ESCAPE KEYS

Williamsburg, Va.

GETTING THERE: From Washington, Williamsburg is a 2 1/2-hour drive down I-95 to I-295 south, bypassing Richmond, to I-64 east. At Exit 242A, follow Route 199 west to the first light; Kingsmill's entrance is on the left. The resort, next to Busch Gardens, is a few minutes from Colonial Williamsburg.

STAYING THERE: Kingsmill Resort & Spa (800-832-5665, http://www.kingsmill.com/ ) offers packages with an emphasis on golf, tennis or spa services, as well as a two-night family package that costs $659 for two adults and two kids. The family deal includes admission to Busch Gardens (open on weekends through October) and Colonial Williamsburg, plus free transportation to both. The standard rooms are about the size you'd expect at a roadside Hampton Inn, though with more upscale accouterments. A couples package, Suite Romance, features a larger room for $750 for two nights, including one room-service breakfast and one dinner.

EATING THERE: In addition to the two high-end restaurants, Eagles and Bray Bistro (where entree prices can soar beyond $30), there's a more moderately priced, family-oriented Italian eatery called Regattas, offering pizza, pasta and other dishes closer to the $10 to $15 range. There's also the Marina Bar & Grille, a pretty and moderately priced spot on the waterfront, where you can get a lobster roll and a glass of wine and watch the James River flow by.

The breakfast at Eagles is a greasy affair; we saw several customers summon waiters to complain about their meals. None of the Kingsmill restaurants is cheap, and the standard rooms do not have refrigerators, but the resort lies just a few minutes from Williamsburg, where all manner of dining options abound.

KID STUFF: In addition to all the activities open to adults, Kingsmill offers a Kid's Kamp for children ages 5 to 12 (full day, $45; half-day, $30), a Kid's Night Out program (ages 4 to 12; four hours for $40) so couples may dine on their own, and separate spa programs for little kids (an evening featuring a facial, nail care and a foot bath; 90 minutes for $40) and teenagers (massages, facials, pedicures, manicures at varying prices for ages 12 to 16, but a parent must be present). There are also junior golf and tennis clinics and camps.

INFO: Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance , 800- 899-9462, http://www.visitwilliamsburg.com/ .