrance on the first day, however with the two day pass you can enter at any time on the second day of your ticket – even if you did not use the ticket on the first day ;0.

I honestly wasn’t sure if we would be going into the park upon arrival to the area and purchased our ticket online here in February for our mid April visit.

I purchased our tickets for 12noon at Entrance 1 for our arrival date which allowed us to enter at anytime and at any entrance we wanted on our one full day exploring the park (day two of the ticket) :).

Your ticket will include boat and shuttle rides in the park.

Postcard Viewpoint Location

Since I am giving you what seems to be a local secret for exploring the park (I seriously could not find this information ANYWHERE on the internet before talking to the front desk clerk at Ethno House!), I will also let you know that we did not see a single soul at this MAGNIFICENT postcard viewpoint and short trail.

This is one of my biggest pros for staying at Fenomen Plitvice Resort or Ethno House as all of these views below are within walking distance of your accommodations ;0.

Now mind you – we did visit before the summer busy season – but wow do I hope you follow my advice and not visit in June-September so you can fall in love with Plitvice as much as we did (ahem – without crowds!).

Find the sign below and follow the gravel path right behind it to find the picture perfect “postcard viewpoint.”

Then continue on the gravel path that crosses a bridge and follows the road to Ethno House for more jaw dropping views. This is a great way to start your Plitvice exploring too btw ;).

What Program to Follow and Where to Start

When the Ethno House front desk clerk was showing us what Program (what Plitvice calls their trails) to follow and in what direction, he also was so kind to suggest we park in the hotel parking lot :).

Mind you – we could have walked the one mile from where we were staying at Fenomen Plitvice to what I have marked in the map below as 53231, Poljanak but instead we decided to drive our car to this area where there is a small parking lot (further down this street is where Ethno House is located).

The helpful front desk clerk suggested the following entire day plan for us in order to minimize having to follow a mass amount of people:

• Starting near P3 boat stop (do not get on boat at this time), follow the signs to follow Program (trail) H to Entrance 1 – allowing for time to take photos this will be about a one hour walk. Since the majority of visitors start at Entrance 1, you will be walking against the flow of traffic but don’t worry – the views are just as good ;). We started our day at 10am but again – this was because we were not at risk of high season crowds ;0.
• Once at Entrance 1, stop for food at Lička kuća (mentioned above). We stopped for about an hour from 11:30a-12:30p and had the entire restaurant to ourselves – not sure if that was a pre-season situation or timing but we sure loved it!
• From Lička kuća, walk back over the highway (there is a bridge) and along the path to the left for about 20 minutes to get to shuttle stop 1 (St 1 on map above)
• Take the (free) shuttle from St 1 to St 2 where you will have to change shuttles to take the second shuttle all the way to shuttle stop 3 (St 3 on map).
• At St 3, follow Program H again all the way back to boat stop 2 (P2). This part of the day took a little less than 2 hours to walk but mainly because the scenery in this area was INSANE and we pretty much stopped every minute for photos ;0.
• Take the boat from P2 back to P3 where your car is parked and then look back at your photos and marvel at what an amazing day you just had!!!

A Photo Gallery of Program H

Road from parking lot to boat stop P3

Small crowd at boat stop P3

Start of Program H near boat stop P3

Small number of people walking opposite direction of you where you start on Program H

First “slap” (waterfall) you will see going this direction on Program H is Milanovački

About 30 minutes into walking, the crowds picked up (10:30a) but again we were walking the opposite direction as them…

Second waterfalls (both of our photo taking is starting to pick up at this point ;0).

You can see groups of people walking the typical direction on Program H. It felt like maybe groups from buses in waves at this point…

There will be a lot of stairs and uphill parts of Program H so if you struggle with those – I would suggest finding another way to enjoy Plitvice Lakes National Park ;).

Barac caves were closed during our visit in April 2024 but if they are open – allow more time to enter and explore.

Continue following the signs for Program H and Entrance 1

As you get closer to Entrance 1, you will have to do switchbacks to get to the top of the cliffs. This will be about a 5-10 minute walk uphill.

At the top of the switchbacks, there is a viewpoint carved out…

Where we saw a glimpse of the tour bus crowds we were doing a good job of avoiding ;0

A quick pic after lunch on our way to Shuttle stop 1

Unexpected incredible views on the 20 minute walk from Entrance 1 to Shuttle stop 1 😉

Shuttle stop 1 (and our empty tram car)

Line of people waiting to get on at Shuttle stop 3 to return to shuttle stop 2 – again opposite direction of what we were advised to do ~ yay ;)!

After getting off at shuttle stop 3, find this sign for Program H and boat stop 2 (you are now in the Upper Lakes portion of the park and this trail).

With minimal crowds – we absolutely loved the Upper Lakes area of Plitvice Lakes National Park

With nothing else on our itinerary for the day except getting back to boat stop 2 for the last boat to stop 3, we had plenty of time for LOTS of photo taking

Keep following the signs for Program H and P2 (boat stop 2)

And just when you think you can’t be more impressed by Plitvice Lakes NP – you are ;0

Whatever you do – DO NOT SKIP PROGRAM H IN THE UPPER LAKES REGION OF THE PARK!!

Keep following those H and P2 signs 😉

Until you get to P2…

Which will take you back to boat stop 3 where you started 😉

What to Wear in Plitvice in Spring

When visiting Plitvice Lakes in spring, it’s best to wear comfortable layers, including a waterproof jacket, sturdy walking shoes, and a hat, to prepare for the park’s variable spring weather and scenic trails.

Our April 2024 Croatia Itinerary Day to Day Overview

DAY 1 | Fly from San Diego to Zagreb via London on British Airways

DAY 2 | Arrive in Zagreb 8pm

DAY 3 | Zagreb: wander streets, take Funicular to top, explore Saint Mark’s Square, lunch at Konoba Didov San, Museum of Broken Relationships, Stone Gate

DAY 4 | Zagreb: explore August Cesarec neighborhood, Tunel Gric, Gornjogradska Gimnazija viewpoint, Zagreb City Museum, dinner at Le Premier Boutique Hotel

DAY 5 | Get rental car and drive 2 hours to Plitvice Lakes National Park

DAY 6 | Plitvice Lakes National Park

DAY 7 | Drive 3 hours to Split (return car at airport), dinner at Portas Pizzeria

DAY 8 | Split: Diocletian’s Palace, Stari Pazar market, Split port, Marjan park and viewpoint, Varos neighborhood, dinner at Konoba Dujkin Dvor, sunset at People’s Square

DAY 9 | Split: Cathedral of St Domnius and belltower, Ethnographic Museum, Game of Thrones Museum, shop on Diocletian’s Street, Temple of Jupiter, Treasury, dinner at Chops Grill

DAY 10 | Day trip from Split to Hvar Island: Stari Grad and Hvar Town

DAY 11 | Used Daytrip company to drive us from Split to Dubrovnik with stops at Rizman Winery and Ston

DAY 12 | Dubrovnik: 7am Flytographer photo shoot, Fort Lovrijenac, shop on Placa and Ulica od Puca (Street of the Wells), Old Town and Wall, Franciscan Monastery, Dubrovnik Cable Car to Fort Imperial viewpoint, St Blaise’s Church, dinner at Bura Bistro

DAY 13 | Dubrovnik: day at the beach, Buza Bar, Jesuit Stairs, Dubrovnik Cathedral, snack at Holy Burek, dinner at Taj Mahal,

DAY 14 | Flight from Dubrovnik to London Gatwick (2.5 hour flight)

DAY 15 | Flight from London to San Diego on British Airways

I hope you found this post helpful in learning how to maximize your Plitvice Lakes National Park visit.

With its multitude of cascading waterfalls, crystal-clear lakes, and lush forested landscapes, Plitvice Lakes National Park will provide an unforgettable experience of tranquility and awe-inspiring beauty.

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