Austria off the beaten track

There are a lot of places in Austria that don't see a large American tourist crowd. Go drive the Otztal, from Oetz to Hochgurgl and you're likely the only folks from USA in the valley before ski season.

What is important to you? Should it be in mountainous, alpine Austria?

Defereggental in East Tyrol or perhaps even more the Lesachtal (between Kötschach-Mautern and Sillian) are beautiful areas that are not overcrowded, but about a 6-hour drive from Vienna.
https://www.osttirol.com/en/places-and-valleys/valleys-and-regions/defereggental/
https://www.visitcarinthia.at/destinations/places/lesachtal/

Closer to Vienna (and Salzburg) would be the Steyertal and Ennstal valleys with the Kalkalpen National Park, for example.
https://en.kalkalpen.at/besucherzentren

In non-alpine Austria, there is the Mühlviertel (in Upper Austria), a remote landscape with very few tourists, for example in the Bohemian Forest on the border with the Czech Republic.
https://www.upperaustria.com/en/regions-/-towns/regions/oesterreich-destination/detail/3/bohemian-forest.html

Or the wine regions and spa resorts in southern Burgenland
https://www.burgenland.info/en/planning/regions/southern-burgenland
and southern Styria.
https://www.graztourismus.at/en/sightseeing-culture/sights/the-south-styrian-wine-road_shg_6035

Thank you both for the replies. We have been to Germany and to Austria before but always for professional meetings or other organized groups like that, so I am clueless about anything but the cities and only some of them. I really appreciate the time you took to answer my question. We will enjoy following up on your suggestions.

Some attractions not covered in Rick's books (from west to east):

• Bodensee (Lake Constance): Bregenz, with neighboring Germany (Mainau flower island, Affenberg monkey forest, Friedrichshafen Zeppelin rides, Lindau island), Switzerland (St Gallen), and Liechtenstein
• Innsbruck: Zugspitze summit from the Austrian cable car, Swarovski Crystal Worlds, Krimml waterfall, Matrei, Kals am Grossglockner
• Salzburg: Kaprun, Zell am See, Eisriesenwelt ice cave
• Graz: Arnold Schwarzenegger Museum, Erzberg iron ore mine Hauly ride

Thank you Robert. Your suggestions will be very helpful, especially since we depend on Rick's books as our travel bibles.

I spend 4-6 weeks in Austria each year all seasons. Lienz, Defereggental, Virgental, Schoppernau, Lechtal, Silbertal, Gschnitztal, Piztal, Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, Zugspitz Arena/Ehrwald, Krimml (Falls), Hornbachtal, Grossarltal, Kärnten Lakes Region. etc. You really need a car as many of these places have no train access and by bus would take a long time with multiple transfers. I drive the secondary roads taking my time (no Vignette required). I usually travel 3-4 hours between 3-4 overnights. So many quiet and rural places in the Alps. I like North and South Tyrol and Vorarlberg. I'm a 4 hours drive from Innsbruck and have my own cars. I do my best to avoid most very touristy places. You can still get to some nice Hotels/Pensions with wellness and half board at reasonable prices.

Thanks for you reply. Your description sounds just like the sort of trip we want.

The state of Carinthia (Kaernten) is beautiful, much of it is alpine, and it tends to be less heavily trafficked than Tyrol.

Thank you Salty Bay. Your suggestion sounds just right.