I can highly recommend the LabX-USB board from ME Labs. It is set up for the 18f4550, so you can develop USB applications, it has RS-232 on board, and you can add things like Dallas 1-wire temperature sensors, etc. It has sixteen push buttons on it, so you can set up your keypad project right off the bat. It works with the EPIC programmer, but when I got my new computer I upgraded to the USB programmer, and am very happy with it. (It's getting hard to find an LPT port anymore.) The EPIC plugs right into the development board, you don't have to remove the chip to program it. I do like Melanie suggested, I output to the LCD to debug my programs, and there are a few LED's on the board if you just want to toggle something. I usually use one for a 'heart-beat' so I can tell if I screwed up and confused the microprocessor!

For quick one-off projects I like ME Labs proto-boards. I have one I put a ZIF socket on that I can put little chips like the 16f88 in if I want to try something fast and easy. Hope this helps.

Jerry.