Flexible itinerary in southern British Columbia in July?

July in touristed areas that tend to have more expensive lodging--I would be cautious/apprehensive about trying to book these hotels in those areas at the last minute--could be more costly and time consuming than the flexibility you think you'll gain.

About 20 years ago I spent the night in a rental car because I arrived in Seattle without a reservation late in August. I would be afraid to just show up and look in 2019. If you're willing to be flexible about what towns you sleep in and can look for lodgings online 24 to 48 hours in advance, I guess you'll find something. I would certainly not get on a ferry without a room booked at the planned destination. That might end badly.

I think you'd be trading off higher cost and more limited availability. I'm sure you can always find "something" last minute but it just depends if you're ok with something maybe less ideal and likely more expensive. I went to Vancouver Island, Victoria and Seattle at the end of May and it was a challenge to keep costs down particularly in Victoria even ahead of time (although Seattle was far and away more expensive than anywhere in Canada, thanks also to the exchange rate). Whistler gets crazy busy in the summer so it would likely be pricey too, not to mention the traffic. I loved Vancouver Island and would happily return.

Yes, Victoria is likely to be especially problematical in this regard. You could actually end up in Victoria with no place to sleep and after the last ferry back....

We live in Seattle and love traveling in BC. I say you need to choose and look at lodging. Whistler has lots on offer but if you want to see Victoria and take a ferry from there to Seattle you need to plan ahead and make reservations. Whichever ferry you choose, they are all crowded and it is best to have reservations for the boat, which means settling on an itinerary in advance.

We recently did a camping/motel trip up the Sunshine Coast to Powell River, ferry to Vancouver Island, out to Tofino, and back on the Tsawassen ferry. But that took 10 days, and we did not include Victoria. With only four days, the plan that makes sense to me is Vancouver to Whistler 2nights, then ferrule Horseshoe Bay to Vancouver a Island to see Victoria, then back to Seattle. There are 3 choices for that ferry but need to know your interest before I explain more.

We had the same experience as Acraven during an August in the Seattle area & north (before we lived here), except it was supposed to be our anniversary getaway. We finally called a friend in Bremerton to sleep on his floor. Not a good memory!

When you’re going from Victoria to Seattle, there’s the option of the fast Victoria Clipper - no scenery, but quick. Or, if you would like a scenic trip, take the ferry from Sidney, BC on Vancouver Island through the San Juan Islands to Anacortes and drive to Seattle from there.

All of the places you’ve mentioned are beautiful! If you don’t live in an area with mountains, you might enjoy Whistler the most.

Thanks for the thoughts, all. Sounds like winging it on hotels would be a bad idea!

We have a total of 10 nights. I've booked three in Vancouver at the start and three in Victoria (could cut this to two), and booked our ferry to Seattle. We live in Northern California, so our coast is Mendocino to Monterey-ish, and the Sierras are our nearby mountain range. We have a nine-year-old child and like hiking and other outdoor activities, though not super-strenuous ones, and hopefully not with heaps of crowds (we get plenty of those when we visit Yosemite). And we'd prefer not to drive tons or sit in tons of traffic.

What would folks recommend for the free four days?

We spent a week in Vancouver and loved it. We visited Victoria and Butchert Gardens on a day trip. Also, we did a wonderful four day Canadian Rockies tour with KeyWest Tours. Fantastic, we saw Jasper, Banff and Lake Louise as well as many special scenic places including walking on a glacier and taking the cable car up to the top of the mountain (I think in Jasper).

I've enjoyed dong what the prior poster described.

If the plan is:

• Nights 1, 2 & 3 in Vancouver
  
• Nights 4, 5, 6 & 7 undefined
• Nights 8, 9, and maybe 10 in Victoria Ferry to Seattle and finish trip

...then for that middle portion, I'd go with Sunshine coast or Vancouver Island over Whistler. Unless you like the vibe of a ski resort in the summer (I know, they have hiking, and mountain biking, and golf, and spas, but to me, it'll always be a ski resort... : ).

If the plan is:

• Nights 1, 2 & 3 in Vancouver
• Nights 4, 5 and maybe 6 in Victoria
• Ferry to Seattle and finish trip

...and you're thinking of having 3 or 4 nights in/around Seattle, you could:

• Do a day or two in town (market, waterfront, core of the city, attractions, museums, great dining, etc.)
• Another day could be a jaunt to Mt. Rainier. Paradise is where most people go, but the other side of the mountain called Sunrise is pretty cool too, and is also relatively near a gondola (at Crystal Mountain) that takes you up to a ridge where you can see Mt. Rainier in all its glory and enjoy a nice meal at a restaurant with a view.
• Another day could be to jump a ferry and go to Bainbridge or Vashon to experience the chill side of Puget Sound, or if you like wine, head out to nearby Woodinville, for a day of wine tasting.

As a current Western Washington resident, who lived in Napa and is quite familiar with your neighborhood, I recommend you not take the ferry to Seattle from Victoria. In July what you want to do is take the ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles. Then you can explore the Olympic Peninsula; either by heading across to Seattle via Port Townsend and ferry to Whidby Island and another ferry to Edmonds (where you can drop in on Rick Steves), or Port Townsend to Poulsbo to Tacoma and then to Seattle, or around the long way (still an easy one day drive if you don't want to stop but I suggest you do) via Forks, Lake Quinnault, Ocean Shores and then up to Seattle. If you want scenery, hikes in the woods leading out to vacant beaches, and a road less traveled all of these can provide some of that. Another route would be down the Hood Canal via Sequim, Shelton, and Olympia, which is a favorite weekend drive for me that time of year due to the oyster and clam shacks and small wineries.

jessica,

July will likely be a busy time for hotels in all the areas you mentioned, especially in places like Whistler. It may be possible to get a room "on the fly" but it would be better (IMO) to work out an Itinerary and book ahead. That way you don't have to waste time looking for hotels when you arrive in a particular city, and can devote your time to sightseeing.

I assume you're renting a car when you arrive in Vancouver? If the hotel you booked is in the main downtown area, you'll likely be paying for parking during your stay.

With only a very short 10 nights, you'll need to prioritize and limit the number of places you visit. One possible Itinerary.....

• 3 nights in Vancouver. Have you decided which sights you want to see in that area? I'd suggest using public transit there as much as possible, as traffic can be terrible!
• 3 nights in Whistler. Hotels tend to be rather posh, so be sure to budget accordingly. On the way to Whistler, you might stop at the Sea To Sky Gondola for some great views. There will be music concerts at the top on some days. There's also the Peak To Peak gondola in Whistler (assuming you're not afraid of heights). There are lots of hiking opportunities in the Whistler area, but I would suggest contacting a local firm for advice on which places are best to hike, as there are some caveats to be aware of.
• drive back to Horseshoe Bay and take the Ferry from Nanaimo, and the drive to Victoria for 3 nights. That trip will take the better part of a day. Have you researched which sights you want to see in the Victoria area?

The Sunshine Coast is also an option, but travel times will be longer as you'll have to take two Ferries if you intend to go all the way up the coast. Keep in mind that queues at the Ferries will be longer in the summer tourist season, so getting reservations on the Ferries would probably be a good idea.

Definitely book every night's sleep in advance.
Whistler is very expensive, and insanely busy in summer, as is Vancouver.
You will have more time to do other things if you are not running around trying to find accommodation at the last minute.