Will this be your first bike or have you been riding awhile? If it's your first, it is difficult to get the right bike without riding experience and I'd suggest lowering your budget and saving the rest for a 2nd bike when you know what you want.
To answer your question more directly, I'd look for a hybrid with no suspension that can fit at least 40mm width tires. I prefer steel so of my choices would be a Marin Muirwoods or Jamis Sequel. However, other notable options are the Trek FX, Specialized Sirrus, Giant Escape / Fastroad and Jamis Coda. These bikes have different component levels at different prices.