Naples/ Capri/ Pompeii in one day

I think that you can get to Naples, take the ferry to Capri and return to Naples late in the day, but to get up, see Pompeii then get to the airport would require a flight leaving very late afternoon or in the evening. I would evaluate what you might really want with Capri. Myself, I would maybe consider catching an early fast train to Naples, drop off the bags at a hotel, skipping Capri, head to Pompeii, visit Sorrento, maybe a bus trip along the Amalfi coast back to Naples. Have some pizza, and the next day, maybe hit the museum in Naples before heading to the airport.

That sounds like a lot to accomplish for so many people. I'd pick two out of the three. Naples has delicious pizza and a good museum with a lot of Pompeii artifacts. You could spend most of the day on Capri, ferry back to Naples, spend the night there, and do some morning activities there. All personal preference on what you want to see I guess, but I'd definitely stick to two locations.

Yes too much. if you must thentrain to Naples, take a tour of city then allow min half day for Pompeii (lots of walking).
leave Capri for another time. It is meant to be savored slowly.

Thank you all for your advice.
I heard from a friend that Naples can be a really crazy town. Is it hard to get around from the train to hotels. We will be quite the zoo parade with an 8yr old and Grandma who is 80. Is there a way to avoid Naples and see Pompeii?

Yes, you can avoid Naples and see Pompeii. Take a train from Rome to Pompei (the city, not the ruins) and a short taxi ride from there to the main entrance. Check your bags (free), tour Pompeii and then take the Circumvesuviana train to Sorrento for overnight. Take an early boat to Capri next day and return in time for the bus directly to Naples airport to connect to your flight to Venice. Of course, you'll need to do some homework on schedules to make sure it all works on your travel days.

Do you think it is worth it to go to Capri for the day? I like the idea of avoiding the craziness of Naples. Would it be just as good to go to Positano?
How long does it take to get from Pompeii to Sorrento?

Positano is easy to reach by bus and it's a very scenic ride. Whether you go there or to Capri is a matter of personal preference. If you do take the bus to Positano, be sure to get off at the 2nd stop at the bottom of town. It's a long difficult downhill walk from the 1st stop - avoid it. Circumversuviana train from Pompeii to Sorrento takes about 30 minutes.

Positano is almost entirely vertical and could prove to be a difficult outing for your 80 year old. It is pretty for sure but personally, it reminded me of any one of a dozen Caribbean island with not much more than fancy boutiques and ladies' shoe stores. But I think I am in a minority here. Sorrento is lovely and has easy access by train and boat to the coast and Pompeii. The boat ride alone from Sorrento to Positano or Amalfi was terrific and could be fun for the young one and a relief for Grandma. Have fun.

Skip Naples, it's a (large) crime-ridden stink hole of a city. The train station is a haven for criminal activity. We were warned to watch our luggage on the train while we were stopped there. We went to Amalfi (via Salerno) from Rome for a two night stay during which we went to Capri for one day. The ferry to Capri was slow, and there was one ferry going there (from Amalfi) in the morning, and one ferry returning in the afternoon which made it a full day trip. The ruins at Pompeii cover a large area and are at least a 4 hour tour if you want to see a significant part of it. We had originally wanted to go to Pompeii as well, but the time restraint didn't allow us. Your day trip is very, very, ambitious and doesn't allow enough time for transportation between locations, especially for 6 people with that age spread and all the luggage!!! If you must go there, I would choose one place to visit (not Naples) as a day trip. Leave the luggage in your hotel room in Rome, leaving very early in the morning and returning later that evening. If you go to Capri, you need to take into account the time it takes to get to the ferry, when it leaves, and when it returns. Factor in delays and possible transportation strikes! Always consider the worst case scenario when traveling in Italy...trust me on this. If you were spending a few nights in the region, I would say yes, do it all. But, I am returning to Italy this coming May and will be skipping the region entirely this time because I just don't feel it is worth the time as a side trip.

PS...don't fly in Italy. Take the train. Our train ride from Salerno to Florence was 4 hours total and they run more or less on time and often. You will spend too much time in security and waiting for a flight that might not take off on time, if at all. The time that you will spend in the airport would be longer than the train trip. There is no security check at the train stations. Alitalia has frequent strikes as do the trains, but at least you won't waste a lot of time at the airport. Think about who and how many are traveling in your group and all the luggage that entails. Streamline as much as possible.

mary,

Trying to fit train rides, Naples, Capri and then Pompeii into that period of time is way to ambitious, especially considering the size and age ranges of your group. I'd suggest leaving that for another trip when you can spend more time and really see the area properly.

"Skip Naples, it's a (large) crime-ridden stink hole of a city"

While that might be true of certain areas of Naples, I quite enjoyed my last visit there and had no "crime" problems at all. However, the culture is somewhat different and more "intense" than that of the north and it's an interesting contrast. The next stop I made after Naples was Verona, and I really noticed a difference.

Cheers!

With that large of a group and age spread, it might be cost effective to hire a driver for the day. They will usually have a large Mercedes (or similar) van that can take the entire clan from Naples, down the coast to see all the towns along the way with their spectacular views, and then back over the mountains with a stop in Pompeii before heading back to Naples. You really will get a lot of bang for your buck. They can pick you up and drop you off at the train station. There are many car/limo services available to you.
Here are a few to look at:

http://www.benvenutolimos.com/

http://www.francescomarrapese.com/

http://www.amalfi-drive.com/index.htm

You can usually customize your trip to stop where you want. As I said in a previous post, it is best to leave the luggage in Rome and make this strictly a day trip. With a private driver you won't have to depend on getting around on "iffy" public transportation.