Train advice - Nice to Vernazza

" Also, stupid question, I'm guesing there is a better side on the train for the views which I hear are great, or do the views switch from side to side as you make your way.:

Sit on the right side as you travel South. This will give you more Med views.

Yes, you will have to change trains in Ventimiglia. There is no advantage to buying Nice-Ventimiglia tickets in advance. The regional trains on this route are operated by SNCF, no reservations are possible, and the fare never changes. The 2nd class fare is €7.50. Just buy your tickets at the station in Nice.

If you take all regional trains (whether direct or with connections) from Ventiimiglia to Vernazza, the 2nd class fare is €18.20. Again, there is no advantage to booking in advance. (In fact, you cannot book regional train tickets on trenitalia.com more than seven days in advance unless they are combined on a route that includes either an InterCity train or a high-speed train.) Just buy your tickets in Ventimiglia.

For detailed timetables for the entire route use the German Rail site.

Advice above is on the right track. To confirm regional Italian train schedules for August, wait until the second half of June, since the June 14 schedule change may include some adjustments.

I just checked the Trenitalia website and the schedules are up, but reservations cannot be made more than 120 days in advance for intercity or freccia trains. To get an idea of fares, search for a date the last week in July on the day of the week you want to travel. That will be far enough out to show discounted fares. In a couple of weeks you'll be able to purchase the tickets. If you are taking regionale trains, you cannot purchase more than seven days in advance, but there's no price advantage to doing so. In fact, regionale train tickets purchased online may lock you into a specific date (but not time or train #).