"I think this thread took a weird turn because you are staying in a place not terribly convenient to visiting Victoria or going up island."

And that has what to do with spending an extra three nights somewhere else on Vancouver Island? Sorry if I threw people so far off because I originally said "leaving Victoria" when actually I'll be nearly 40 minutes away. I guess that makes a big difference on where to go for 3 nights? At the time the thread took the weird turn, by the way, I hadn't even mentioned Sooke -- it turned weird when someone else suggesting leaving Victoria to go to the northwest via Sooke to reach Tofino. I still think that is what was weird!

By the way, if it matters, we have stayed in Victoria in the past.

I'm sorry if I picked the wrong cause of weirdness. Just trying to be helpful here. I would take the Veterans Memorial Parkway route suggested by Meesthare.