Originally Posted by
CanuckFlyHigh
I would do a summer trip. Stay at the Pac Rim, then take a float plane from the front doors of the hotel to the front doors of the Victoria Fairmont hotel (cheaper than you think, and super fun). From there, you can choose if you want to do Whistler or not, but it is also very fun in the summer.
This option for BC in the summer would be a great one that I can also recommend. Both hotels have great locations and are a nice contrast. The lobby at the Empress was undergoing a massive renovation when I was there in December, along with the north end closed getting a massive redo as well. The room I had was on the top floor, which was smaller than most 1BR suites, but had two bathrooms and completely renovated.
By summer, I expect this to be finished. Victoria is
very charming and I do recommend a car to explore outside the core downtown if you have time.
The alternative of Santa Monica and the Grand DelMar near San Diego is also an excellent choice. Santa Monica gives you the beach and reasonable access to LA attractions. The Grand DelMar is a fabulous resort, but about 30 minutes from San Diego. If you picked this itinerary, you definitely want a rental car and driving to/from LAX <> San Diego is not a chore if you miss rush hours.
I've stacked up a few free nights as well, but 6 nights... I'm envious, especially if you have suite upgrades to stack on top of the free nights.
