This may be asking too much, but could anyone offer a sample itinerary that would be active, yet not exhausting. I've been trying to figure out how to schedule what we want to do, but having never traveled in the area before, I'm worried that I'll have us running from place to place!

Here's what we'd like to fit in:
Begin and end in Seattle, Washington
See whales
See bears
Possibly do some fishing, nature hiking, stay in a cabin/lodge, etc.

That's it! I'd love to make it up to Stubbs Island as suggested in an earlier post, I'm just unsure how to travel from place to place and how much time to arrange.

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated. We're hoping to travel in September.

Okay...since you want to begin and end in Seattle, I take it your intention is to travel in British Columbia. I'll start the ball rolling and say that all the things you want to do can easily be done on Vancouver Island. Whale watching in Tofino; fishing in Campbell River; hiking just about anywhere on the island...bears here and there, mostly to be seen on the stretch of road between Port Alberni and Tofino (in my experience).

Is that the sort of thing you mean? Vancouver Island is about 400 km from top to bottom. With a car you'd be able to move round easily and have a great holiday.

If it's Salmon fishing you want be advised that Campbell River is experiencing a dismal year.
For whatever reason the Salmon who normally hunt/feed in Georgia Strait are staying on the Offshore Banks off West Coast Vancouver Island.
Spending money on Salmon fishing in Campbell River could be a mistake-fishing out of Ucleulet rarely is.
Telegraph Cove has Salmon charters and Coho fishing could be decent and at that time weather is often glorious.

Sorry - can't believe I left out the detail about where in BC we plan to travel. We're hoping to be on Vancouver Island.

What kind of timeframe and path should we plan?

We can do without the fishing but really want to see the bear and whales.

Sam, thanks for the update on fishing from Campbell River. I'm not really into fishing so hadn't heard that CR is having a dismal year. Sorry to hear about it. That must be quite a blow for a region that's so dependent on tourist fishing (if you see what I mean).

rkley, Sam is right about Ucluelet. It's on the west coast of Vancouver Island, a beautiful drive along Highway 4 from Port Alberni. You'll reach a T-junction where you an either turn left (south) for Ucluelet or right (north) for Tofino.

All the activities that you have in mind can be done in that area, also known as the Pacific Rim National Park. Tofino maybe has a better selection of accommodations, particularly if you're into beach combing or surfing. But as Sam says, Ucluelet is a better bet for fishing and maybe even for whale watching as well (though there are several outfits in Tofino that also offer whale watching tours). I've also heard that there are bear-watching tours from Tofino, but I haven't done any. (I'm more into beach combing.)

There are a great many beautiful hikes that you can do in and around the Pacific Rim Park, all levels from beginners to advanced.

At this time of year it can be hard to find accommodations in Tofino, and most places have a two-night minimum. Nevertheless, it's well worth the effort. Since you're travelling in September, you may have better luck. When we go to Tofino or Ucluelet, we usually stay in B&Bs. I've never stayed in any of the hotels or lodges. I've heard good things about Long Beach Resort, but maybe that'll be a little too "civilized" for you, if you're looking for more of a rustic experience.

I'm not sure about travelling from Seattle to Vancouver Island (I myself live in Vancouver.) I think there may be a ferry service from Washington State to Victoria. An alternative is to drive to Vancouver and take the ferry from West Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay). Hope this helps.

I think you could easily base yourself in Ucluelet or Tofino and do all the activities you have in mind without running from place to place. On the other hand, if you do have a car it'd be nice to spend a few days exploring Vancouver Island.

For Grizzlies and Killer Whales Telegraph Cove / Port McNeill, as mentioned earlier, is your best bet.
MUCH better than Tofino.
At Tofino you might see a few gray whales and black bears - but 0 chance for grizzlies [there are none on the island] and slim chance at killer whales.

cheers

Jerry