You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Son is going to Rijeka for a diving competition in July so we're thinking of going out once his comp is finished. So just looking for any experiences people have had of Croatia especially the north.
I can't comment on the North, but I spent a week in Cavtat (far south near Dubrovnik) a few years ago and it was really nice. The weather helped (it was amazing), but the people were friendly and the water good for snorkelling.
One thing that did slightly weird me out was the large number of burned and bombed out buildings. I saw hotels that had not been used since the conflict just husks of what they used to be. A lot of the lamp posts still had bullet holes in too. Yes, it was a holiday destination, but the reminder of a civil ware made me stop a couple of times.
We went to Dubrovnik last summer, whilst lovely it was really busy.
We considered going to Pula area - near where you're going - but in the end wanted to see the old town of Dubrovnik.
There are lots of options on the same peninsula.
We did a road trip holiday early summer last year, split and dubrovnik are much busier than the rest, but overall really good. Worth doing the national parks inland too (although could be v busy in peak summer). Checkout Zadar sea organ!
Spent a week on Hvar a few years ago - July, way to hot for me. Liked Split, what we saw of the coast and countryside was nice, couldn't really do much from 11am until 6pm except crawl from aircon to sea for a cool down and back again. If that's your type of holiday it'd be good. I hear its got a bit more expensive lately. Folk seemed friendly...woman from airbnb guesthouse in Split insisted on driving us 15 miles to the airport rather than book a taxi.
Edit - not the North, so maybe not so helpful..
We went around Rijeka when we went on a bit of a Euro road trip in our van in October/Novermber just gone, it was a really nice area. It was a bit chilly and windy when we went but we were asking about the summer with some locals and they were saying it is pretty hot! Also a lot of people in that area in the coastal villages and towns. First place I've been in years that you're still allowed to smoke in bars/cafes and you forget how much it honks, that was the only negative I had. All the people were super friendly and nice in cafes/bars/shops etc.
Some suggestions for places to visit...
Opatija - Austrians used it as a bit of a seaside getaway when the Austo-Hungarian empire was still a thing so it is a weird, interesting town full of grand 'Austian Riviera' style buildings.
Lovran, Moščenica and Brseč are all little 'village perché' style towns like you get in the south of France, super compact little villages that you can only access by foot and are interesting to visit.
If you want to go biking you'll find some trails on Trailforks, there's a bunch of trails marked in the Učka national park which are absolutely fantastic! Supposedly you are not allowed to ride on trails in the park and there are rangers about, we did but then we were there in the off-season and maybe it is more strict in the summer. My guess is if you keep away from the busiest areas you'll be aight.
You are also not far from Lošinj (where the had the DH world cup the last couple of years), it costs about £12 to go over on the ferry with the car. The town of Mali Losinj looks real nice although I've not been. Some of the Islands could be interesting to visit but are just a total rock landscape. They get some of the strongest winds in the world there so the islands between Rijeka and Zadar, and the coastline on the mainland, are pretty baron as nothing can grow (look up the 'Burja' wind).
Paklenica national park also looks really nice but that is a bit further south!
Been a couple of times and love it. Only downside is pebbly beaches but depends if that's an issue for you. Last summer we stayed at Rabac which is just round the coast from your son. Bonus is the valamar hotel has a bike centre and has started up a bike park with a few manmade trails plus the natural stuff is good too.decent full sus hire bikes and ebikes if you don't fancy the climbs which are pretty brutal in the heat. Prices good too. Rabac is a lovely little fishing village with loads of options from camping and villas all the way up to an all inclusive Tui family life hotel so should suit whatever you want.
I've been several times. I really like it. Split is a nice place to visit. Good weather, nice countryside and coast line and really good fresh seafood.
Had a few holidays in Croatia, by far the best one involved a bit of island hopping, Split - Bol - Hvar - Makarska - Dubrovnik.
Also spent time further north, did Rovinj last year, very nice and enough to do for a week but wouldn't want to stay much longer, Same with Pula a few years previous. I get a bit bored sat round the pool but enjoy hiring a bike or going for a stroll.
We were staying in Kaštel Gomilica last year in august, it was pretty much perfect. The people were lovely, the sea is pretty much perfect to swim in and the scenery and the mountains are absolutely breathtaking.
Swimming in the waterfalls at Krka was pretty good too 🙂
[img] 
[/img]
We stayed in near Boljun not to far from Rijeka a couple of years ago. We visited Pula, Rovinja, Brijuni park, the lakes at Plitvice, Cres Island, and the water park up north plus a few local sites. Lovely place with plenty to see. The lakes were stunning and the waterpark up north were family favourites.
We spent a week in Porec about 6-7years ago which is fairly northern. Lovely bit of coastline-bit rocky and little in the way of sandy beaches but I quite liked that. Not many English speakers-lots of Russians but no problems communicating. Made it to the lakes - long coach trip but stunning-would try and hire a car if I was to go back. It's a lovely country.
Jaylittle can you island hop with no car from Dubrovnic to split in 6 days and it still be a holiday? I can't imagine the distances
Went about 18 years ago with a mate who had a girlfriend from Split. Went up and down the coast and the watersports inside the barrier islands was fantastic. Great people great food but the conflict was only recently over so it was a bit on the quiet side as far as tourism went. I wouldn't hesitate to return.
I went to the DH WC in Lošinj last year, it's a beautiful island, and the towns of Mali and Veli Lošinj are both great. You can go and have a look at the WC track too (it literally finishes in the town), it's super gnarly! It was April when I went and it was nice and warm. The sea was freezing though, if you were fancying a swim!
We stayed in a campsite near the town of Vrsar a few years ago which is near the end of that peninsular in the north. As others have said the beaches are with white pebbles or rocks but it means the water is crystal clear. It looked beautiful with lots of small islands just off the coast. Our kids spent the days snorkeling. The towns look fairly similar to those in Italy with narrow winding streets. We managed to get a pitch right on the beach so we could eat breakfast every morning overlooking the sea but the downside was that from midday the campsite liked playing banging techno for the beach users which didn’t finish until midnight But after a day or two you didn’t notice it anymore!
we went last summer, few days in an AirB&B in Dubrovnik (where the old town is very pretty but very very expensive) then got a ferry up the coast to Korcula, across to Orabic for a week in a villa with friends, and then island hopped via Hvar and Bol to Split.
we really enjoyed it, the weather was great, the water really clear and good to swim in. people friendly, food good.
there is no sandy beaches so you have the slightly odd thing of people sunbathing on any flat bit of concrete.
i would certiainly go back
Been next door to slovenia.
Loved it going back in September