Seeking feedback on an itinerary for a trip to Garda and the Dolomites

hey hey pdbuc98
welcome to the forum. are you flying in from USA?
couple important things about car rentals:
obtain an IDP (aaa.com/IDP) before leaving, it is mandatory in italy for all drivers to use with your drivers license. read up about rules, laws, ZTL zones, parking costs, speed limits, gas/fuel costs cost/fee for picking up car in one city town and dropping off in another, times & days rental places are open (some closed sundays, closed couple hours afternoons, or open half days)
make sure you have the right coverage for car insurance (what it does and does not cover). fines can be very expensive. it's your decision with renting a car and many do, just do your research.
make sure the places you are staying has parking (free or fee), can be a PITA to find parking on the street or a garage can be further away from hotel/apt. you're still in high season, some places will be crowded, it's harvest season september.
we stayed in bardolino on the lake and loved it. enjoy & have a great time
aloha

Having holidayed numerous times on Lake Garda, I wouldn't want to be without a car.
However, as PP says, make aure you book accommodation with parking, as it can be a nightmare.
Unless you've been to Venice before, I'd stay more than one night.

You can do lake Garda and Ortesei area without a car. We did last summer. It is much harder to go from Ortesei to Cortina without a car. I looked into it and decided not to try.

We weren’t looking for difficult hikes so I don’t know the answer to your question. But I was thinking you might consider dividing your time between Ortisei area and Cortina area.

As a frequent car-free visitor to Ortisei and environs, I can assure you a car is not necessary. Buses, for which you get a free pass for the duration of your stay, will take you to lifts that take you to trailheads. If you get a car, parking is a nightmare at some popular locations and the roads are chock full of the aforementioned buses as well as motorcyclists that have no fear. You car would — and should — remain parked at your lodging most of the time.

We found the opposite at Lago di Garda: a car is almost a necessity,

You may find losing difficult to find so get on that ASAP. August is high season for Italians and many -laces are fully booked. In Sept the rest of us show up. ;-)

In Malcesine, we loved Hotel Ericka. Fabulous hostess and property.

Thank you everyone for your feedback! I think we'll split our time between the two cities and bring a car, knowing it'll be pretty useless in Ortisei.

Ortisei is really not for hiking enthusiasts. It’s more for mass tourism, families, and old people who meander around Alpe di Snoozy.

If you are looking for more challenging hikes you can find them elsewhere with a car. This includes better vistas IMO and far less crowds.

I visited last year and am going again in a couple weeks staying near Bruneck. From there it is no more than an hour to a wide variety of mountain groups including Val Gardena.

Moon and Honey travel page has details on these hikes and is my inspiration for the hikes I am doing and have done.

Limiting yourself to Ortisei robs you of some great opportunities that most people totally miss.

Ortisei is really not for hiking enthusiasts. It’s more for mass tourism, families, and old people who meander around Alpe di Snoozy.

We have seen people of all ages and abilities enjoying Ortisei for the 14 years we’ve been going there. Many Germans come annually in the fall, in my experience, and do hikes like the Sellaronda https://www.valgardena.it/en/outdoor/base/outdoor/sellaronda-hike-tour/66453254/.

We are among the “old people” at this point and knees and hips require more “easy-hiking” but you may find great inspiration here https://www.valgardena.it/en/summer-holidays-dolomites/trekking/ and check out the Catores guides for outings as well https://www.catores.com/en/hiking-active.php.

And the Alpe di Siusi is a magnificent ecosystem offering something for everyone. Not to be overlooked just because other people go there. We often stay a few nights up there so we can head out early and trek without having to take transportation to get there. Such a peaceful place to stay. Several great half-pension hotels that are a treat.