Back in 2019, we spent over 3 months in Croatia, with the bulk of it in the Dalmatian Coast. I wanted to write a post about exploring the Dalmatian Coast with kids, including a suggested 7 to 10 day itinerary for families planning a trip to that part of Croatia.
Early in 2019 our family spent three months living in Split at the tail end of a year-long trip around the world. At the time, our kids were 2 and 5 years old.
Why Croatia and Split?
We chose to spend that much time in Croatia because we really enjoyed the week we spent in Zagreb the summer before, and we thought it’d be fun to explore more of the country. We decided on Split because of its mild winter weather and because we wanted to focus on exploring more of the middle of the country. Before settling in Split, we also spent 10 days exploring the Istria Peninsula and spent a day exploring Dubrovnik on our way from Montenegro to Serbia.
The Dalmatian Coast of Croatia is the perfect place to visit with kids! The beaches are dreamy, the nearby mountains are great for hiking, the history is abundant and accessible, and the people are incredibly welcoming of families.
These are our tips and ideas for helping you plan a trip to the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia with kids:
Best way to explore the Dalmatian Coast
The best way to explore the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia is by car. Driving there was straightforward–the roads are nice and modern, and the drivers are good.
You don’t need a car to explore the city of Split and, if you want to get to nearby attractions like Kliss Fortress or the Salona Ruins, you can get an Uber to take you there for cheap (pro tip: Uber is way cheaper than taxi in Split, and very easy to use!).
But there is a lot to see and it’s worth taking a car. We didn’t have a car while we lived in Split, so we rented one when we needed it. Car rental companies have car seats and booster seats for rent, so you don’t have to worry about lugging yours around for this trip!
Make sure you book ahead of time to ensure there are cars available at the rental agency. Also, rental agencies in Croatia are stricter about checking the condition of vehicles before and after, so make sure you look for and point out any scratches or issues with the car when you pick it up. We never had an issue with any rental cars, but we did notice rental companies were more thorough when inspecting their vehicles. Allow at least an extra 30 minutes for paperwork and car inspection.
We used CARWIZ (not an ad) when we needed to rent a car and had only positive experiences.
You need a car to explore the islands, and you can choose to rent a car in Split and pay for the car ferry, or you can simply rent a car when you arrive to the island you are visiting. If you are planning the loop I describe below, it’ll be better to rent a car in Split. Keep in mind that car rental companies may charge an extra fee if you are planning on taking the car to an island–but it can still come out less expensive than renting on the island, and you can also drive off the ferry and start exploring right away!
Best time to visit
According to all the local people we talked to (which was a lot during our three-month stay), the best time to visit Croatia is in the Fall, during September and early October. Everyone we talked to told us that in September “the sea is warm and the crowds are gone.” Next time we go to Croatia we’ll definitely go in September! During this time businesses are still open but prices have gone down a bit after the summer rush, and you can really get a better taste of the local culture when the crowds have really thinned out.
We loved being in Croatia during the off-season/shoulder season. We were able to explore the country and the islands without the big crowds that are prevalent in the summer months. This was lovely because we never had to wait in line for anything, and locals were very friendly to us as everything was very calm at that time of year.
That being said, some ferry lines have limited schedules during the off-season so make sure you check Jadrolinija’s website before you plan your trip. Also keep in mind that during the winter months some trips might be cancelled or delayed due to bad weather. This happened to us leaving Vis when our catamaran was canceled due to a storm and we had to wait to take the afternoon ferry instead.
Where to go
7-10 DAY ITINERARY
Here’s a suggested 7 to 10 day itinerary for exploring the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia. I’ve included a few ideas for what to do and where to go in each place. You can adjust this itinerary to fit your timeline, adding or taking days off from it (note: you could happily spend more days in any of these places!). If you are not flying out of Split, you could continue driving down the coast to Dubrovnik, or head there by ferry as well.
Split
2 full days, catch ferry to Brac on 3rd day
Explore the Diocletian Palace and the rest of the Old Town of Split. Make sure you go all the way to the backside of the town and find the statue of Gregory of Nin. There’s the belief that you can rub the big toe of the statue for good luck so why not do it?
Walk up to Marjan Park and hike the trails while you soak in the amazing sea and city views. You could hike up to the playground and turn around, or you could go all the way out to where the Croatian flag is in the park. There are a couple of cafes in the park as well as a beach on the far end.
Spend a morning at the beach. Bacvice beach is great and it is within walking distance of the old town. The sea here never really gets deep, making it perfect for little kids to splash around without having to worry about waves or tides. There are restaurants right next to it on the beach front walk, and there is also a small kiosk at the entrance where you can buy snacks and even beer! And you may see some locals playing an amazing version of handball (picigin) where they leap around trying to prevent a small ball from hitting the shallow water.
Brac
2 days, catch ferry to Makarska on the 5th day
The ferry from Split to Brac takes a little bit under an hour. Once you reach the port town of Supetar, it takes about 30-45 minutes to reach Bol. If you take an early ferry, you can still have a full day to explore and enjoy Bol.
Arrive to Bol, drop off your bags at your hotel/Airbnb and head out to explore the old town. The waterfront has some very nice cafes as well as some retail stores. We found a great farmers market while we were there. The people were super friendly to our kids and gave them many free samples!
Spend a day lounging at the Golden Horn (Slatni Rat), chosen as one of Europe’s most beautiful beaches. This beach is walking distance from the town of Bol on a beautiful pedestrian-only tree-lined path. There are lots of bars and cafe in the area if you want a refreshment.
While in Brac, you could easily spend every day at the beach, but if you feel like exploring more of the island, head to Milna. This town is located in the north west side of the island, and it is known for its deep harbor and Venetian history. There are lots of restaurants on the seafront as well as a cute playground with a view of the harbor. We really enjoyed spending an afternoon here.
If you are looking for a fun activity for the kids, take a detour on your way from Bol to Milna and head to Park Prirode Sutivan. This little park packs a lot of fun for little ones: a petting zoo, some farm animals and a lot of fun play structures for kids (including an amazing zipline with a chair). Entrance is free but you can leave a donation if you like. We had the place entirely to ourselves when we visited. Highly recommend!
Makarska
2 full days, drive back to Split on the 7th day
This is where the Romans retired, and we could see why! Wander around the beautiful car-free old town and explore the narrow alleyways. Make your way to the square by Co-Cathedral of St. Mark, sit down at a cafe and enjoy the relaxed ambiance while the kids run around the square.
Take the kids to the awesome seafront playground and treat them to some carnival rides before or after dinner, depending on when you want them to burn all the energy!
Walk to the Park šuma Sveti Petar (St. Peter Forest Park) for a spectacular view of the town of Makarska and the sea. Wander around the different paths and find great climbing trees for the kids to play on while you relax and enjoy the views!
If you have time and are looking to explore more of the riviera, head to Brela. This town is small, but it has tons of beautiful crystal clear beaches to visit. I don’t think I’ve ever seen dreamier water than what you find in Brela! Just know these are mostly pebble beaches so make sure you bring water shoes if you plan on going.
Omis
Stop on the way from Makarska back to Split
Our favorite thing we did in Omis was hiking up to the Starigrad Fortress–an actual pirate castle. Bet you didn’t know there was such a thing! (We didn’t…) The trail climbs the very steep side of rocky mountain, and it was not the easiest hike to do with kids, but it is doable. The hike was more of a rock scramble at times, but once you are done with the steep ascent, the rest of the path is fairly easy. Wherever you are on this hike, the views of the town and the sea make the challenge really worth it! Make sure you bring lots of water as this is a strenuous hike and, if you are bringing your kids, you might end up having to carry them for stretches on the way up.
After you finish the hike, treat yourself to some gelato or tasty seafood at one of the many restaurant in the old town. This old town reminded us a bit of Kotor, Montenegro because of the very narrow alleyways typical of former Venetian settlements.
Split
Once you get back to Split, and if you have some time left for more exploring, visit the basement at the Diocletian Palace for some great Game of Thrones vibes–this is were Daenerys kept her dragons!
One thing you should definitely do is get a cup of coffee or a drink at the riva while you watch people go by. The riva (seafront promenade) is where social life happens in Split. This is a perfect place to sit down and watch the world go by while waiting for your flight time, or just for fun!
For the kids (and adults) we recommend Slastičarna Riva if you are looking for some delicious gelato. Their gelato is seriously amazing!
Day trips from Split
If you are flying out of Split and have an extra day there, here are some suggestions for nearby day trips to take:
Trogir
Trogir is set within medieval walls on a tiny island north of Split. The town is connected by bridges to both the mainland the island of Ciovo. The old town is very charming and you’ll love exploring the narrow streets, finding all the cute little squares, and strolling on the waterfront promenade. We visited Trogir a couple of times and our kids really loved it! A favorites was Kamerlengo Castle so make sure you check it out!
Trogir is not only a lovely day trip, but it is also a great place to stay in for a couple of days.
Kliss Fortress
If you are a Game of Thrones fan, you could visit Kliss Fortress, located just 15 minutes by car from Split. We took Uber there, which worked great and was very inexpensive. The only trick was trying to find an Uber to bring us back to Split, which we managed to do both times we were there. The easiest thing would be to keep your rental car a bit longer so that you can drive there.
Salona Roman Ruins
If you are interested in Roman ruins, then you should visit Salona. Salona is just 5km outside of Split, and you could easily visit the ruins on your way to Trogir.
If you visit, make sure you make it all the way to the amphitheater as it is in great shape. This place is magical for kids as they are allowed to climb pretty much everywhere, but be sure to keep a close eye on them as there are a couple of big holes behind some of the big stones.
Krka Waterfalls and Sibenik
If you can’t make it all the way up to Plitvice, or want to experience an alternative version of Plitvice without all the crowds, a good alternative is to visit Krka National Park. This park is lovely and a lot quieter than Plitvice, especially in the low season when it’s basically empty!
After visiting Krka, drive to the charming coastal town of Sibenik to walk on the riva, check out the old town–make sure you see the Cathedral of St. James which is build entirely from stone–and grab some gelato from Fafarinka cakes & coffee.
These are just some suggestions for day trips to do while exploring the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia with kids, but you really can’t go wrong with any of the cute coastal towns in Croatia!
One last suggestion: Our favorite island…
Vis
Visiting the island of Vis was one of the highlights of our time in Dalmatia. Vis is the farthest island from the mainland and the least populated one. We spent a week in Vis in April 2019 and had the best time exploring the island. If you’d rather visit a more off-the-beaten path island, you can switch your time in Brac/Makarska for Vis. You won’t regret it! Read more about Vis here.
Getting to Vis from Split is easy, but connecting to the other islands takes some planning ahead. Ferries from Vis to Hvar run once a week (Tuesday) and the same goes for Brac (Wednesday), so you’d have to carefully plan your itinerary if you want to connect directly to Hvar or Brac instead of having to go back to Split first. Make sure you check Jadrolinija’s website for the latest information.
I hope you found these suggestions and ideas helpful in planning your trip to the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia with kids. If you need more travel inspiration for this area, check out this post with pictures of the area. For more posts about Croatia, go here. And, if you have ANY questions about traveling in Croatia, send me a message and I’ll do my best to answer them!
