DETAILS

Surfing Jacksonville Beach, Fla.

GETTING THERE: US Airways flies nonstop to Jacksonville International Airport from Reagan National, United from Dulles and Southwest from BWI, with fares starting at $184 on United. Numerous airlines offer connecting service, with fares from about $160.

The 40-minute ride from airport to beach is $50 by taxi or $40 to $50 by shuttle. Easy side trips from Jax Beach include St. Augustine, 40 miles south, and Cumberland Island National Seashore, about the same distance north.

WHERE TO LEARN: Saltwater Cowgirls (408 13th Ave. S., 904-242-9380, http://www.saltwatercowgirls.com/ ) offers weekend camps for women and girls under 18; cost is $120, including surfboard ($99 without board) for two mornings of instruction. The current schedule runs through October. From late May to Labor Day, five-day camps for girls under age 18 are also offered for $225 ($175 without board). The student- to-staff ratio is never greater than 6 to 1. Private lessons for males and females are $45 an hour with board, $35 without, with a $5 per hour discount for each additional student.

Other surf camps for women include Surf Diva in La Jolla, Calif. (2160 Avenida de la Playa, 858-454-8273, http://www.surfdiva.com/ ), which also offers classes in Costa Rica and Australia, and Las Olas Surf Camp on Mexico's Pacific coast (831- 625-5748, http://www.surflasolas.com/ ), whose motto is: "We Make Girls Out of Women." Closer to home in Ocean City, O.C. Groms surf camp (35th Street Beach, 443-880- 0905, http://www.kcoast.com/ ) charges $100 for the first two-hour lesson, including board, wet suit and Billabong paraphernalia, and $60 for each subsequent lesson. Private one-hour lessons are available from Malibu's Surf Shop (Boardwalk at Eighth Street, 410-289-3000, http://www.malibus.com/ ) for $50, all inclusive.

WHERE TO STAY: A double room at the Best Western Oceanfront in Jacksonville (305 First St. N., 800-897-8131, http://www.bestwestern.com/ ) starts at $119 per night on weekdays, $139 weekends. The Quality Suites Oceanfront (11 N. First St., 877-424-6423, http://www.choicehotels.com/ ) has doubles from $200 per night. The Fig Tree Inn Bed & Breakfast (185 Fourth Ave. S., 877-217-9830, http://www.bbhost.com/figtreeinn ) has rooms from $125 weekdays, $135 weekends double. Rates at most lodgings drop from spring/summer to fall.

WHERE TO EAT: Good dining choices at the beach include Campeche Bay Mexican restaurant (127 First Ave. N., 904-249-3322). The marinated portobello fajitas are outstanding, as are the fish tacos with grilled mahi-mahi in a peppery sauce. Entrees generally from $10 to $15. Nancy's Too (333 First St. N., 904-246- 4877) is great for breakfast (the eggs Benedict or Florentine are particularly good) or lunch (try the sweet potato fries). Either way, a full meal runs $10 to $12. After a long day of surfing, the most stunning view in town is from the open-air martini bar high atop Casa Marina (691 First St. N., 904-270-0025), where the tequila-marinated calamari are a fine accompaniment to the moon rising over the ocean. Most entrees are $15 to $25.

INFORMATION: Books such as "Surfer's Start-Up: A Beginner's Guide to Surfing" by Doug Werner (Tracks Publishing, $11.95) and "Learn to Surf" by James MacLaren (Lyons Press, $12.95) are useful, as is the excellent DVD "Learn to Surf 1-2-3" featuring Beth Elliott ($19.95). At the Surfline/Wavetrak Web site http://www.surfline.com/ , under "surfology" at lower right, there's a good "surf school" tutorial.

For info on the Jacksonville area: Jacksonville & the Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau, 800-733-2668, http://www.jaxcvb.com/ .

-- Sally Shivnan