When evaluating university campuses:
Remember that you are visiting during the summer and everyone wants to be outdoors. Except for UVic, all the campuses you listed will get snow and other nasty weather. (UVic gets a lot of rain, plus a dump of snow every 10 years or so.) Not all campuses have good connections between buildings so that students can minimize their exposure to the elements. Look the maps and see if you could reach all of your classes, labs and libraries without going outside. If it isn't clear, ask. The recruiters have nothing to hide.
Also think about research...
Not many undergraduates consider this, but you should investigate what kind of research your potential professors are working on. Major universities are research factories that just happen to teach undergrads. If you, as an undergrad, are seriously interested in the research projects that are funding your professors primary work, you will likely learn more and build a stronger network of potential employer contacts during the course of your studies. Earning a degree isn't just about getting that piece of paper.
Other schools...
If you're going to spend time and money renting a car in Victoria and taking it on the ferry, you might as well check out Royal Rhodes university (formerly a military college) on the same day you investigate U Vic.
FYI, you may want to also check out UBC and Simon Fraser University on your way through Vancouver. UBC is in a great location on the ocean. SFU is on top of a mountain. They have very different learning cultures.
If you're a skier, consider UBC, SFU or UofC. Proximity to world-class mountain resorts has its benefits.
Driving through BC to Alberta
* Vancouver to Hope to Kamloops -- Take Highway 1 up the (mostly flat) Fraser Valley to Hope. From Hope, there are two different routes: Highway 5 (Coquihala, formerly a toll road, now free) is the fastest and smoothest route, and you drive up over some high mountain passes, but only one town (Merit). Highway 1 (Fraser Canyon) is a narrow highway (2-lane with a few passing lanes) that follows the Fraser River past Hell's Gate and many other small towns / tourist traps.
* Vancouver to Whistler to Kamloops -- This is a more ambitious route, taking you up over the mountains. The road at times is very narrow, and there are several one-lane bridges east of Whistler to test your driving etiquette. There are many incredible view-points along this route.
* Kamloops to Jasper to Edmonton -- Highway 5 / Highway 16 (Yellowhead) The road is relatively quiet, but easy to drive. The mountains are nice, but the road is almost always in the valley. Not many 4-lane sections, until you reach Hinton, Alberta. You don't need a park pass to drive straight through, but you'll need one to stop in Jasper.
* Kamloops to Banff to Calgary -- Highway 1 (TransCanada / Rogers Pass) is a very busy highway. It also has some curvy roads on the edge of steep cliffs. Instead of driving past mountains, it feels like you drive over them. There are a few sections of 4-lane highway, but it doesn't become continuous until you reach Lake Louise, Alberta. You don't need a park pass to drive straight through, but you'll need one to stop in Banff or Lake Louise.
* Jasper<-->Banff. This is worthy distraction / detour that is definitely worth the price of a (mandatory) park pass. You may want to venture out onto the Columbia Icefields before the glaciers disappear.
my city!!!
