A Croatian Coastal Adventure!
July 14, 2026
The adventures just keep getting better!
Over the last few days we’ve paddled through waterfalls, hiked through Croatia’s oldest national park, celebrated a sweet 16th birthday, explored hidden sea caves, played volleyball and soccer with locals, and soaked up plenty of sunshine on beautiful Rab Island. More importantly, we’ve watched this group become incredibly close. Whether they’re cheering one another on during activities, laughing during long bus rides, helping each other clean the apartments, or staying up late talking together, they continue to make the most of every moment. Here’s what we’ve been up to!
Our first adventure took us to the beautiful Mrežnica River for a day of kayaking! Brendan and Marlin started the morning with one of our favorite traditions by blasting the JBL speaker and running through the huts to wake everyone up. Reed and Henry nearly jumped out of bed while others managed to sleep right through the excitement! After breakfast we loaded the bus and headed to the river. Our kayaking pairs were Heyward & Quinn, Henry & Rosie, Reed & Gracie, Corbin & Martha, Clare & Madeline, and Sam & Genie. We kicked things off by paddling straight through a waterfall, instantly soaking everyone sitting in the front of the kayaks. Before long, a splash war had broken out and nobody stayed dry. We all jumped from the highest cliff jump, and it was so fun watching everyone encourage one another. Clare and Madeline gave us all a laugh after accidentally paddling into the bushes a few times, while Sam looked like a professional during our stand-up kayaking challenge…until he unexpectedly fell right into the river! Later we paddled to another swimming area where the water was freezing because it came from an underground spring. Sam, Heyward, and Henry challenged themselves to swim across and back while everyone else cheered them on. After kayaking we grabbed lunch, stopped at a local market for snacks, and spent the bus ride back playing Empire. Sam won the first round, while Madeline and Martha managed to stump everyone in the second game with “Patrick Mahomes” and “Taylor Swift.” That evening, our Leaders of the Day, Sam and Rosie, led a wonderful Moonup where we reflected on difficult challenges we’ve overcome.
The next morning our Leaders of the Day were Gracie and Reed, and we headed to Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia’s oldest and largest national park. After putting on our rain jackets for a light drizzle, we hiked 7.34 miles with 1,240 feet of elevation gain through some of the most beautiful scenery. The bright blue lakes and waterfalls looked almost unreal. Along the trail we played Wavelength, sang songs, and stopped for lunch, ice cream, and a souvenir break. Heyward and Henry definitely embraced the shopping opportunity, leaving with Croatian jerseys, hats, and T-shirts. Once we returned, the competition heated up during an intense spikeball tournament. Sam and Quinn were nearly unbeatable, winning around fifteen straight games before Genie and Rosie finally knocked them off the net. During Moonup we answered the silly question, “What would your death row meal be?” Corbin confidently chose a Pizza Hut pizza and a Subway footlong. Instead of heading to bed, everyone stayed awake until midnight because it was finally Heyward’s 16th birthday! We celebrated the moment it hit midnight with singing, dancing, and plenty of excitement.
The birthday celebrations continued bright and early! Before Heyward woke up, everyone quietly gathered to surprise him. We woke him up by blasting one of his favorite artists, while armed with a unicorn bubble gun and lots of birthday energy. Our Leaders of the Day were Heyward and Genie as we packed our bags and made our way to Rab Island. The bus ride was filled with everyone’s favorite songs, followed by a ferry ride across the Adriatic before stopping at a grocery store to plan meals for the next few days. The girls found hilarious Croatian hats with bright blue hair sticking out of the top, while everyone stocked up on snacks and groceries. Once we arrived at our apartments, we unpacked and headed to lunch while Marlin secretly stayed behind to decorate Heyward’s room. When he returned, he found pink birthday decorations covering the doorway, balloons, water guns, and a giant inflatable rainbow seal that he immediately named Neil. Naturally, Neil joined us at the beach. We spent the afternoon swimming in the Adriatic, flying down the paddle boat slides, and enjoying our first afternoon on Rab Island. The boys challenged each other to mini golf and even celebrated a hole-in-one, while later everyone joined a volleyball game with local kids. Heyward dove all over the sand making incredible saves, and Reed and Corbin impressed everyone with how quickly they picked up the sport despite it being their first time playing. After dinner of burgers, hot dogs, and quesadillas, we gathered outside once again to sing Happy Birthday, light the candles, and celebrate Heyward with cake.
After an exciting birthday celebration for Heyward the day before, we woke up ready for another adventure! Our Leaders of the Day were Sam and Quinn. We started the morning by making eggs and yogurt before having a full sunscreen party to make sure everyone was protected from the Croatian sun. Then we walked down to the waterfront where we met our guide, Mateo, grabbed our paddles, and launched our sea kayaks into the Adriatic. Our kayak pairs were Heyward & Rosie, Henry & Martha, Corbin & Brendan, Madeline & Marlin, Reed & Genie, Sam & Clare, and Quinn & Gracie. Before we had even gotten very far, Corbin jumped into the water and looked just like a seal swimming around. He and Brendan quickly paddled over and playfully bumped Marlin and Madeline’s kayak, getting everyone’s morning off to a laugh. Not long after, Heyward was paddling with so much determination that he actually snapped his paddle in half!
We spent the morning paddling along the beautiful coastline before stopping at a peaceful beach to relax. The boys immediately challenged each other to a rock-skipping contest while many of the girls enjoyed floating in their kayaks and soaking up the sunshine. Before heading back, everyone dug deep for one final sprint, paddling as hard as they could for the last few minutes before jumping into the cool Adriatic one last time to celebrate another great day on the water.
After kayaking, we returned to the apartments for a quick break in the air conditioning, rehydrated, packed our beach bags, and headed right back to the beach. We quickly found ourselves in another competitive volleyball match with some local kids. Corbin continues to impress us with how quickly he has picked up the sport, while Clare showed everyone she still has some impressive volleyball skills. After everyone worked up a sweat, we all sprinted into the water together to rinse the sand off before grabbing cold drinks at a beachside café.
Back at the apartments, Sam and Quinn cooked a delicious Bolognese dinner for the group. Things got a little messy, with one broken glass and some sauce on the floor, but everyone laughed it off and pitched in to help clean. We were then given a challenge: if the apartments were spotless, we’d earn a trip into town for ice cream. Everyone jumped into action, and although Heyward accidentally made the floors a little wetter while mopping, the group worked together to make everything sparkle.
That evening we explored the town together. Henry found a laser pointer that quickly became everyone’s newest source of entertainment, and the group also discovered an inflatable water park where the girls raced down the giant slide while the boys bounced around on the trampolines. We ended the night with one more ice cream before returning to the apartments to pack our day bags for the next adventure. During Moonup, Sam and Quinn asked everyone to share something they admired about a close friend. Henry and Reed exchanged thoughtful words about one another, while Madeline and Clare did the same, making for a sweet ending to another memorable day on Rab Island.
This was the day everyone had been counting down to: BOAT DAY! Our Leaders of the Day were Henry and Madeline. We woke up to another beautiful morning on Rab Island, had croissants for breakfast with plenty of music playing, and walked down to meet our captain. Everyone rushed to claim a spot on the top deck as we pulled away from the harbor and cruised along the coastline.
Our first stop was Medova Buža. From the outside it just looked like a small opening in the rocks, but once we jumped in and swam through, it opened up into an incredible cave. The boys were the first to head in and quickly realized they weren’t alone, there were bats hanging from the ceiling and, yes, plenty of bat poop too! Once everyone made it inside, we looked up to see a natural opening in the roof where the sunlight poured through, lighting up the bright blue water below. It honestly looked unreal. Our guide, Mateo, pulled out a flashlight and showed us different sea creatures hiding in the rocks while a few local kids showed off by jumping into the cave.
After everyone had explored Medova Buža, we climbed back onto the boat, grabbed our fins and snorkels, and cruised over to Špilja. We spent time swimming through the cave, snorkeling in the crystal-clear water, and seeing just how far we could explore before climbing back aboard.
Our final stop was Njivice Plaža, a beautiful beach covered in smooth white stones. Some skipped rocks, others snorkeled, and plenty of us jumped back into the Adriatic to cool off. Before leaving, we couldn’t resist climbing onto the boat one more time and jumping into the water. Of course, we couldn’t leave without a cannonball contest to see who could make the biggest splash! After a full day on the water, we headed for ice cream and cold drinks before going back to the apartments to shower. Then it was time to explore Rab one last time. We stopped at a local shop where everyone designed custom Croatian T-shirts, played another pickup soccer game with some local kids, and wandered through the streets before heading back for dinner. Once we got back to the apartments, everyone packed their day bags for the hike the next morning since we’d only be bringing backpacks. We headed back into town one last time for ice cream before Henry and Madeline wrapped up the evening with Moonup. The serious question was to describe your best friend and share something you admire about them. It was really sweet hearing Henry and Reed talk about each other, as well as Madeline and Clare.
Alright, enough hearing from us! We figured you’d probably rather hear from your campers anyway. We had everyone write a little thank-you note home, and we absolutely loved reading them. We hope they make you smile as much as they made us smile. Tomorrow we’re trading our swimsuits for helmets as we head out for one of the most anticipated activities of the trip- caving! Your Leaders of the Day will be Clare and Henry, and we can’t wait to see what adventures the day brings. Until next time!
Madeline : Hi Mom and Dad! I love you guys and miss y’all so much. Thank you so much for sending me on this trip!!🍟🍟
Rosie: Hi Mom and Dad! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip. I am having the best time and will always remember this. Love you, Muuu ♡
Reed: Hi Mom, Dad, and Miles! Thank you so much for sending me here and it is an absolute blast! I miss you all! See u soon!
Sam : Hi Mom & Dad, thank you so much for sending me here. I’m happy! I miss you guys & love you a lot.
Heyward: Hey Hill and Josh, love y’all and miss y’all and I’m excited to see y’all soon.
Henry: Hi Mom, Hi Dad, Carter has been missing son! Thank you so much for sending me. Love you guys.
Genie : Hey Mom and Dad! I’m having a great time and we had boat day today, which was so fun! Thank you for sending me on this trip! Love, Genie. Tell Willmet + Fran I say hi!
Martha: Hi Mom and Dad! I am having so much fun and I’m so thankful I get to do this. Thank you guys so much for sending me to Moondance and giving me this opportunity. I love and miss you guys!!
Quinn: Hi Mom and Dad! I’m having so much fun and I’m so thankful that I decided to go on this trip. I miss you guys so much and I’m excited to see y’all soon!
Gracie: Hi Mom & Dad!! I am having sooo much fun! We just got to the beach and it’s gorgeous! Thank you so much for sending me on this amazing trip. I’m having a blast! Tell Williker & Annie I say hi!
Corbin: Hi Mom and Dad! I’m so thankful that you guys let me go on this trip. I miss you guys so much and I’ll see you soon.
Clare : Hey Mom, Dad, and Cate! I am having the best time and these two weeks have been so fun! Thank you guys so much for sending me on this trip and can’t wait to see y’all when I get back!!🍟🍟
The Fun has Officially Begun!
July 9, 2026
Hello CRO 3B families!
Wooohooo… the fun has officially begun! After what felt like forever traveling, everyone was more than ready to get out of the airport and officially start our Croatia adventure. We loaded onto a HUGE charter bus, so big that every person could have had their own row, but in true Moondance fashion, everyone piled into the very back of the bus by choice so they could start getting to know their new friends. It didn’t take long before conversations were flowing, games had started, and everyone was already laughing together.
About two hours later, we stopped for our first meal in Croatia: pizza! Most people kept it classic with a margherita pizza, but Corbin decided to switch things up and order a tuna pizza. After lunch, we made one more important stop at the grocery store to stock up for our stay in the North Velebit Mountains. Corbin and Clare quickly became our personal shoppers and helped us walk away with an impressive 15 bags of groceries that would feed our group for the next three days. The cashiers could not believe how much food we were buying, and honestly, neither could we! We promised them we’d do our best to eat it all. Before leaving, we carefully buckled every grocery bag into its own seat on the bus so nothing would go flying during the drive.
Eventually we arrived…or at least we thought we had. Remember that HUGE bus? Well, huge buses don’t exactly fit up winding mountain roads! So we grabbed our headlamps, pulled out the backpacks we needed, and began the short hike up to our mountain hut. Thankfully, Evan, the host of the mountain hut, came to the rescue with his car and drove all of our large duffel bags up the mountain for us. For many of the group, this was their first hike in the dark, but fortunately, it only lasted about six minutes before we arrived. We unpacked, settled into our rooms, and got ready for our very first MoonUp.
For those of you who are new to Moondance, MoonUp is one of our favorite nightly traditions. Every evening we gather together to unwind after the day, celebrate each other, reflect, laugh, and prepare for tomorrow. We begin with a quote, move into Nug Jug, answer a silly question, then a more meaningful question, announce the next day’s Leaders of the Day (LODs), and then close out the evening together. Before MoonUp, we surprised everyone with some new Moondance swag (fingers crossed we make the Instagram page 🤞). Our silly question had us acting out animals while everyone else guessed, and Heyward’s elephant impression definitely stole the show. Clare and Corbin were announced as our first Leaders of the Day, and after such a long travel day, everyone happily crawled into bed. Well…almost everyone! Brendan, Rosie, and Henry had an even longer travel day and finally arrived at the mountain hut in the middle of the night. We were so excited to finally have our entire group together.
The next morning, we “slept in,” although with the sun rising around 5:20 a.m., that mostly meant putting our sleeping bags over our faces until about 10:00. It was also Martha’s birthday! While our LODs, Corbin and Clare, cooked delicious breakfast burritos, the rest of us quietly decorated. Quinn and Marlin carefully snuck into the girls’ room and covered the walls with pink wrapping paper while everyone else blew up balloons and made birthday signs. Once everything was ready, we blasted Birthday by Katy Perry as the boys ran into the room to surprise Martha. She was completely caught off guard and loved every second of it.
After breakfast, we gathered for our morning huddle before setting off on our first hike together. We covered just over three miles through the North Velebit Mountains, steadily climbing until we reached an incredible overlook. From the top, we could spot our mountain hut tucked away in the distance while looking out across miles and miles of Croatia, and even seeing parts of Italy! Everyone spent time taking pictures, enjoying lunch together, and soaking in the views before Clare confidently led everyone back down to the mountain hut.
Back at the hut, it was time for one of our favorite traditions: Dancing with the Stars! Everyone was split into three groups and given thirty minutes to choreograph a dance to a song of their choice. The first group featured Henry, Madeline, Reed, and Genie performing to Ms. Jackson. Group two included Sam, Clare, Martha, and Corbin, while group three featured Heyward, Rosie, Gracie, and Quinn dancing to Beat It by Michael Jackson. Every group brought incredible energy, creativity, and plenty of laughter to the stage.
Just when everyone thought the competition was over, the judges announced an instant dance challenge. Each group had only five minutes to choreograph a dance to a mystery song. Group one had everyone laughing with an impressive stick sword fight featuring Henry and Reed. After all three performances, the judges made the difficult decision to eliminate group two. That left groups one and three to battle it out one final time with another five-minute choreography challenge set to Party in the U.S.A. Group one won the crowd over with their hilarious “hopped off the plane” move, while group three impressed everyone by spelling out “U.S.A.” with their arms. It was a close competition, but group one ultimately earned the victory. Their prize? They got to choose the playlist for our next two-hour bus ride and, maybe even more importantly, earned themselves a pass from the clean crew!
The fun didn’t stop there. Coco surprised everyone with temporary flash tattoos, and before long, everyone was decorating themselves. Gracie proudly wore a heart on her face, Heyward sported a lion across his chest, and everyone else joined in on the fun with tattoos of their own. Dinner that evening was taco bowls. Reed and Corbin bravely tackled chopping onions and peppers, although the onions definitely won as tears rolled down both of their faces. Henry took charge of cooking the meat while Clare managed the rice. Everyone pitched in, and before long, we were enjoying dinner outside while watching the sun begin to set over the mountains. Just when we thought the day couldn’t get any better, nearly 20 horses were herded right past our mountain hut. One horse wore bells around its neck while the entire herd wandered close to us. Everyone stopped what they were doing to watch as the horses made their way across the mountainside.
To celebrate Martha’s birthday one more time, our LODs gathered everyone outside, lit the candles on her cake, and surprised her by singing “Happy Birthday.” We wrapped up the evening with MoonUp, led by Clare and Corbin, who surprised everyone by bringing glow sticks for the group. Our silly question asked everyone to choose a superpower while the person to their right added a funny caveat, leading to some incredibly creative (and hilarious) combinations. Before heading to bed, Madeline and Henry were announced as tomorrow’s Leaders of the Day.
The next morning we rolled out of bed feeling well-rested and ready for our biggest challenge yet. Madeline and Henry did a fantastic job leading our morning huddle, sharing encouraging words before we laced up our boots and hit the trail. Today’s adventure took us 10 miles through North Velebit National Park with 1,788 feet of elevation gain. Along the way, we took a short detour to summit Zavižan, where the views somehow became even more spectacular. In the far distance, we could still spot our mountain hut, which made everyone appreciate just how far we had hiked. The group took plenty of time to stop, take pictures, catch their breath, and enjoy the incredible scenery. Many campers commented that they had never seen anything like it before.
Around lunchtime, we arrived at another mountain hut where we enjoyed sandwiches and a well-earned break. One of the fun traditions of mountain hut culture is covering the large silver entrance door with hiking stickers from all over the world. Of course, we had to point out the Moondance sticker among the hundreds of others before sitting down to eat. After refueling and relaxing for a bit, we packed up and made our way back toward our mountain hut. Although everyone was definitely tired by the end of the hike, there was such a sense of accomplishment knowing we had completed our longest hike of the trip together.
Once we got back, there wasn’t much time to relax because dinner wasn’t going to cook itself! The girls jumped right into making pasta with meat sauce while the boys enjoyed some downtime playing cards and hacky sack. Before long, everyone was gathered outside once again, enjoying another beautiful mountain sunset while sharing dinner together. We ended another incredible day with MoonUp, reflecting on everything we had accomplished before announcing our next Leaders of the Day- Gracie and Heyward.
Our final morning in the North Velebit Mountains arrived much sooner than we expected. We packed our bags, and everything seemed much bigger than when we had arrived. Rosie and Quinn could both be found sitting on top of their duffel bags just to get them zipped shut! Breakfast was simple with yogurt bowls that somehow turned into granola bowls with a side of yogurt. Before leaving, we made one final seven-minute hike straight up the mountain directly in front of our hut. It was a steep climb, but the panoramic views made every step worth it. We sat together at the top listening to music, taking pictures, enjoying one last look over the mountains, and seeing who could hit a wooden post with rocks. It was the perfect way to say goodbye to one of our favorite places on the trip.
We quickly made our way back down the mountain because our bus had arrived. Corbin found himself surrounded by bags on both sides during the ride, making for a pretty funny picture. We stopped for lunch at Bistro Ribić before continuing on to our next destination, where everyone was excited to discover that we’d each be staying in our own cozy little triangle cabins. Before settling in completely, we had to say goodbye to Coco, our HQ visitor, who had spent the past few days with us. We loved having her along and were so thankful she got to experience part of Croatia with us before heading home.
Once everyone unpacked, the afternoon quickly turned into game time. We brought out the spikeball net and volleyball before playing a game of Taps, where Martha and Reed came away with the victory. After that, everyone gathered around the tables for several rounds of Fishbowl, acting out all kinds of silly words written by the group. The laughs continued into a competitive game of Mafia, with Quinn stepping into the role of storyteller. Brendan and Reed secretly became the Mafia, but Marlin somehow managed to identify both of them on the very first detective round, ending the game much sooner than anyone expected. Needless to say, Brendan and Reed were not too thrilled that their secret identities were discovered so quickly!
Dinner that evening was delicious. We started with warm chicken noodle soup before enjoying pork kebabs with fries. After dinner, no one was quite ready for bed, so everyone continued playing games, talking, and enjoying each other’s company before squeezing into one cabin for another MoonUp. As always, it was a wonderful way to end the day together. Before closing out the evening, we announced tomorrow’s Leaders of the Day, Sam and Rosie, and looked ahead to another exciting day of adventures.
It has been amazing watching this group come together over the past few days. We cannot wait to see what the rest of Croatia has in store for this incredible group!
Before we sign off, here are a few messages from the people you love most
Heyward: Shoutout Mom, I love you!
Henry: Love y’all. Love to Mom, Dad, and Winnie.
Gracie: Hi!! I am having so much fun!! Croatia is amazing! We just finished hiking and it was so pretty. We are headed to our next location today! Love y’all so much!!
Martha: Hi guys! I miss y’all so much, but I’m having a blast! My birthday was so much fun. We just finished hiking and we’re going sea kayaking tomorrow. Croatia is beautiful and the water is so pretty. See y’all in a week!
Reed: Shoutout Mom and Dad! You guys are the ones who encouraged me to take risks and do things like this. I am loving it and wouldn’t be here without you! Shoutout to Miles—I miss you, man! No one here has humor quite like you. See y’all soon!
Rosie: Hi guys! I am having so much fun and it is so pretty here. We’ve done lots of hiking and the views have been amazing. Thank you for letting me come on this trip. Love and miss you all!
Madeline: Hey Mom and Dad! I love you guys and thank you so much for letting me come on this trip. I’m having so much fun! We just finished hiking and we’re going sea kayaking tomorrow. Love y’all!
Clare: Hey Mom, Dad, and Cate! I am having a blast in Croatia! Thank you so much for sending me on this amazing trip. We just finished about 15 miles of hiking and tomorrow we’re going sea kayaking. Love y’all so much!
Quinn: Hey Mom and Dad! I miss y’all so much! I’m having the best time. We’ve hiked about 15 miles over the past couple of days and are heading to our next place where we’ll be sea kayaking. Tell the Frazee family I said hi! Love and miss y’all!
Genie: Hi Mom and Dad! Thank y’all for sending me on this trip. I’m having so much fun! Tell Winnie and Fran I said hi. Love and miss y’all!
Sam: Hi Mom and Dad! I’m having a great time. Thank you guys so much for sending me! Love you guys and miss you a bunch!
Corbin: Hi Mom! I’m having a great time with a secure wallet. Say hi to Dad, the boys, and the dogs for me!
Safe Arrival!
July 6, 2026
Hello Croatia Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely! Marlin is with the majority of the group, and Brendan has collected our late arrivals.
The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure! Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
