Plitvice Lakes National Park is Croatia's largest (8,000 acres) and oldest (1949) national park. It's very popular, so it can be a little crowded, especially along the paths near the entrance of the park and the Lower Lakes. Paths along the Upper Lakes are comparatively empty. In both sections you'll be awed by the park's beauty.

It took me about five hours to make the loop around the park, during which time I saw crystal-clear lakes and hundreds of waterfalls. In the lakes you'll spot fish and tufa formations. You'll hear choruses of frogs in the reeds and may spot some of the wildlife (birds, bears, butterflies, and bats). You can cross one of the lakes via boat, and it's like sailing on glass. DO NOT forget to bring your camera--this park is truly stunning.

It's easy to get to without a car, too. I took a bus from the main bus station in Zagreb right to the entrance of the park (a two-hour ride). After I walked for all of two minutes, I was staring at a 254-foot-high waterfall and the first of 16 interconnected turqoise lakes throughout the park. The return bus is just across the road from the entrance. You may want to save your visit for a sunny day, when the color of the lakes will really pop.