Day trips from ROME

Amalfi would be too far for a daytrip from Rome. My suggestion is to split your hotel stays between Rome and Sorrento. You can visit Pompeii, Capri, and the Amalfi Coast on daytrips from Sorrento by train, boat, and bus (respectively). None of these trips are really long; 10-yr olds should love the different travel modes and sites. Check out the Blue Grotto on your Capri trip.

OK, sounds like 3 nights in Rome and 3 in Sorento.
Best way to Sorento? Should we drive (we plan to rent a car as we will end up in Paris) or Train?
Will it be good or bad to have a car in Sorento?
Can we rent a car in Sorento to drive North? Our next city is Venice.

Kent's advice makes sense to me as long as your family plans to be conservative on luggage. To train to Sorrento you need to make a transfer in Naples going there and coming back. Struggling with extra luggage makes that hard. So be realistic in your plans.

That said, I wouldn't drive in the Amalfi area - and I enjoy driving in Italy. The roads are too crowded and narrow. Also, I think it makes sense to train back to Venice and you'll have no use for a car there. Again - limit the luggage you carry because you'll have to get from the train station to your hotel on your own.

Finally - and you didn't ask - if you're going straight to Paris from Venice, the train makes more sense. You can check how much a rental car will be on Autoeurope but you'll need to call them to get the drop off charge. It could be over 200 Euros.

Thank you for all your help. I am glad we are doing this now and not in May. We have changed our plans 100x already.
I think we may do best with a day trip to Pompeii from Rome and skip Amalfi Coast. We can spent 3 days in another place as we head north.
Is Pompeii the best day trip for the kids?
They were reading about it in school and I think they will like it. Pisa is also a must for them, then Venice. the extra days can be spent between Rome and Venice, or after Venice in the Alps/Germany as we do to Paris. Black Forest was nice when my wife and I traveled 20 years ago.

David - Skip Pompeii altogether! Look into taking a day trip to Ostia Antica, located just on the outskirts of Rome and MUCH closer than a tiring train ride to Pompeii. Use the "Search" option on this web site to see what others have said about Ostia Antica. I will be in Rome for one week this April and it's definitely on my list of sites to see.

Husband and I took a train from Rome to Pompeii and back (a day trip) 2 years ago and it was fine. Comfy, huge windows to look out of, even food if you get hungry, and of course the Italian people to chat with.
If you go to Pompeii try hard to also see the museum in Naples--that's where most of the artifacts are. But walking around Pompeii was, we thought, well worth the time and energy. It's absolutely mind-boggling. (Wear comfy shoes!)
Be very careful in the Naples train station, tho...they announce, about every 5 minutes and in several languages, to beware of pickpockets. And the station is filthy.
If you decide on Pompeii, have those 10-year-olds read up on it before you get there; it will mean more to them.

I have been to Ostia Antica and Pompeii, both as day trips from Rome. Both are doable. If your children have already studied Pompeii, they may find it a little more interesting. If you go to Pompeii, hire Gaetano Manfredi as your guide. His contact information is in Rick's book. I also suggest you rent or buy, it's not expensive, the Discovery Channel DVD on Pompeii. It is fascinating. I don't know if 10 y.o.s would like Naples pizza, but da Michele in Naples is great, but only has two kinds of pizza. I think at 10 I would have loved it. I just saw a Rudy Maxa show on day trips from Rome. You might want to try to find it or the information in it. He went to some fascinating places outside of Rome, one of which I think children would love. It was a villa, I don't remember the name with tons of water attractions, fountains, grottoes, etc. I think it was the villa of some Roman emperor. Orvieto is a great day trip as well and I think they would like the funicular and the well there.

If you go to Orvieto, also visit Civita. I am positive your children will love that. It's a tiny hilltown and you have to walk across a pedestrian bridge to get to it.

David, of all the places you mention...Sorrento, Rome, Pisa, Venice, Alps, Paris - all are easily accessible by train - and cars are just a headache.

Some villages in the Swiss Alps are even car-free like Venice. You will have to park the car and leave it.

Training is much more enjoyable and relaxing...especially with kids, because on a train you actually have time to SIT and talk or play with the kids.

Tim I am starting to think that way.

I've done it both ways, and we just much prefer trains now. My wife said she would NEVER be convinced trains were better than cars...until the 1st year we went carless, and she agreed from that point on.

Now, before some car-lovers jump down my throat - I'm sure there are times when cars can be advantageous. In Normandy, for example, the beaches do not have rail access and cars are necessary. So I guess there's one good example of a car being useful.