Final 2 nights back in Rome...OR stay somewhere else.
 

My family of four (kids ages 4 and 8) will be traveling Italy for 16 days...with our mile program, we had to fly IN and OUT of Rome. (not ideal)
Our schedule is
Rome 4 days....Sorrento 4 days....Tuscany area 5 days...and 2 days to do whatever.

I was thinking two things. extend 1 more night in Tuscany/Firenze area...but stay our last night in Rome since we fly out the next day..but not until 5pm.

Or is there a area we should add to the list for the last 2 nights...near Rome but not hours away from the airport....or take advantage of 2 more days in Rome? (I know it's massive)

Thoughts and Suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Thank you!!!!

You could head directly to Florence, 1.5 hours on the train once you get to town, staying Rome last and saving a hotel change.

If you move Rome to the end, you don't have to make compromises. You can add 2 days to practically anywhere without being tied to the proximity to Rome restriction.
If your flight arrives by around noon, you can be to Sorrento by around 5pm. If later, you can still get to Florence easily. If you are ambitious, you can even zoom to Venice on arrival by taking one day from somewhere else.

Are you planning to come back to Italy in the future? If so, you might do Rome lightly this time (ready for flaks from other posters...). It is not that Rome requires less days. Not at all. But think about it. If you fly to Italy under the same circumstance in the future, where would you land? You are forced to stay in Rome again. It would automatically be included into your next visit, then the visit after, and so on.

I booked this trip so last minute (last week)...not too much time for research and now have our airBNB's booked. We arrive in Rome our first day past midnight so that was why I originally choose just to stay in Rome so I could get my kids somewhere to sleep asap...I would assume it will get us into our location by 2 am or later.
I am not sure we'll be in Italy any time soon this is why I wanted to at least see the 3 area's we most wanted to visit. (we did go to Venice many moons ago before kids)

Are there any other areas not far from Rome that we are missing? Of the beaten path? Thanks:)

Orvieto. It is on a beaten path. Italy has been on the beaten path since the Roman empire.

I think I would extend the time in Rome up front or Tuscany, and just come back to Rome for one day. Part of the reason I say that is because it is relatively easy to pack up completely for air travel and then just have one night where you dig into your suitcase and then pack up again to leave. If you go someplace for two nights, especially since you have kids, the tendency is to unpack more and then need to pack up all over again.

Unless you have a flight out of Rome that leaves past 2pm in the afternoon, I think you do need to be in Rome for the last night.

If you have a car you can spend two nights in Umbria - - greg suggested Orvieto, but towns like Todi and Spoleto are also unforgettable. Spoleto kind of tumbles town a hill and it's a fun place to traverse up and down. Everything still within 2 hours from FCO.

Sorry -- I just realized you already said your flight doesn't leave until 5pm. Rome airport is one of the few in Europe where I always go to the airport the full 3 hours in advance, especially if I am dropping off a car.

But I have another idea -- presuming you are going in summertime. The idea is to spend the last 2 nights on the coast, within reach of the airport. I see that you will already have spent 4 days in Sorrento, and maybe that is enough seaside time for your family, but I am thinking most kids really have fun at the beach, and it might be a nice way to finish up the vacation -- just having fun together, very light sightseeing.

There are nice places to stay north or south of the airport. If you are staying in southern Tuscany, it wouldn't be too much to drive to Sperlonga (the prettiest), Terracina, Gaeta or the very-much-not-the-usual-choice, Saturnia. You might even consider Anzio.

If you are staying in northern Tuscany, near Lucca and Florence, then you'd more easily reach Santa Marinella, the beaches around Tarquinia, or Porto Ercole/Orbetello (but that is furthest north I would want to be if I was ultimately headed for the airport.