Trip to Austria in July

If it were me, I'd stay in Vienna for 3-4 days after arriving. Then drive to Salzburg. I recommend hiking in and around Innsbruck. Back to Vienna for at least a full day before departing for the rest of your journey. For birthday restaurant, I am suggesting purely for the view, would be atop the Steffl department store right in the center of the ring. I think it is called Skybox or something. Memory fades.

Have a great trip!

Thanks a lot Mark for your reply.
Yes, I was thinking Innsbruck, but thought to get there would need to give up some things in the Lakes area. Still deciding:-).
Thanks for the restaurant tip - looking at reviews, it's great view but underwhelming food....we'll visit maybe there for a snack/light lunch and of course, the view...

Cheers
Sorin

For your birthday dinner I recommend going to "Plachutta". When making the reservation tell them in advance that you are going to celebrate a birthday. Try the "Tafelspitz", a unique Viennese speciality, the famous boiled beef.
https://www.plachutta-wollzeile.at/en

Thanks wmt1 for the suggestion. Looks great!

Here’s what I’d suggest;

July 18 - arrive, rest, sleep Vienna
July 19 - explore Vienna, sleep Vienna
July 20 - explore Vienna (Wachau day trip if weather is nice, or do on any nice day while in Vienna), sleep Vienna
July 21 - explore Vienna, sleep Vienna
July 22 - travel to Salzburg by train, sleep Salzburg
July 23 - explore Salzburg, sleep Salzburg
July 24 - explore Salzburg, sleep Salzburg
July 25 - rent a car, travel to Wolfgangsee, explore, sleep Wolfgangsee.

July 26 - explore Wolfgangsee or Gosausee or Hallstatt by car, sleep Wolfgangsee
July 27 - return rental car in Salzburg, take train to Vienna, sleep Vienna
July 28 - Travel to Romania

Fir your birthday, I would suggest Glacis Beisl or Huth Gastwirtschaft. The Sky Bar suggested above in the Steffl Department Store is a Bar and not appropriate for a 12 year old.

Hi Emily,
Thanks so much for your time and detailed suggested itinerary.
Few questions:
1. Given we arrive quite early on 18 (~8:30 am) we could use I assume to see some of Vienna the first day;
2. Would we benefit then from renting a car from Vienna and doing Wachau by car? And maybe sleep in Melk/Krems/ or somewhere else in the Danube valley (and thus be able to visit Mauthausen as well)?
3. If Day Trip from Vienna is better - were you suggesting organized Day tour or exploring by ourselves (train, etc.)?
4. For Salzburg - can we benefit for one of those days to have the car already to go somewhere close?
5. If we have the car with us, is there an alternative for the day we return to Vienna to visit something else (instead of returning by train from Salzburg)?
6. Finally, the plane to Bucharest is around 5 PM, so theoretically, we could sleep somewhere else and drive on 28 morning into Vienna, possibly straight to the airport. If that's the case, where else could we spend the last night (instead of Vienna)? Or is it recommended to go to the airport from the hotel rather than arrive directly from outside Vienna?

Thanks a lot for the restaurant recommendations. The Huth looks really great!

Cheers
Sorin

My answers are below...

1. Given we arrive quite early on 18 (~8:30 am) we could use I assume to see some of Vienna the first day; Yes, of course, but you will be exhausted so do not make any major plans for that day.
2. Would we benefit then from renting a car from Vienna and doing Wachau by car? And maybe sleep in Melk/Krems/ or somewhere else in the Danube valley (and thus be able to visit Mauthausen as well)? I think it is your call. I usually go for the day. I think renting a car is not necessary, but again your call. If you plan to visit wineries or Burgruine Aggstein, then a car might be helpful. Otherwise, taking the train from Vienna to Melk, boat from Melk to Duernstein, bus from Duernstein to Krems and train from Krems to Vienna works very well. I do not think it is possible to visit Mauthausen as well on a day trip. Maybe think about visiting Mauthausen on your way back from Salzburg.
   
3. If Day Trip from Vienna is better - were you suggesting organized Day tour or exploring by ourselves (train, etc.)? Do it yourselves.
4. For Salzburg - can we benefit for one of those days to have the car already to go somewhere close? What places are close that wouldn't be reachable on public transport? You really need two full days in Salzburg, in my opinion.
   
5. If we have the car with us, is there an alternative for the day we return to Vienna to visit something else (instead of returning by train from Salzburg)? Mauthausen
6. Finally, the plane to Bucharest is around 5 PM, so theoretically, we could sleep somewhere else and drive on 28 morning into Vienna, possibly straight to the airport. If that's the case, where else could we spend the last night (instead of Vienna)? Or is it recommended to go to the airport from the hotel rather than arrive directly from outside Vienna? I think it is your call, but traffic can be bad between Salzburg and Vienna (thus my recommendation for taking the train). I would be nervous doing this with a family of 4. Things can happen.
   

Thanks a lot Emily.

1. We'll go indeed with the Day trip (ourselves) to Wachau. I hope we have time to see Duernstein castle between "hop-off/hop-on" the boat.
2. Ice cave and/or (preferably and) salt mine - can they be done between Salzburg and Wolfgangsee or during the 2 night sleep near Wolfgang see or after leaving on 27 morning? (by the way, pre-booked 2 nights at Aberseehof...weren't many properties left for Jul 25-27!!)
3. We decided to keep the car on the 27, and visit one of the mines above + Mauthausen on our way back to Vienna.
4. Thanks - my wife thanks you as well:-) - we'll come back to Vienna on 27 sleep one night and go from the hotel to the airport on 28.

Cheers
Sorin

Point 1 - As noted, exit the boat at Deurnstein. Climb to the ruins. Have an apricot dumpling on the terrace of the Richard Lionheart Hotel (glorious). Heck, stay and have dinner, but some good wine from the shop under the entry arch. Then take the WL1 bus to the Krems train station. Do not get back on the boat as 1) it is a very short distance and 2) the boat dock in Krems is very far from the train station and requires a lot of walking.

Oops, sorry, missed the part where you mentioned the bus in point 1 - thanks!
If you have any ideas/recommendation for my point (2) above (ice cave/salt mine) would be great - thanks in advance again!

Cheers
Sorin