You may want to give the folks at Orion telescopes a try.
[url]www.telescope.com/cgi-bin/OrionTel.storefront/3cdd683706e85feafe55c0a80a650704/Catalog/AM[/url]
They've got good scopes for the money. I do not own any of these scopes but I've bought some of my optics from them and I've been pleased with what I got.
Another place to check out is:
[url]http://www.astroptx.com/[/url]
I have ordered scopes from them and I,ve been very pleased with the service I got and they also sell used stuff( telescopes, spotters, eyepieces, tripods, binoculars, ect, ect, )
But you got'a call for prices on some stuff.
The scopes that I have range from a 60mm Bushnell Spacemaster (15x-45x zoom) to a 200mm Schmidt Cassegrain telescope ( a Celestron C8 with a fork mount ) and a couple of Maksutov Cassegrains ( 90mm Celestron and a 127mm Meade ).
IMHO, a good "mak" is better( to MY eyes at least )than a good spotting scope that you would find in a sporting goods store( exept for the high-end/high-dollar ones of coarse). On the other hand, a rubber armoured spotter can take rough handeling ALOT better ( drops and some kicking around ) than most "maks".
See if you can get a scope that will accept different power eyepieces. Zoom lenses are OK, but the GOOD ones start at $160.00!
Just my $.02