Which of your Austria tours takes us to Lake Hallstatt? If none, then which is best suited for a side quest to see this? Thanks!
This is not an official Rick Steves forum; the staff don't monitor for questions related
to tours like this one.
Someone who has knowledge of the tours may provide information, but you can't
assume it to be accurate; it could be outdated or supplanted by new tours.
Contact the office directly if you want to be sure of the answer you get.
Since the RS staff doesn't work over the weekend, you could have a look at the itineraries that include Austria.
https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/austria
Hallstatt used to be included as an overnight on some tours, but it has gotten very overcrowded and I believe it is no longer included.
Look at the My Way Alpine tour. From the starting city of Salzburg, you could either go to Hallstatt before the RS tour starts, or go to Hallstatt on the free day in Salzburg. Salzburg has a lot to see and do, so I would add days to the front end to see more of the Salzburg area. Our My Way tour went to Hallstatt in 2016, but that's no longer a stop:(
For a starting point, look at Bob's Tours.
Thanks to all who responded. They were very helpful. Safe travels!