Venice Itinerary help

You have obviously done significant research and planning. Did you mention when this is?
I'd suggest Row Venice for the sunset, as I think they meet in the Cannegio area , and the golden hour and sunset on those back canals is incredible . We always stay in that neighborhood, as it has a great vibe, but no crowds. I have some incredible photos from sunsets there.
Then walk 5-10 minutes to the San Marcuola vaporetto stop on the Grand Canal, and ride the vaporetto after dark, towards St Marks Square, when many of the palaces' interior lights are on, and you can glimpse inside. Also, the restaurants lights reflecting on the Grand Canal set the mood.
Have a great time. We really enjoyed Row Venice. It's harder than it looks, and it will be interesting which family member gets the hang of it first.
Safe travels!

I would not do Row Venice on the Grand Canal. It’s good enough tondonit at their usual location. Lots of fun and a unique experience. My son and I had a great time.

You don't mention the ages of your kids. When my kids were 6 and 8, we went to Murano but they weren't overly interested. Their favourite Venice activity was a Venetian mask making workshop. I would recommend that if your kids are into arts and crafts

Thanks for the replies - to answer some of the questions: traveling end of May. Kids are adult children- 18-22.
I appreciate the input so far.

1 + 5). Given the location of your hotel, you could have dinner at the highly popular Osteria La Zucca (book in advance) and take a walk before or after in the nearby area, perhaps passing by the large Frari (although some might argue that the interior is its stronger point) or head to a local campo to sample local life (San Polo or San Giacomo) and peek at Rialto Bridge after dark. The area to explore also depends on which Vivaldi concert you opted for. By the way, the Music Museum is free to visit and makes for a good introduction to the concert.

2). I'm also in favor of doing the rowing lessons at their original location in Cannaregio. For sunset, some of the best spots are the south-facing waterfronts (like Riva degli Schiavoni or Zattere). Sunset is also spectacular from one of the city's rooftop panoramic viewpoints.

3+4). The northern lagoon islands (especially Burano and Torcello) can be worth the trip if you have vaporetto day passes and enjoy traveling on the water (technically inside the lagoon). Torcello is considered the origin of Venice and is now more greenery than former palazzos, while Burano is famous for its vibrant, polychromatic houses. You could visit both by noon if you start early, leaving half a day to use the waterbus passes to 'teleport' yourself around the perimeter of Venice proper, perhaps seeing the Venetian Arsenal or San Giorgio Maggiore - and doing the Grand Canal cruise, ideally also after dark.

Hope this helps :)

For your Monday-
Many of the hotels have an offer of a free motorboat ride to the main Murano glass production shop. Being on the lagoon in a motorboat is a cool experience. The tour is short, and there's no pressure to buy. Then have lunch/drink on Murano, and head on back with the vaporetto. I find all vaporetto rides to be part of the Venice experience. I have always wanted to visit Cemetary Island on the way back, it's on my list.
Or- pick a smaller museum, maybe an hour experience, and then just wander back. Maybe the Guggenheim, Ca Rezzonica (Mercants' Villa), etc.
Have a great trip!

I like the Guggenheim very much, but on my two recent visits (September 2022 and 2024) it was very crowded. Pre-book to avoid a (not terribly long, probably) ticket-purchase line. But it will be very busy.

San Marco is magnificent, but it not only has crowds, it has a scary-long ticket line. The line moves pretty fast, but it's much smarter to buy a time-specific entry online. Those sell out early. If you go to San Marco, I highly recommend the upstairs museum, which includes access to the veranda with a great view.

I can't address conditions at the Doge's Palace, because I've never been there. It is very popular.

Aside from San Marco, you'll rarely have much company in a Venetian church, so you can pop in pretty much at will during opening hours. There's likely to be an entry fee, and many of the churches take an afternoon break, so I'd be inclined just to check out a few places as I was walking by.

Most of the museums are similarly untrafficked, so in most cases you needn't hesitate it there's a museum covering a topic of interest. Your guide should be willing to make suggestions.

Individual vaporetto tickets are painfully expensive at 9.50 euros each. Your kids I think may qualify for some sort of discount arrangement, so check that before heading out. (They'll need either student IDs or proof of age, I assume.) Otherwise, one of the multi-day passes may save you money--or not, depending on how widely you range around Venice. It is a great place for walking, but then the trip along the Grand Canal is fabulous, and it's reasonable to suggest doing it once in the daytime and once in the evening.

24-hour vaporetto pass: 25 euros
48-hour vaporetto pass: 35 euros
72-hour vaporetto pass: 45 euros
168-hour (7-day) vaporetto pass: 65 euros

I am a huge glass fan and go out to Murano on every trip to Venice. I've seen plenty of glass-blowing (and in any case am more interested in the final product than in the process of producing it), so Murano to me is for looking at glass in the shops or in the glass museum. The island is not terribly attractive, architecturally (unlike Burano). So, though you can get to Murano fairly quickly, I don't necessarily recommend it to folks with so little time in Venice. Burano is much prettier, but it takes much longer to get to. If some of you are really interested in seeing glass-blowing, that would make a difference, but do your research; it's a very hot activity that may not be going on during the hottest part of the day.

...3 nights and 2 full days in Venice...

With your limited amount of town, consider saving Murano and Burano for another trip. Even with an early a.m. start, it will consume the better part of a day. It hasn't been mentioned, but the Jewish Ghetto is an uncrowded place of significance. The museum may still be closed for renovations, but even so, it would not be a wasted visit.

We did Row Venice last summer with 2 teenagers and we all had a great time. Highly recommend

Forgot to mention a restaurant. Why & Not is a great restaurant with great service. Friendly staff with Marco leading the team. Again, we had fussy teens and our waiter accommodated all of their requests.