Amalfi, Positano, or Praiano?

All three are nice, but Positano gets my top marks. Hands down!! When I go to the area I don't stay anywhere else. Take a look for the towns: http://www.spiaggecostieraamalfitana.it/localita.html Take a look for the beaches (click on the map sections you want to check):
http://www.spiaggecostieraamalfitana.it/spiagge.html

Is it cheaper? Or about the same?

The answer, of course, depends on what you're looking for. We prefer doing and seeing to sitting around. We stayed in Amalfi. It has a pretty cathedral with a little museum, an old paper mill, plenty of level streets (as well as inclined ones) for strolling, including the one along the waterfront. The piazza in front of the cathedral is great for having refreshments and people-watching. Amalfi also seems to be a hub for the buses that run along the coast. We went to Positano, intending to stay the day; but, after a couple of hours, we were bored with it and left. Nothing but hotels and shops aimed at tourists. We liked Ravello a lot; but, because of its cliff-top location, I wouldn't recommend it as a base, better as a day trip. BTW, here's a piece of unsolicited advice. Don't visit the Emerald Grotto. I consider it one of the worst tourist traps I've ever had the misfortune to experience. Pm me if you want to know the details.

"Nothing but hotels and shops aimed at tourists" - totally not true. We spent a week in Positano in June and LOVED it. Lots of great beaches to explore. There are 16 churches in the Positano area. We took a wonderful tour with Christine at www.discoverpositano.com. There are many hikes to take in the surrounding hills and ferries to take you to the other towns on the Amalfi Coast, such as Amalfi/Ravello and Salerno. Having visited many towns on the Amalfi Coast, my favorite is Positano which is why I will be returning there in June!

What about sorrento?

Sorrento is not technically on the Amalfi coast. From a logistical standpoint Sorrento is good because it's the end of the line for the Vesuviana train line, also it is well connected by bus. However I prefer Positano because: 1. In Sorrento there is no beach around. Only docks for boats at the marina. 2. I can reach from Positano every place that I can reach from Sorrento (like Capri, Amalfi, Pompeii, etc.) without particular difficulty. There are boats going to Capri from Positano just like there are from Sorrento. And the bus that goes back and forth from Sorrento to Salerno along the Amalfi coast has to pass necessarily from Positano. 3. Unlike Sorrento, Positano is a village designed for an era when cars were not around, therefore in my opinion it's way more quaint. It's the quintessential Italian fishing village from yesteryear. That of course is just my opinion. One more thing. If you take a boat trip to Capri, you might as well go inside the blue grotto. I like it. Many people like it and that's why it's always so full of people. If you happen not to like it, at least you can say you've gone there. If you don't go, you'll never know if you have missed something you might have liked. The blue grotto is part of any boat excursion to the island, so you might as well give it a try. I know for sure there is nothing like that in Minnesota. Prices do not differ dramatically from place to place. Capri is probably more expensive. But there is a wide variety of prices in all locations.

Beaches in and around Sorrento. http://www.sorrentodreaming.com/what-to-see/beaches-of-sorrento/

I LOVE Amalfi, it is handy being the hub of transportation on the Amalfi coast, and it seems less shopping/touristy than Positano (and I'm not a fan of the "big city" Sorrento at all)....great hiking and beaches, and a great place to relax....

Sorrento beaches are not beaches, they are docks where people park their boats. If you don't mind swimming among the boats docked at the marina, go ahead. Just keep an eye for boat fuel leaks. You would need to go at least to Massa Lubrense to find anything resembling a real beach, but not in Sorrento proper. I just think that Sorrento is overrated. Positano and the Amalfi coast towns are way better imo. But people are free to disagree.

Not sure how old you are, but I have a very bad knee and in Positano it was very difficult to get around. I loved it, much better than Sorrento though. When we left, we had so much luggage due to bringing wedding attire for the whole party, our B&B arranged for transport up hill to bus, a golf cart and I was able to hop on, it is lovely town but hard on knees and back.

Thank you everyone. I'm pretty sure positano is our choice. Next question, Any great places to stay? Thanks

We stayed at Villa La Tartania, a lovely B&B, had little balcony with tables and chair with view of water. Spotless and great breakfast room again with great view right in town near the church in Positano.

When are you planning on going and how many days will you be in Positano? Are you looking for a hotel/B&B or an apartment/villa? What is your budget?

We are in the planning stage, but either may or sept-oct time. We are planning 2-3 days to spend there. What is the average price for a B&B or Hotel there?

I love Positano, you won't regret it. That's where I stay when I go there. The cheapest I found (special offer for March) is the Pensione Maria Luisa. 75 euro for a room with a million dollar view (that's where I stayed once, because I'm cheap). Pensione Maria Luisa, Via Fornillo 42 84017 Positano, Province of Salerno Italy? +39 089 812849 www.pensionemarialuisa.com For May in Positano you should probably expect to pay at least 100 euro a night and up (depending on where you stay). You might find something under 100 euro, but probably not exactly in Positano. I'm sure if you want stay at "Le Sirenuse", or at the "San Pietro", or at the "Poseidon", which are probably the most famous top hotels in town, 500 Euro a night won't be enough. Do a search on Venere.com, Tripadvisor.com, booking.com, bedandbreakfast.com etc. If you go when schools are closed (mid June through early Sept), book early because it gets busy in summer. May is good, however you'll have better luck if you try during the week rather than the weekend, when it gets really busy with weekend travelers. The week between Apr 25 and May 1 is the busiest in Italy anywhere because of the national holidays (Apr 25=liberation day, May 1=Labor day). If you go that week book very very early anywhere, otherwise you have to sleep under bridges.