Vienna to Salzburg Recommendations Needed

I am trying to decide between St. Wolfgang, St. Gilgen , Gosau or Werfen. Also, is it realistic to drive the Glossglockner Highway from one of these towns during the 4 days or is does this involve too much time in the car?

Just to give you an idea on driving times, I once drove from Graz, by Klagenfurt and Villach, over the Grossglockner and back to Vienna in one day. It was a long drive and I had to cut the stop I wanted to make at Melk, but feasible. I think you could easily drive the Grossglockner from any of those locations in the time you have allotted. Plus, the scenery in most of Austria is so stunning that time in your car is far from wasted.

Thx for that Tom.
Any recommendations about towns? I see a lot written about St. Wolf., St. Gilgen. How do Werfen and Gosau stack up against them?

Sorry, I've never been to any of those towns, so I'm afraid I can't give much of an opinion on one versus another.

Vienna to Linz (Danube Valley): Krems, Maria Taferl, Melk, St Florian, Mauthausen, Wilhering Abbey. Skip Linz.

Then to the Salzkammergut. Having stayed in most of the places you mention, you can't go wrong. The towns in the Lake District are long established pleasantly historic. Gosau is a cross roads that has grown into a sprawling vacation area. I would never stay there because the place to stay is on the Gosausee, the most spectacular lake in the Alps. One hotel-- get a lake facing room.

We have driven by Werfen several times, never felt like stopping. For something a little more native, take a look at Bad Ishl

A shorter drive thru great mountain scenery would be to circle the Dachstein, taking some of the lift rides to the top.

Worth considering: What are you going to in bad weather? Stay close to Salzburg & drive into Salzburg if dab weather. Then drive out of Salzburg on a good weather day to see what you missed.

If Gosau is a sprawling vacation centre it sounds less appealing.
Any hotel suggestions on the lake away from the crowds?

Compared to Hallstatt Gosau is a ghost town. :-)

Thank you all!
I think St. Wolfgang will be where we stay. I appreciate the suggestion of touring and hiking in the Dachstein. Grossglockner will be for another trip!

I know this area well and all the towns you mention. I’d stay in St. Gilgen. It is not overrun with tourists like St. Wolfgang. Great restaurants in St. Gilgen, good access to sites. Overall just a lot better than St. Wolfgang.

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There is only one hotel at the Gosausee (the lake). It is deathly quiet at night. Get a lake view room. Decent restaurant as well.

We have spent more than 600 days traveling in the EU and this hotel is one of the only two hotels in the EU we have stayed at more than once.

Is the hotel you mention on Gosausee Landhaus Koller?