We weren’t sure how this trip was going to go: Dubrovnik in July, the highest of high seasons, with a toddler? Sounds like we’d be battling a crowd of Game of Thrones tourists in Old Town, using a stroller as our shield.

Thanks to some fantastic hotels, the patience of Croatians (who, to a person, were so good with kids), and a detour to the place where locals go to escape the crowds, we had a trip to Croatia’s coast that I can’t stop talking about. Here are four ways to make the most of a visit to Dubrovnik, high to low season.

1. Don’t be afraid to splurge on a hotel near Old Town.

There isn’t a better hotel to make your home base than the Hotel Excelsior Dubrovnik—an iconic landmark hotel (c. 1913) that’s just a five-minute walk from Old Town. You can take advantage of its location—and peacefulness, and incredible service—for rates that are relatively affordable. (Think $300-$400 a night compared to $1,000 for comparable European stays.)

There are floor-to-ceiling windows when you walk in, overlooking the Adriatic. The hotel has two parts—one is more modern, the other a more classic, traditional wing—and sea-view rooms come with beautiful decks where you can sit and watch the day go by (perhaps with a bottle of Croatian wine).

It’s kid-friendly, which was cool to see. Kids can run around; Croatians are just like, this is the way it is.

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