Please could anyone advise the best driving route from Zadar to Plitvice this September? Is it best to come off the motorway shorty after the Maslenica bridge and go cross country or go further north towards Licki Osik?

Thank you!!
Luluna

Take the Motorway and drive via "Licki Osik" ...

I am sure about "Gospic motorway entrance", but not so sure about "Licki Osik", so please check this twice (anyway "Gospic - Licki Osik" is only 15 minutes ... Little advice, on your way from Gospic to Licki Osik - don't get confused when you see sign "Stari Licki Osik", because "Licki Osik" is just kilometer after it. You will see crossroad in front of you, with signs "Zagreb, Otocac, Licki Osik", - you should make right turn, and after you pass over railway - you are in Licki Osik ... just keep straight and you will leave Licki Osik on your right without entering it) - then over "Ljubovo" (saddle) - to "Korenica" (this is only main road after Licki Osik, so you can't miss it anyway) ...

It is around hour and half of "easy driving" inside very nice landscape. Road is okay, not extremely difficult, but don't drive too fast, especially if you plan to drive after sunset, and after you start to "climb down" in front of Korenica (where you will connect on old north-south "magistral road", and technicaly enter "Plitvice National Park") ...

If you are not so sure about everything, and you don't have detailed map, just stop in Gospic and ask any cop or anyone. Magic words are - "Ljubovo" and "Plitvice" ...

Good journey! :wink:

Just some completion:

You get down on "Gospic entrance", and you are supposed to drive for next few kilometers. After you pass over one new bridge "Budacki most" - you will see wide crossroad (road is "motorway style" up to this point). Here, you are supposed to turn right for Licki Osik (I believe this is very clearly marked anyway) and completely avoid Gospic, saving at least 20 minutes of driving and stoping (no need to enter Gospic and then turn back, as it was before...) ... Rest is the same ... Stari Licki Osik (Old Licki Osik), crossroad ... right turn, railway pass ... Licki Osik stays after you on your right ... Ljubovo ... Korenica (left turn on "old magistral") ... Plitvice.