We’ll be driving from Venice to Munich with our son who hates long drives - he gets nauseous. It’s about a 6 hour drive through the mountains, so I’m looking for spots we can stop along the way to break it up. We have all day to make the trip, but we need to make it in one day. Any suggestions on the best route and places to stop along the way?
If your son gets nauseous you probably will want to avoid the scenic but winding routes (e.g. Tolmezzo - Plöckenpass/Passo di Croce Carnico - Gailbergsattel - Kufstein, or the Großglockner pass) and to stick with the motorways. Then you have basically two routes. Along the western one attractive places include Verona, Bozen/Bolzano and Innsbruck, along the eastern one Udine, Villach, and Salzburg.
Easiest is due west out of Venice, turn right at Verona and go straight (via Brenner and Innsbruck) to Munich.
If the drive is daunting for him why not take the train?
We lived in Augsburg, Germany for four years and loved driving to Italy in the Spring, when it was warm and Germany was still chilly. Unfortunately, many others did the same. Traffic was always terrible. We came down the Brenner Pass through Innsbruck. Unless a new tunnel has been opened, You are going in the opposite direction, so perhaps traffic won't be as bad.
Bolzano/Bozen has a very beautiful historic district, plus the museum housing the Iceman, which I think your son would really enjoy. Bolzano is not a small town, so finding a place to park the car near the hotel may not be a trivial task.
Bressanone/Brixen is smaller and also has a lovely historic district, but no Iceman.
Chiusa/Klausen is even smaller and is a picturesque town that's great for a short wander and perhaps a meal. It's between Bolzano and Bressanone.