If you are thinking of visiting Vesuvio right up top, something you might consider is going directly from the airport to Pompei or one of the adjacent towns nearer to Vesuvio, in a taxi. You are arriving very late into Naples airport, and taking a taxi would be the reasonable thing to do, rather than try to deal with buses. However, taking a taxi to the coast is hugely expensive. Taking one to Pompei would be much cheaper, since it is only about a 30 minute drive. Or, you could stay in Naples for a night or two, and then relocate to the coast.

Pompei has lots of hotels and b&bs. You could e-mail some in your price range and ask how much a taxi from the airport would cost. Some might offer to arrange a pick up for you. The cost of taking a taxi to Naples, which is a bit closer, is 35 euros (as I recall).

From either area, you can continue onward to the coast by commuter train and bus (or take ferries starting in Naples), and avoid the big cost of a private car transfer.

Vietri Sul Mare has a very nice beach, is small and local (i.e. cheaper), is a short train or bus ride (10 minutes) to Salerno, where you can catch the ferry to Amalfi/Positano/Capri and take a quick train to Paestum, Pompeii or Naples. You can catch a bus to Vesuvius from Pompeii.

blueeyedocd

I defer to your experience and apologize for the gross generalization.

You need to understand that many (most?) beaches in Italy are not like those in the US: broad white sand beaches with pounding surf.

Many of the beaches are pebbles or even rocks and you may be sharing them with pulled up small boats or other local activities. Naturally the expensive resorts have gorgeous pools and possibly beaches that are private.

So google the beaches and check then out before you decide which you want to visit and where you want to stay.

The beach in Vietri is sand. But I don't mind the pebble beaches of the other parts of the AC, as it adds to the charm IMO.

nytraveler - hmmmm? You clearly haven't been to the east coast of Italy then as Puglia resembles the Caribbean (to me)

http://www.revealedrome.com/2011/08/...own-italy.html

The Amalfi Coast beaches are pebbly with the exception of Vietri and Salerno is sand as well as beaches on Ischia and Procida. Pebbles should present no problems - just swim in water shoes. My sons are two of the locals who run around in small boats - I think it adds to the local colour.