ESCAPE KEYS

Virginia Beach

GETTING THERE: Virginia Beach is about 200 miles from Washington. Take Interstate 95 south to I-295 south, just north of Richmond. Follow that to I-64 east, which goes to I-264 east. To reach False Cape State Park, take I-64 (Exit 286-B) at Indian River Road East. Go 13 miles, then turn left onto Newbridge Road, then right onto Sandbridge Road. Next, turn right onto Sandpiper Road and into Little Island City Park.

SEA KAYAKING: Wild River Outfitters Touring Co. (3636 Virginia Beach Blvd., 877-431-8566, http://www.wildriveroutfitters.com/ ) is in the Regatta Bay Shops center. The company offers a variety of kayaking trips, from half-day instructional paddles to week-long trips out of the country. All trips require advanced registration, and most meet at the paddling site.

* Sea Kayak Discovery Weekend : Two more of these popular three-day intensive instructional trips will take place this year, on Aug. 12-14 and Sept. 2-4. The $365 fee includes kayaks, all gear, air-conditioned lodging at False Cape State Park and meals.

* False Cape Camping Kayak Expedition : This trip is a great way to experience expedition kayaking without having to travel very far. Camp on the scenic shore of False Cape and, over three days, learn about kayak packing, on-water and on-land navigation, safety and group communication. The trip goes out on a request basis; $195 includes all gear and food.

* Great Dismal Swamp : This six-hour day trip takes boaters through 3,100-acre Lake Drummond in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. The cost of $75 includes boat and additional paddling gear. The trip occurs by request and meets at the wildlife refuge headquarters in Suffolk, 40 miles from Virginia Beach, or from the east via a canal connecting to the lake, about 50 miles from the city.

* Dolphin Quest : Paddle with the large populations of dolphins off Virginia Beach's coast on this half-day tour in sit-on-top kayaks. Get ready for close encounters with the ocean's friendliest mammals. Offered dates: July 1, 9, 13, 16 and 29, Aug. 6, 12, 20 and 27 and Sept. 3. The cost of $48 includes boat and additional paddling gear.

Other outfitters along coastal Virginia include: Tidewater Adventures (888-669-8368, http://www.tidewateradventures.com/ ), which leads 2 1/2 -hour paddling excursions of the secluded beaches along Broad Bay, putting in at First Landing State Park. Offered dates: July 7, 19 and 22. The cost of $40 includes boat and additional paddling gear. Among other trips, Tidewater also leads a four-hour paddle around the Goodwin Islands, where the York River meets the Chesapeake Bay. Offered date: July 28. The cost of $50 includes boat and additional paddling gear. SouthEast Expeditions (877-225-2925, http://www.sekayak.com/ ), based in Cape Charles, offers two-hour, half-day, full-day and overnight trips on the Eastern Shore on a reservation basis. Two-hour tours run $35 per person.

INFO: Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau , 800-822-3224, http://www.vbfun.com/ .