Split, Croatia

Croatia was one of the most magical places I have ever traveled. From eating incredible food to jumping off cliffs and white water rafting; this place is definitely one of my top three favorite places I have ever been! I stayed in Split when I traveled there.

Day drinking will always be on the agenda. I took a boat cruise with some friends on a windy ass day. I swear we all almost threw up after we pounded a few beers. We blasted music, danced, sang, ate and swam our way to Brač. I don’t think day drinking, tiny boats and choppy waters mix very well, but we made the best of it. The beers we bought were pretty decent but the boat food was another story….we don’t need to talk about it tbh. Seagulls were chasing us because we were throwing our terrible food from the boat. We snapped a few photos when we got to the island and strolled around for a bit. I decided to rent four-wheelers with my friends Scout and Lynn. We sped all over the island and just enjoyed the hell out of ourselves. We stopped to get some tallboys at a local shop and made a pit stop to drink them in a beautiful oasis. If I could pause a moment in life, it would be that one, because we just parked our four-wheelers, sat on the beach and stared at an incredible view. There’s nothing like a killer buzz, good company and a pretty view on the beach.

I was lucky enough to spend Earth Day when in Croatia. One of my favorite adventures on this trip was whitewater rafting and cliff jumping with a company called Pinta. I met a few girls on the bus ride over and we all became quick friends. Six of us ended up deciding to go whitewater rafting together. Scout, Lynn, Jamie, Gabbi, Gabby and myself zipped up our wet suits and had such a kick ass time. We had a really hot instructor named Marcos and we all shamelessly flirted with him the entire time. We rafted down the Cetina River and we took a detour mid raft and decided to climb a nearby cliff. Marcos dared us all to try it and I’m no wimp, so a few of the gals and myself decided to risk it. When I tell you my life flashed before my eyes……. it did. That was hands down one of the scariest moments of my life. My adrenaline was through the roof and my heart was pumping so damn fast. Cliff jumping is fun as hell. What a rush!

One day it rained nonstop so my friends and I decided to go grab brunch at a nearby café. Scout, Alex and myself had omelets and drank tea all morning. We ended up shopping around and exploring solo for a little while. I loved walking around the city on the limestone streets and people watching. The architecture of this city is so beautiful. Little did I know that Game of Thrones was actually filmed here! I can picture every second of it, I was such a surreal feeling walking around this historic city.

I discovered a little gem where I could grab a pot of tea, sit down and journal for a bit. It was called Uje Oil Bar and it was so adorable. I ordered lunch and the wildest thing, olive oil ice-cream, it was insanely weird and ridiculously good. After my pasta, I gave it a try and it was so incredibly good. I highly recommend you give it a go, it was a game changer. I loved it so much I came back later the next day to get some more! I stumbled upon a fresh flower market that afternoon and chatted up some of sweet old men and woman shopping. I can’t help but talk to strangers when I travel. You never know who you are going to bump into or meet one day; treat people with kindness.

I swear I gained a few pounds when I was in Croatia. I ate at some of the best restaurants. One of the most delicious was called Zinfandel. We drank wine all night long, ate steak and enjoyed some cool dishes. We had a deconstructed apple pie and it was so damn good. Bokeria was also a treat. The asparagus risotto and sage gnocchi were spectacular. Of all of the places that I’ve traveled, I couldn’t believe how killer the food was. Croatia was one for the books.

I ended my adventure with a hike through Krka National Park on my last day, which is tucked down in southern Croatia. My friends and I hiked all day and loved disappearing into the trees to find hidden pathways and a secret oasis or two. We couldn’t help but fall in love with the stunning valleys, gorges and waterfalls. I swear I have never smelled such clean air in my entire life. What a sight to see. 100/10 would recommend taking a hike and getting lost in the park. Or, maybe find a mini ice-cream cone vendor and just kick back and relax because the views are insane.