Italy

Constance: You might want to start by reading RonInRome.com for all the in's and out's of Rome. Some of his info also applies for the other Italian cities, but certainly for Rome. Ron is supposed to be moving back to Rome (from Atlanta), and he works through a terrific travel agent out of Birmingham. He may can help you with your plans.
I know you're going to have a great trip.

You don't mention how long you have, but if you are staying several days in each of your locations I'd recommend getting an apartment in each city. It will give the kids more space for playing and rest time, and you can keep snacks and breakfast stuff in the kitchen at all times. We've used vrbo.com for apartments very successfully, and other sources are often mentioned on this site. Usually an apartment is even cheaper than getting two or three hotel rooms. Trains are quite easy to manage from big city to big city; they run frequently and have central stations. Finally, get Rick's Italy book and do everything short of memorizing it. You want to be able to pick out and list everything you want to see in each place, and he's full of tips. Have a wonderful trip!

You don't mention how long you have, but if you are staying several days in each of your locations I'd recommend getting an apartment in each city. It will give the kids more space for playing and rest time, and you can keep snacks and breakfast stuff in the kitchen at all times. We've used vrbo.com for apartments very successfully, and other sources are often mentioned on this site. Usually an apartment is even cheaper than getting two or three hotel rooms. Trains are quite easy to manage from big city to big city; they run frequently and have central stations. Finally, get Rick's Italy book and do everything short of memorizing it. You want to be able to pick out and list everything you want to see in each place, and he's full of tips. Have a wonderful trip!

We have 2 weeks and wanted to stay in Venice 2, Florence 3, Rome 4 and Amalfi coast 3. So it is easy to travel by train to all of these places and get to the train easily?Our son wants to rent a car but I was told trains were easier.Is that true? Thank you!

It's certainly true that trains are easy in Italy. Since you said you're looking for a travel agent, you might consider using the travel consultant service that Rick Steves provides. More info here: http://www.ricksteves.com/about/consulting.htm

Constance, I don't recommend that you rent a car for your itinerary. First of all you'd need a minivan, which are expensive to rent, second your car would gather dust in a garage most of the time because The historical centers of Venice, Florence, Rome are closed to non resident traffic. Also consider that gasoline is $9 a gallon and freeways charge toll fees.
Rely on trains instead, which are easy to use and hassle free. If you can commit to a specific date and time of travel, you can purchase discounted tickets on line about 120 days prior. However you'll be locked in on that specific train as discounted tickets aren't changeable.

Shame on me for forgetting that Ron In Rome is now acting as a travel agent himself. You should really consider contacting him at http://ronphillipstravel.com/. One bonus - he's a really nice guy.

Thanks for all the replies,you have helped. I do have Rick Steves books on Italy,Rome and other places I have been or want to go.Thank you!

Part I: Congratulations on so many happy events! It is easy to get a bit overwhelmed when trying to plan. When are you taking the 2 week trip to Italy? That affects what I would recommend, especially regarding the Amalfi Coast (which I love!). I would definitely recommend that you look into flying "open jaws", in to Venice and then out of Rome when returning home. That will save time, money and limit back tracking. Landing in Venice and staying for a couple of days without having to immediately train somewhere else will be less tiring for everyone and you'll have a chance to overcome any jet lag before moving on to Florence. I endorse getting an apartment, and there are apartments you can get for 2 days. I am using http://www.airbnb.com/ for my upcoming trip to Italy. I like that the company is based in the US and holds your money until 24 hours after check in to try and help avoid any problems. Other posters have successfully used a variety of sites. If you search the "To The Boot" section for "apartment" you should get a lot of info and suggestions.

Part II: Except for the Amalfi Coast, the train is a great transport to your destinations. I love Positano on the Amalfi Coast but it is a bit of trek to get there (but worth it to me). (I especially found it to be a long haul to get there from Florence. Staying in Sorrento would be less of a haul but still tiring, especially for the kids.) I like to use the ferry from Salerno to and from Positano if I can; the schedule is affected by the season and the weather. That said, the cliff-to-sea views riding from Sorrento to Positano or vice versa are amazing. (From Sorrento toward Positano you want to be on the right side of the bus.) In my experience, the buses can be very crowded and stuffy. With your passenger numbers I would look into what a driver would cost from Sorrento/Salerno/Rome. I haven't used one but have had others tell me it was an excellent means to get to/from Positano, plus they got to stop along the way and the driver was very knowledgeable.

Constance, While it is possible to see the four places you mentioned in a two week time frame, that's a bit of an ambitious Itinerary. Is there any possibility you could get more time? Does your two weeks include your two flight days? You'll lose the first day in the flight over, usually arriving the day after you depart, and the last day will be spent on the flight home. You'll also be jet lagged for a few days, so not up to touring speed. Each change of location will require at least half a day, and in some cases more. Therefore you'll lose another 1.5 - 2 days in travel. Using open jaw flights would absolutely be the best idea. For the places you want to visit, a car is not necessary. There are also some potentially expensive "caveats" to be aware of when driving in Italy. For one thing, as Roberto mentioned, you'd likely need a larger vehicle which will be more expensive. There are also some "caveats" regarding train travel - if you need further information, post another note. My suggestion would be to focus on three of the places on your list. Venice, Florence and Rome are the easiest, since transportation is very fast between them. Getting to and from the Amalfi coast will take more time. You can easily plan this trip yourself, using the Guidebooks. I usually plan flights myself, but book them through a Travel Agent. I make other arrangements myself by dealing directly with the hotels. Once you've decided on definite destinations, it will be easier for the group here to provide more specific information. When is this trip taking place? Congratulations on your anniversary and husband's retirement. I'm sure he'll find that "it's the best job he never had". Good luck with your planning!