Vienna: 2 night/2 day itinerary with 3 Kids (12, 10, & 8)

There is a zoo at Schönbrun in the gardens which would be perfect for the kids.

Streetcar around the Ring.
Opera House tour.

Split two orders of schnitzel at Schnitzelwirt.

Sacher torte at one of many coffee shops.
Little sandwiches at Tzrenewski (sorry about the spelling) near Stevensplatz.

Local mom here with similarly aged kids. Where are you staying and what are your exact dates?

We're staying on Favoritenstrabe. June 9 - 11.

It’s Favoritenstrasse, as the letter that looks like a large B is not a B at all, but a double S.

Favoritenstrasse is a very, very long street that crosses a few districts. Can you give me a bit more? My recommendations will vary depending on where on Favoritenstrasse you’ll be.

Thanks everyone and Emily! I appreciate the clarification re: Favoritenstraße/Favoritenstrasse. Looks like we're near the intersection of Favoritenstraße & Davidgasse. Approximately a block from Antonspark? Also, any tips on dressing? I'm trying to pack light (an extremely difficult feat for me). And we'll be hitting three countries during this trip...Austria, Hungary, and Romania. :-)

Thanks for the added detail.

A few general comments that I think are important. 1) The area where you are staying is not great. Not where I'd stay at all. Nothing around at all, except the iconic Tichy ice cream parlour. The area is heavily Turkish/Bosnian and restaurant selections are limited. I'd be careful in that park, if I were you. Vienna is overall very safe, but this is an area that I would avoid. 2) You will be in Vienna over a major holiday, Whit Monday, on June 10. Shops are always closed on Sundays, which is the day you arrive, but shops will also be closed on Monday. Grocery stores too. If you are staying in an apartment, you'll have to get creative. Kids are also out of school on Tuesday, June 11, so you'll notice lots more people than usual at local attractions.

Now, for your schedule. Personally, I think Prater is very tacky and not worth the time or effort. Think bad State Fair type of attractions. Meh. My kids don't really like it. On Sunday afternoon, I'd suggest heading to the center of town and do one of Frommer's self-guided walking tours. Go up the towers of the cathedral and have cake at a cafe (I've posted previously with my recommendations). Go to the Haus of Musik on this day or the Natural History Museum or the Treasury. Have dinner downtown - I'd suggest Figlmueller's or Puerstner's but make a reservation.

On your full day, plan to spend most of your day at Schonbrunn. There is the palace itself, the gardens, carriage museum, maze, labyrinth and the zoo. You can find several places to eat at Schonbrunn, but the best choice is Landtmann's Park Cafe near the rear zoo entrance. After finished at Schonbrunn, you'll probably be beat. Maybe go for some pizza for dinner or something not Austrian? For pizza, Il Sestante is really great and in a peaceful square. Riva is also good for pizza and convenient to the U1 subway line which gets you home.

For the Tuesday morning, I suggest a visit to the Naschmarkt for breakfast and browsing. I love the breakfast at Neni. The kids will enjoy it and you can marvel at the lovely buildings which surround the market. Then head over to the Belvedere to see the Kiss.
Beautiful building, beautiful gardens and a manageable museum. Alternatively, take a walk around the Ring (no need for a HOHO bus!) and stop at a cafe before you head out (maybe Prueckel or Schwarzenberg.

Wow! Thanks so much, Emily. Very insightful and helpful information. We may see if we can find another apartment if its a shady area. If you have any ideas, we're a family of five and are on a budget. Although I'd love to stay at a better accommodation, I'm not sure if we'll be able to find something (i.e. an apartment big enough for 5) at this point.

The Museum of Technology (Technisches Museum) may be of greater interest for your kids than the garden of Schönbrunn palace. It is located just 5 minutes away from the Schönbrunn main building, on the opposite side of the Vienna river across the bridge.
https://www.technischesmuseum.at/activities-and-programs/kids-and-families

What's your budget per night? I'm happy to help.

I just found this apartment in 2 minutes. It is lovely and right around the corner from me in a great area for families.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/21442082?location=Vienna%2C%20Austria&adults=2&children=3&guests=1&toddlers=0&check_in=2019-06-09&check_out=2019-06-11&home_collection=1&s=6aWcnCR7

Also realized that I didn't answer your question about clothing. It will likely be warm and summerlike. I'll be wearing shorts, capris or jeans and short sleeves. I'd carry a scarf to dinner in case it was a bit cool.

We may see if we can find another apartment if its a shady area.

Don't worry. Vienna is one of the safest cities in the world, e.g. where are no school buses, hence primary school kids go alone to school using public transport. It is a sociological phenomenon that the individual perception of safety is way lower than actually based on facts by the statistical data reported by law enforcement.

You are close to Reumannplatz, the center of the 10th city borough. It is not only a major public transport interchange, but also the south end of the Favoritenstraße pedestrian zone. At Reumannplatz there is not only the notorious Tichy icecream parlor - try Eismarillenknödel - but also Meixner's, a renowned traditional Viennese restaurant which I can highly recommend.
http://www.meixners-gastwirtschaft.at/

Good choice at Schönbrun; my wife and I were a bit embarrassed by how much we enjoyed the maze area (unaccompanied by any of our grandchildren). We hit Schönbrunn first thing in the morning, then found our way back into town for a nice lunch at the Naschmarkt. We would agree with the comment above about the Prater; we stayed at a nearby Marriott hotel and had an OK dinner at the bier garden one night, but otherwise I don't know if it's a worthwhile investment of your time.

Bon Voyage.

Oh my gosh, thank you Emily and everyone else! This is so helpful and we are getting even more excited to visit this wonderful city! Wish we had more time to stay. :-)