skipping WA and BC but flying into Portland and driving the Oregon Coast.

LOVE that idea.

I think the problem here is too many good options. With just a week, I think you would be best advised to choose just two places (e.g., Victoria and Seattle or San Juan and Seattle) adding in a night here and there (La Conner or Whidbey Island) makes it much more complicated and means you spend more time in the car. You could easily spend your week in Victoria and see/do a lot.

Warning: Hotels in Seattle have very high prices in August.

Be warned that booking anything for the OR coast for this summer is already late to the game. Places book up many months in advance! So if this is your new plan, start booking yesterday! Also note that most places in Cannon Beach require 2-3 night minimums and other popular places along the coast are doing that now too.

I thought Whidbey Island was suggested as a closer to Seattle alternative, not in addition.

Honestly with all of that moving around I think I'd still seriously consider a cruise.

unless OP has done a cruise or wants to do a cruise-which it doesn't sound like from original post-it really would not accomplish what she outlined. so much time on the water and so little time to enjoy the towns and villages she is interested in. much easier to start and stop whenever and wherever you want if driving. assuming you can pick an area to explore and find a place to stay.

What I see in OPs plan..

A few nights Seattle
driving
ferry
Victoria
whale watching
ferry
Seattle

How is this siginificantly different than a cruise out of Seattle or Vancouver, doing a whalewatch excursion (Juneau).

You walk around the ports. You can eat there or not. You don't have to pack and unpack. You cruise the inside passage (not much different than taking a ferry).

You can find cruises leaving Seattle that include Victoria as a port stop (eg Royal Caribbean has nearly a full day there).

this is OP first post-how does a cruise out of Seattle accomplish A) spend some time in a cute seaside village or island-cruise ports almost exclusively tourist traps where you wander and leave. B) has GREAT restaurants-uh...no C) relax by the sea-ok maybe for a little while on the boat but exiting and returning to the ship does not qualify as relaxing. D) no cruise ports come close to approximating the towns in California she mentions. IMO Op needs to stick with finding a driving route she is comfortable with, maybe include a ferry ride or two and move at her own pace, not the pace of a cruise ship. also, finding one that has a decent cabin at a decent price would be pretty tough for August at this late date.

I don't think a cruise fits any part of this request either.

Wow thanks everyone for all of the great responses and advice. It’s true that at this short of notice accommodations, airfares and rentals cars are quite expensive so we are considering tabling this trip for late spring or early next summer (WITH baby so we can do more advance planning. Now that we have basically narrowed down places we’d like to go and how the ferries work, etc, we can plan it out so much easier once we decide to go!
also true that we aren’t super interested in a cruise. We prefer least touristy options and local food. at this point for this trip, We are considering driving in our own car from Tucson to the California (San Diego or maybe central) coast which would allow us to relax, eat good food, get out of the heat l, and although we’ve been to California multiple times, and wasn’t what we initially wanted, we can always find new things to see and do! It would save us $ on airfare and rental car and by my calculations would end up being 1/3 the cost of the pacific NW/Victoria trip. Even hotels and b&bs are significantly less expensive.
Thanks everyone for all your knowledge and advice! It will certainly be used!!

Sounds like you have come to a decision. I spent a week in Half Moon Bay two summers ago and I really liked that area. Even if you stay further south, it's really a cute town to visit.

One question for future readers of the thread--Did you just check Seattle hotel prices, or did you also check the other locations you were looking at? Because I am a little surprised if hotels on the Central California coast are less than Oregon's. In retrospect, it probably would have been best to name your price range... the hotel I suggested had a great view by the water and unique location, but I didn't look at price because I had no guidance.

Yea that hotel you suggested looks gorgeous but $320 a night is definitely over our budget. Hotels in the beach in Cayucos and San Diego for $120-150 so yea definitely more affordable. Seattle was outrageous as well as Victoria. That, combined with the high cost of rental cars up there as well and plane tickets just put us over budget for this year. Next year though

we will drive to CA and spend 1/3 the cost for the same amount of relax time. Also I can’t eat raw oysters pregnant so it would be torture to go to that place you recommended!

thanks again and will def keep those recs stashed away for a future trip!

Lauren, I was under the impression that this was your last big vacation before baby came and you were looking for something special--maybe not a honeymoon but along that lines. I guess I misread your initial post. Just so you know, there are definitely rooms that are $120-150 along the Oregon Coast.

5 Alive

Yes it’s our last vacation before baby. And I was super into going somewhere new and exciting. But I was adding up the cost of pacific NW trip and it came to $3000-3500 for a week trip with airfare, car etc, which is just not doable for us right now. It’s the airfare for two and car that really gets you. Hotels can be found on Oregon coast but as several people said many are already booked at this short of notice.
i think we just waited too long and the prices of everything are inflated.

For future reference: Seattle is home to the Alaska cruise fleet, and the hotels jack up their prices for this captive audience. Runs from late April until September, so if you are visiting the Seattle in the summer expect to pay dearly for downtown lodging.

Why don't you fly to San Francisco and stay somewhere near Half Moon Bay or Santa Cruz. Do your San Francisco nights on the weekend, and coastal hotels during the week. Big Sur is open again.