This UNESCO Waterfall Wonderland is Europe’s Dreamiest National Park💦

With 16 interconnected emerald lakes and countless dazzling falls, it’s the oldest national park in SE Europe and a true gem for nature lovers.

Much of Croatia’s scenic countryside is made up of protected areas, including eight national parks, ten nature parks, and two strict reserves. The most famous of these protected areas is Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Croatia’s most popular tourist attraction.

Covering nearly 300 square kilometers, it’s also the largest national park in the country. Inside the park, 16 interconnected lakes cascade down through a series of tufa barriers, wowing visitors with dazzling emerald colors and dramatic waterfalls.

Plitvice is the oldest national park in southeast Europe, the largest in Croatia, and it’s an absolute gem for nature lovers.

When my husband and I spent a week road-tripping around Croatia, Plitvice Lakes was the absolute highlight of our trip. After extensive research, we decided to rent a car and drive around Croatia instead of taking organized day trips.

And I’m so glad we did!

From the charming seaside town of Rovinj (where we began our journey) to the walled city of Dubrovnik, it was the perfect European summer adventure.

If you’re planning a visit to Croatia, here’s everything you need to know before you visit Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Plitvice Lakes Visitor Basics

Plitvice Lakes National Park is open daily all year round, with longer opening hours in the summer months (usually 7am-8pm) and shorter hours during winter (usually 8am-4pm).

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to book through these links, I receive a small commission, which I will undoubtedly blow on more flights (it’s a vicious cycle). All of this internet voodoo takes place at no additional cost to you.

An overhead view of cascading waterfalls and lakes surrounded by lush greenery at Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia — Croatia’s stunning Plitvice Lakes National Park

The entrance fee is a contribution to the park’s upkeep and preservation, and ticket prices vary by season from 10 Euro ($11.85 USD) in the winter months to 40 Euro ($44.50 USD) during the peak season from June to September.

Tickets can sometimes be purchased on arrival, but during the popular summer months, I highly recommend booking your entrance ticket in advance through their online ticket system.

Visitors walk along a wooden pathway at Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia, surrounded by lush greenery and cascading waterfalls. — Suspension bridge over the falls

There are two park entrances, aptly named Entrance 1 (for the lower lakes) and Entrance 2 (for the higher lakes). In the winter months, Entrance 2 is often closed (we visited in May and it was closed).

Tip: For the latest updates on which entrances are open, check the Plitvice Lakes National Park official website.

Because of the park’s somewhat remote location in Croatia, the most common way to visit is with an organized tour from the largest nearby towns, Rijeka, Zadar, Zagreb, and Split. I don’t recommend this route, and I’ll tell you why in a moment.

But if a group tour is your only option for visiting this beautiful national park, do it. It’s worth dealing with the crowds (and there will be crowds!).

Here are the top-rated day trips from each town.

The Best Plitvice Lakes Day Trips:

How to Visit Plitvice On Your Own

You can also rent a car and drive from Split (2.5 hours away), Rijeka (2 hours), Zagreb (2 hours), or Zadar (1.5 hours). I highly recommend this option if you’re up for the drive!

On our Croatia trip, we reserved our car through Discover Cars and picked it up at the local Sixt rental office in Rovinj.

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The drive took us almost 4 hours but we also made a stop in Pula to see the incredible Pula Arena, which added about 45 minutes to the trip (totally worth it!).

We found driving in Croatia to be easy, safe, and a great way to get around (as long as you avoid driving in the larger cities). The highways are well-maintained and easy to navigate, and we really enjoy the freedom of having our own wheels.

But the best part about driving yourself to Plitvice Lakes? It gives you the option to spend the night at a nearby guesthouse and get an early start.

Which brings me to…

Where to stay near Plitvice Lakes National Park

Most accommodations near the park are basically large country homes converted to cozy guest houses. They’re simple, comfortable, and very budget-friendly.

After our stop in Pula, we arrived in the rural town of Rakovica by mid-afternoon and easily found our guest house for the night, the Villa Ruhige Lage, located about 15 kilometers from the entrance to the park.

A charming country guesthouse in Croatia with a red tiled roof — Villa Ruhige Lage, our Plitvice Lakes guesthouse

It has beautiful views of the countryside from the terrace, and the staff are very helpful in explaining the entry locations at the park and tips for our visit tomorrow. They also suggest a local restaurant just a short walk down the street for dinner.

Tip: For a little more convenience (and luxury!), you can also stay inside the park at the lovely Plitvice Falls Cottage or the Boutique Villa Pearl of Plitvice Lakes.

How to Beat the Crowds at Plitvice Lakes National Park

Before our trip, I did a deep dive online to figure out how to beat the anticipated crowds at the park.

This strategy can really be summed up in five simple words…

DO. NOT. TAKE. A. TOUR.

Why? Because the vast majority of visitors to the park arrive as part of a group tour from the larger nearby cities. Since all of these tours require a few hours’ drive, the barrage of tour buses arrive at the park primarily around 10:00 am each day.

To get the most enjoyment out of our visit, I knew the best time to visit was either first thing in the morning or late afternoon. This way we could avoid the mid-day hours entirely. That’s why we chose to get a rental car and spend a night near the park the night before our visit.

So our plan is to hit the ground running right at the 7am opening time.

A detailed map of Plitvice Lakes National Park near the park's entrance — A map of the park at the entrance

And I’m happy to say my plan works like a charm.

We booked our tickets online about a week in advance. When we arrive bright and early at Entrance Gate 1, we pay an hourly fee to park and are thrilled to see we are one of the first cars in the lot.

Note: Entrance 2 was closed during our visit due to flooding on some boardwalk trails, which isn’t uncommon after rainy periods. Don’t forget to check the official website before your visit for any closures.

A woman in a pink jacket walks a winding wooden path across a lake surrounded by waterfalls at Plitvice Lakes National Park — Early morning at Plitvice Lakes

Exploring Plitvice Lakes: Routes & Highlights

Plitvice is divided into two sections: the Lower Lakes and Upper Lakes. The Lower Lakes section, home to Veliki Slap (Big Waterfall)—the largest waterfall in Croatia—features steep cliffs and a deep canyon.

The Upper Lakes are more secluded, with smaller lakes and scenic hiking trails through heavily forested grand canyon landscapes.

A freestanding map of the Sightseeing Trail Options at Plitvice Lakes Croatia — Different trail options depending on how ,much time you want to spend

The park offers official routes of varying lengths, ranging from 2 to 8 hours. Many of these trails incorporate a scenic boat ride across Prošćansko Jezero, the largest lake in the park.

A riverboat full of people crosses the lake at Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia — If you have more time, take the boat trip!

A shuttle boat and ferry stop also help with longer routes. If you have time, you could easily spend a full day exploring both sections of the park.

We have about three hours for our visit and we spend it winding our way along the serpentine boardwalks, oohing and aahing in wonder at the sparkling emerald lakes and magnificent waterfalls.

The author with her husband visiting Plitvice lakes national park in Croatia — With my husband Dave at Plitvice Lakes

With just a few other visitors at this early hour, it feels like we have the entire park to ourselves. It is unlike any place I’ve ever visited and I absolutely adored it.

Another Travel Bucket List item checked off the list.

One tip – wear good shoes!

A nearly submerged wooden walking path across the rushing waters of Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia — Partially submerged path

Depending on the latest rainfall levels, some of the boardwalks can be partially submerged, leading to tricky footing.

A partially submerged wooden path across a lake at Croatia's Plitvice Lakes National Park — Why you need good shoes!

We mostly had the boardwalks to ourselves, but I can’t imagine trying to navigate some of the more slippery sections in a crowd.

A women carefully navigates a wooden path as water rushes around it at Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia — Walking trails around the falls

Leaving Plitvice Lakes

Around 10am, we leisurely make our way toward the park exit, still basking in the glow of our perfect morning. And we are shocked by the scene that awaits us at the entrance gate.

It is literally a mob scene.

A crowd of tour groups, buses, and tour guides as far as the eye can see. We have to fight our way through them just to exit.

A mass crowd of people shoulder to shoulder at the entrance to Plitvice Lakes — The tour bus crowds arrive

Once we make it back to the car and leave the madness behind, we are so grateful we made the extra effort to enjoy the park in the peaceful, early morning hours. No matter when you visit, Plitvice Lakes is a place of exceptional natural beauty.

So, don’t miss Plitvice Lakes National Park, but definitely spend the night and avoid the crowds if you can.

Next stop, the beautiful island of Korcula!