Innsbruck/Salzburg/Hallstatt traveling by car with luggage?

oops, that should be 'vienna' not '[venice'

The car is not the main problem. You must just hire a car which is big enough for all of you and your luggage.

You should consider carefully which part of your journey you want to go by car, and which you want to go by train.
A car gives you more flexibility, but (at least in Austria) it cannot compete with the speed of the express trains.

In Italy I would refrain of parking a car with all my luggage in a public place.

We were in Innsbruck for 2 nights last September and loved it. A short walk from our hotel took us to the funicular where we stopped part way up the mountain for a wonderful hike to a "hut" for lunch. The huts are full-on restaurants with great beer and atmosphere. The view over Innsbruck was beautiful and it was a fabulous day. Also had wonderful dinners in Innsbruck and enjoyed strolling the streets and browsing. Salzburg and Hallstatt are beautiful and charming as well, but we did not hike there.

Austria is a low crime country so if necessary you can leave luggage in a car and it is unlikely it will be stolen. However, Innsbruck is a nice place in itself - it is where I will spend all my next holidays and where I have already been about 30 times - Garmisch is within an hour by car, Salzburg is 120-140 minutes by car - both trips are feasible also by train. Hallstatt is too distant for a day trip from Innsbruck - it would be 3 hours and half driving, more by train. But there would not be a shortage of things to do and places to visit from Innsbruck without going all they way to Hallstatt.

Thank you, I am familiar with issues in Italy and now feel much better about the car in Austria, tho of course will be careful. It looks like Hallstatt will have to wait another day. So my daughter is researching Wolfgangsee Lake? It appears lovely, close enough to Salzburg and makes for an easier drive to Vienna, and we are even thinking of staying two nights in Innsbruck and two nights in that lake area, as I do really want to see the gorge. IF you have any suggestions for Innsbruck lodging, thank you in advance.

Well if you are looking at Wolfgangsee, then Hallstatt is a very short ride from there.

If it were me, I'd go for the best of what Austria has to offer - Salzburg and Wolfgangsee (including Hallstatt). This gets you the Austria that you have in your mind. Lots of family friendly activities, beautiful scenery and history. Innsbruck is nice, but why not just go for what you want? I also don't know what gorge you are talking about?

My husband and I were in Austria in July of 2016. We stopped in Innsbruck but stayed in a village called Soll which was on our way to Salzburg. Our hotel gave free passes to the gondola which takes you up the mountain where we had lunch and did some hiking. The views were magnificent and the village was delightful. We then drove to Salzburg for a day before heading to the Salzkammergut region, stopping at St. Gilgen for lunch and staying in Gosau which is near Hallstatt. Keep in mind that it costs less for car rental when you return the car to the same location where you initially rent it.

Hotel Goldener Adler in Innsbruck. Right in the center of town about 50 yards from the Golden Roof.

If you have any questions about the place, ask quick, I check out on Tuesday.

Thanks to all! I started out very unsure of our Austrian itinerary, but no more, the input from this group has been so helpful. My only wish is that we had two weeks and not 6 nights! Frank, thanks for the hotel suggestion. Any suggestions for dinner in Innsbruck much appreciated!