Hi Chris
I would suggest you go for a "bridge" camera. Generally speaking they pack SLR type controls and a huge zoom range into a relatively compact body and you can get a lot for the higher end of your budget.
Have a look at things like the
Canon Powershot SX120 IS,
Canon Powershot SX20 IS,
Fuji FinePix S2000 HD and the
Olympus SP-590UZ.
If you would prefer something smaller the best 2 compact superzoom type cameras on the market are the
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 and the
Canon Powershot SX200 IS