Venice in October

Dorsoduro - the university quarter for quieter canals, hotels and restaurants.
Also handy for vaporetto stops.
Peggy Guggenheim museum for modern art, Accademia for classical art. Only working gondola yard.
Elsewhere -
Opera at La Fenice. Concert in Vivaldi's church, Gesuati..
San Michele, the cemetery island.
Plus just riding the vaporetti and wandering at will, getting lost, drinking wine and eating cicchetti.

a gondola lesson with Row Venice! :)

Cannaregio, where we stayed on our latest trip was ideal and quiet and near the train station, but our favorite neighborhood is still Castello off the via Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Here's my own actual top favorite things to do, although there are dozens more of mine in Venice.

Early morning visit to Torcello (45 minutes ride on a vaporetto), strolling along the canal and walking over one of the two bridges without railings still left in Venice, climbing the belltower, seeing the mosaics in the church (no photos allowed).

Tour of the Arzana squero museum in Cannaregio. Contact the Arzana people through Row Venice.

Row Venice (we've done this three times, but my husband rows, not me).

The Accademia, especially the big Bellini and Carpaccio paintings of Venetian street scenes.

Correr Museum to see the wood blocks for the old Barbari map of Venice at the very, very end of all the rooms. Lots of other interesting things to see.

Scuola degli Schiavoni in Castello: https://imagesofvenice.com/the-scuola-degli-schiavoni/ Some of my favorite Carpaccio paintings are there — you need to make a reservation these days, which is kind of a pain.

The column capitals on the Doge's palace — each capital is different with carved animals, fruits, people, planets, signs of the zodiac, etc on them. Here’s one: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Venice_-_Doge%27s_Palace_%E2%80%93_Gothic_capital_08.jpg

Views from the San Giorgio Maggiore bell tower.

San Marco basilica, of course. But the Rialto bridge, the Doge's palace, and the Bridge of Sighs all seem like weirdly popular yet boring things to us. And a quick expensive ride in a gondola seems like less fun than watching other people being rowed around.

Restaurants that we like: La Rampa, Osteria La Zucca, Osteria da Pampo in Castello, La Palanca in Giudecca

Get the vaporetto app Che Bateo, and the interactive vaporetto map (https://actv.avmspa.it/sites/default/files/avm/navigazione/MAP/interattiva.html). Google Maps was also useful. Get a pass so you can take a vaporetto whenever you want to, including riding around just for fun and to cross the Grand Canal between bridges — sit in the outdoor front or back parts of the boat.

Great recommendations, thank you all very much.
GB

Getting out to Burano before the crowds arrive and wandering the empty, colourful streets by myself and taking photos. Torcello is only one stop away, and it is so peaceful compared to Venice. I also love browsing the glass shops on Murano, and it is only two vaporetto stops from Venice. Take a long stroll along the water from St. Mark’s out to the Arsenale area where few tourists go, and there is a nice green park. Just riding the vaporetto down the grand canal and enjoying the view. Do get a vaporetto pass for your stay.

Our favorite thing was riding the vaparetto, try to get the seats up front, and listening to the Rick Steves audio guide of sights along the grand canal. Download his app!

Another vote for the Cannaregio neighborhood, and the Hotel Ai Mori D'Oriente. Can't wait to return. Have a great trip.

Get an early start (7:30-8:00 a.m.) and spend most of the day on Murano and Burano. Need the early start to beat the crowds. Should be able to return to the main island by 3 p.m.

Get out early before the crowds. Watch the city wake up.