what to do as we drive out of Venice

Could you share your exact itinerary you have planned for now? We may be able to give you better advice. You don't seem to have a lot of time if all you can devote toRome is two days. If that is the case is a day on the beach that necessary? I don't consider the Adriatic coast south of Venice so outstanding that one coming from so far should waste precious days on. The coast between Venice all the way to Ancona is basically long beaches not too dissimilar to many places on the Atlantic side of the US.

Thanks Roberto. Our daughter is studying in Florence until June 17th. The rest of the family will arrive Florence on the 13th. We will explore Florence and area that she will have already experienced. Our itinerary is: Florence for 4 days (June 13-17). We will do all the "must sees" in Florence and the Market Tour & cooking class. We'll day trip, although not firm yet, around Tuscany, and Siena, Lucca, Pisa, or CT. Haven't worked through those details yet. We will snag our daughter on Friday, for 2 nights Venice. We're considering getting a car in Florence to drive to Venice (and maybe to explore the Tuscany area before we leave Florence area). I know we'd have to park it as soon as we get into Venice. Getting a car as we leave Venice probably makes more sense but the countryside would be neat to drive through. (We have driven in Ireland and Australia and love that experience) . when we leave Venice we will have 5 full days before flying home from Rome. We are "sea" people so we wanted to experience the Italian coast . The remainder of time was going to be 2 or 3 days coast and 2 or 3 days Rome. Would love your thoughts. thank you.

I would consider renting a car to go from Florence to Venice the biggest waste of money and time one could come up with. You should go by train: twice as fast, way cheaper once you add rental and parking charges, and infinitely more convenient. If you want to rent a car do so to visit the countryside of Tuscany. However the provincial capitals (Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Pistoia, Arezzo) and the Cinque Terre are better visited by train (or bus for Siena) due to traffic restrictions in those localities.
If you like the sea, the Cinque Terre, the rest of the Ligurian coast, the Tuscan coast, and the Tuscan Archipelago will provide the best experience near the areas you are visiting, rather than the Adriatic coast south of Venice. A car is not essential for those coastal areas either and would be definitely be a hassle at the Cinque Terre.

The car just for the drive from Florence to Venice sounds like a disaster, you would have to pay high amounts to park while you visit Venice and the scenery you want to see is south of Florence not north and east on your way to Venice.
You likely would be on a major highway the whole way not seeing much of anything and with ZTL concerns no good way to visit Bologna or other sites along the actual way of your drive.

Much better plan to rent the car leaving Venice and drive to Rome via the coast with a stop for 2 nights in between.
Though leaving only 2 nights for Rome if you have never been is no where enough time to do anything.

If you definitely want to drive the coast route from Venice to Rome, look into the options of San Marino, Ravenna, Rimini or Urbino as worthwhile places to stop for a night or two along the way. This is likely not the fastest way to Rome of course and for speed and cost sake a high speed train is better.

OK Roberto and mreynolds, sounds like you saved me from a real mistake. thanks a bunch

Good for you, smurphy, for asking before you had pulled the trigger. You're making the right decision. For that stretch (Venice to Florence) and given your other considerations, you'll be so glad you took a relaxing train ride instead of driving.