Is Verona a good base for Venice/ Dolomites?

To get up into the Dolomites from Verona you would travel along the valley to (or at least near) Bolzano, then head uphill. Here are ViaMichelin's directions to Ortisei/St. Ulrich, one of the popular targets. As you can see, it estimates a bit over 2 hours for the drive, and VM is generally considered a bit optimistic. I'm not sure you want to take on a drive of that length. Take a look at the map. See the roads marked in green? They are the ones VM considers especially scenic (not necessarily mountain-scenic, though). Perhaps someone here can suggest a closer destination that would give you a good look at the Dolomites.

One way around this problem would be to spend two or three nights in the area. You'd have to drive in, and later out, but you'd have at least one day when you'd already be there. Bolzano has a very pretty old town, and I wouldn't be surprised if there's something there that would be fun for your younger child. (He/she is a bit too young to appreciate the Iceman, I think.) But the towns down in that valley can be very hot; you don't get the benefit of cool mountain weather until you are actually up in the mountains. And a lot of the moderately priced hotels in the valley do not have air conditioning. On balance, I'd say you should bite the bullet and drive up in to the Dolomites and stay for at least two nights.

Or, if a lake would do, you have Lake Garda very near Verona.

Venice is also more than a 2-hour drive from Verona, or about 1-1/2 hours on one of the affordable regional trains. If you want to see Venice but don't want to stay there, you have two closer and attractive options: Padua (maybe 1-1/2 hours by car but as little as 30 minutes by cheap train) and the smaller, more laid-back Vicenza (closer to 2 hours by car but as little as 46 minutes by cheap train). To the driving times you would have to add time spend dealing with the big parking lot at the edge of Venice. That's a lot of hassle and really cuts into your time in Venice, so I'd take the train. Padua has more to see than Vicencza, so it's probably a better base if you plan to stay for 3 or 4 days. It's also closer to Venice, which is a plus if you should decide to make two trips into Venice.

Another possible base is Venice-Mestre. It's the modern/industrial part of the city--definitely not the part you want to see. No one has ever called it "attractive". But it's less than 15 minutes by train from Mestre to Venice proper. Hotels are cheaper in Mestre, but you'd need to investigate parking options, and you'd want to stay near the Mestre train station. I don't think there's anything of interest in Mestre.

Where is the final stop on the section of your finalized itinerary? Is it Verona or somewhere else?

And what age is your other child? Perhaps some other posters will have some child-friendly ideas. I am useless on that subject.

Hi Stephanie, for the locations you've mentioned, Verona seems the natural choice to keep within the 1-2 hour max drive times going different directions from Verona. I see you mentioned having a car; I'm wondering if you would like to take the train, anyway, to Venice. Maybe, your child would enjoy the train experience more than being stuck in the backseat of a car - could open some other possibilities for day-trips for this or future trips.

Stephanie, if you go into Venice as a day trip from Verona or any other base, you will just be in Venice when it is jam-packed with other summer day trippers, including those coming off cruise ships. Definitely not the best way to visit Venice. The most wonderful times in Venice are the early morning ps and the evenings, without the day trippers. Spending time in beautiful Venice, with no vehicles other than boats, can be very special, and unique. I would suggest you divide your time and spend at least a couple nights there. Verona is very nice too, and you can reach Lake Garda in about an hour. The kids might enjoy the castle in Sirmione, although I understand the most beautiful part of the lake is the northern end. You might even want to divide your nights between Venice and Lake Garda.

Thank you all for the great info! Our kids will be 3 and 6 when we go :) They are great travelers, minus our daughters hatred of the car! We'll be on the last week of an 8 week stay in Italy, coming from Tuscany. So we should be relaxed and ready for some faster paced travel that last week :) We'll be flying home from Milan after this.
I agree taking the train to venice sounds like our best option. And Mestre, or Padua sound perfect for that :) We've looked at splitting our time and staying on Lake Garda or in the Dolomites, but accommodations for the end of July seem nearly booked up, leaving quite expensive options for both locations :( My husband really likes Verona, but I'm hoping to try somewhere new. I'm not sure our perfect base exists, which is probably why we're having so much trouble deciding ;)

Pls note the road in the Dolomites is narrow, curvy,slow and tiring to drive.
I have driven it with my stay in Bolzano. The views and the area are beautiful, indeed. Best to stay in dolomites if u can. U need more than 2 hrs to see just a little of it.

I have also stayed in Mestre at Novotel hotel just off highway. It has a pool, great breakfast and roomsin addition to secured parking important and a shuttle to venice. There is no perfect answer but worth the planning.

I love Verona. I would stay on Piazza Erbe or Bra with your little ones. Can walk right out hotel door and be in the midst of everything. I am most fond of Hotel Aurora on Piazza Erbe. Great location. Bus stops right in front of hotel and taxi stand is there too. Easy walk to many sites and places in Verona.

I would spend a couple of nights closer to Venice. You have a car, so staying in Venice is not ideal, but maybe Mestre or Padova. From Verona to Venice it’s over one hour by high speed train, and isn’t cheap.
Then I would spend some nights either at the lake or the Dolomites. Not sure you have time for all, since you probably need to stay closer to the Milan Airport. If you depart from Malpensa there is also the alternative of staying a few nights, instead of at lake Garda, at Lake Maggiore (Stresa?) for a few nights before the flight. That way you are really close to the MXP Airport.

How does your daughter do on a train? Verona to Meran/Merano is about 2.5 hours and a lovely trip. Merano is a nice Dolomites option and no car required. Dump the car and relax on the train where the kids can move around a bit. Take a picnic.

Do spend at least 3 nights, then back to Milano (by train) for the night before your flight.

We spent a week in Verona last summer with our two kids and did something similar, including day trips to Garda and Venice. We had a great time and only took trains.

I'd additionally suggest looking into a family hotel in the mountains, such as the Falkensteiner brand. We have stayed in several of these resorts which are an Austrian chain and all-inclusive. Here is one in the Dolomite area - https://www.falkensteiner.com/en/hotel/lido

You mentioned the Alpe di Siusi . . . Getting up there is well over an hour from Bolzano when you include the extra driving time to get to and then take the local transport (bus, cable car and or ski lift) to get up to the Alpe di Siusi. It's pretty expensive to take the cable cars and/or ski lifts just to go up and not do any hiking . . . which may be too much for little kids anyway.