It's funny how hard it is to choose destinations when you're sitting comfortably behind a computer screen at home, scrolling through Instagram and reading travel blogs. Tiny photos and carefully curated videos can only tell you so much. But the scale of a place, the mountains, the color of the sea, the old cities has to be experienced with my own eyes, and Split absolutely delivered as our first stop in Croatia!

But first, we spent a quick 36 hours in Helsinki before catching our cheap three-hour flight south to Split, Croatia. And holy shit...the views from the plane alone told us we were in for something special.

We landed in one piece, despite almost having a minor collision on rented electric scooters in Helsinki a day earlier. (We'll be taking a brief break from those).

The airport was only about a 30-minute drive into the city of Split, and we rented an Airbnb in the Bačvice neighborhood, about a 20-minute walk from Old Town.

Split is Croatia's second largest city and home to Diocletian's Palace, a sprawling Roman palace built around 305 AD for the Roman emperor Diocletian after he retired. Unlike many ancient ruins, this one isn't fenced off as an archaeological site, it's still alive. People live inside its walls, restaurants fill centuries-old buildings, and you can wander through Roman passageways on your way to grab lunch.

As I was researching months back, a surprising number of travelers recommend skipping Split in favor of the islands or Dubrovnik. We couldn't disagree more. We found it to be the perfect introduction to Croatia.

On our very first evening, we wandered toward the waterfront and stumbled upon everything we love: beach bars, sand volleyball courts, rocky white beaches, swimming docks, an inflatable aquapark...and one guy standing on the rocks renting out a few e-foils. Naturally, we made a beeline for him. When we asked the price, he smiled and said we could take two boards for the price of one at just €50. Done!

What was even better? The following evening, while he was packing up his gear at sunset, he waved us over and told us to take them out again...for free.

Bennett and I floated in the Adriatic while Reid and Chip zigzagged across the water on the e-foils as the sun sank behind the coastline. Those unexpected moments always seem to become our favorite travel memories.

Walking Through 1,700 Years of History

At the top of the bell tower with 360 degree views of Split

The following morning was our sightseeing day. We left the Airbnb around 8:00 a.m. and reached the palace by 8:25, an hour before the cruise ship crowds poured into town.

The moment we entered the palace walls, it felt like stepping into another era. Massive limestone blocks, Roman columns, narrow alleyways that reminded us of Venice, ancient archways, hidden underground passages, and towering above it all was the bell tower of Saint Domnius. I haven't been this impressed by ancient ruins since visiting Ephesus in Turkey.

We bought the combined ticket (16 euro for adults, kids were free) which included all five main attractions:

• The Bell Tower

• Cathedral of Saint Domnius

• Temple of Jupiter

• The Crypt

• The Cathedral Treasury

We started with the 200-step climb up the bell tower. The views stretched over Split's orange rooftops, the sparkling Adriatic Sea, the harbor, and Marjan Hill. I love me a good view!

Next came the crypt, treasury, cathedral, and the Temple of Jupiter, home to one of Split's greatest treasures—a 3,500-year-old Egyptian black granite sphinx, brought here by Emperor Diocletian from Egypt. It's astonishing to think the sphinx was already ancient when the Romans placed it here.

One of my favorite spots, though, was the Peristyle, the grand central courtyard of Diocletian's Palace. Massive Roman columns surround the square, and the open sky above creates an incredible sense of scale. Standing there, it's easy to imagine the emperor addressing crowds nearly two thousand years ago.

By 10:00 a.m., the city was beginning to buzz so we snuck into a dark but welcoming café to eat big plates of eggs and bacon.

Mega Yachts and Minor Meltdowns

From the palace, we wandered onto the Riva Promenade, Split's palm-lined waterfront.

We slowly strolled past mega yachts, naturally Googling who owned them and how much they were worth. Some charter for over €100,000 per day. Maybe in another life.

By now, the Croatian heat had settled in, and Reid's mood had...not. No problem, we thought. Surely a stop at the grocery store for Fantas and Schweppes would solve everything, right? Nope.

The whining continued as we wandered through town before finally grabbing giant focaccia sandwiches for lunch. Then we headed to Bačvice Beach. The mood instantly improved once everyone started jumping off the docks into the crystal-clear sea. Cool water on a hot day fixes a lot.

Eventually, though, the requests to visit the inflatable aquapark became nonstop. Why do kids fixate on stuff!? So we called it and headed back to the Airbnb.

Rather than let one rough afternoon derail the day, Chip and I opened a bottle of prosecco, relaxed for a bit, and decided the aquapark could wait.

That evening we returned to the beach, enjoyed another sunset e-foil session, and had dinner at a waterfront restaurant. Reid eventually realized he'd been a bit of a turd, apologized, and by the end of the night we were laughing again.

Travel with kids isn't always picture perfect. Sometimes it's whining. Sometimes it's negotiations. Sometimes it's magical sunsets that make everyone forget the rough patches.

I'm on a Boat!

Our only requirement when booking a boat excursion? It had to have a big ass inflatable slide.

We chose an eight-hour, three-stop tour because honestly, how much more could you possibly fit into one day?

Our first stop was a beautiful beach on Čiovo, where lunch was served at a little waterfront restaurant. The tour included lunch and what we initially assumed was apple juice. It was definitely not apple juice (wait, boys dont drink that!). It was some very strong local white wine.

After lunch, swimming. And that water...I have a feeling I'm going to mention the color of the water a lot. Because it somehow keeps getting bluer. We cooled off with a swim before wandering over to a dreamy beach bar with flowing white fabric overhead, wooden swings overlooking the sea, and plenty of shade to enjoy a cold beer.

Then back aboard. Next stop: The Blue Lagoon.

There honestly needs to be another word in the dictionary beyond turquoise. Just check out the pics and vids.

Once anchored, the inflatable slide went up, snorkel gear came out, and we spent the next hour launching ourselves fifteen feet off the upper deck into impossibly clear water.

We raced each other down the slide. Jumped from the roof of the boat. Snorkeled. Floated. Repeated everything. It was an absolute blast!

Jumping off the boat into The Blue Lagoon, Croatia

Our final stop was the tiny fishing village of Maslinica on the island of Šolta. Stone houses, a picturesque harbor, sailboats gently rocking in the marina—it felt like one of those places where time moves a little slower.
Unfortunately, 45 minutes disappears fast.
Soon the captain was laying on the horn.
We sprinted back to the boat just in time to avoid becoming permanent residents of Šolta.

The hour-long cruise back to Split was the perfect ending to an incredible day.
By 6:00 p.m. we were completely exhausted in the best possible way.
Everyone slept very, very well.

45 minutes at Maslinica, Šolta. Ready, set, go!

One Last Beach Day

For our final day in Split, we leaned all the way into beach mode. The boys had been talking nonstop about the inflatable aquapark, so we figured it was finally time. And honestly? It was awesome.

The water here is one of the best surprises. It's warm enough that launching yourself off giant inflatables, or accidentally slipping off the side, isn't the shocking, ice-cold experience you expect. Chip and I floated around the outside while Reid and Bennett tackled obstacle after obstacle, flipping off platforms, racing across balance beams, and wiping out in spectacular fashion.

Eventually, all that swimming worked up an appetite, so we grabbed a table at a little Italian restaurant right on the beach.

Pizza has become our fave meal while traveling (if we even eat out at all). It feeds all four of us, doesn't completely destroy the budget, and somehow every country seems to put its own spin on it. But this one was hands down, the best pizza we've ever had.

Stuffed, sun-soaked, and happily exhausted, we escaped back to the Airbnb for a break during the hottest part of the afternoon. The only downside? No smart TV.

The boys were forced to watch Croatian television, which, as it turns out, wasn't nearly as entertaining as YouTube. Their patience lasted about fifteen minutes before everyone agreed we'd be much happier back outside.

So we headed to the little neighborhood beach just a few minutes from our apartment.

By now the sun had dropped lower in the sky, casting everything in that magical golden-hour light. The beach was packed with locals, and nearly every group seemed to be playing the same game—a fast-paced sport where they kept a small rubber ball from touching the water.

We later learned it's called picigin, and it actually originated right here in Split over a hundred years ago. The goal isn't to score points but to keep the ball in the air for as long as possible, diving, splashing, and making ridiculous saves along the way.

We found a ball and immediately joined in. After a lot of laughing, a fair amount of flailing, and a few dramatic dives into the Adriatic, it felt like the perfect way to end our time in Split.

The next morning, we'd board our very first Croatian ferry and sail to the island of Brač, where we'd spend the next few days in the charming town of Bol.

And finally... I'd get to see the place that had been sitting on my travel bucket list for years:

Zlatni Rat Beach, better known as the Golden Horn.

Until next time...