Many Ways to Dance the Night Away

Skirts twirling. Heads bobbing. Slippers gliding. Whether it’s square, rock or ballroom dancing, people are moving to the music at bars, clubs, hotels and restaurants throughout North County.

Some establishments offer a different kind of music and dance for every night of the week.

Big dance floors are at a premium in North County, though. Leo’s Little Bit O’ Country in San Marcos sports the largest floor at more than 2,500 square feet, but La Costa Hotel and Spa and the Belly Up Tavern also win high marks for space and danceable atmosphere.

Kyle Webb, who teaches jitterbug, swing and ballroom dancing, has waltzed across most of North County’s dance floors, but only a few floors have impressed him.

“The Vista Woman’s Clubhouse has one heck of a dance floor,” Webb said. “It’s a beautiful floor, just made for dancing. It’s immaculate and wooden and big. You could have a ball there.”

In a class by itself is The Belly Up Tavern, North County’s premiere nightclub. Once a hangout for blue collar workers to play chess and listen to taped music, The Belly Up now books live national and local music acts and holds mass appeal.

The converted Quonset hut in Solana Beach turns 17 years old next month. It caters to a large swing dance crowd early every evening, and later in the night makes use of its 600-person capacity for crowds interested in rock, blues, soul and jazz.

People take the dance floor at Belly Up very seriously. In this month’s issue of the nightclub’s newsletter, owner Dave Hodges wrote an open letter thanking patrons for their many suggestions about how to deal with the new finish on the hardwood dance floor, which did not dry as hard or as quickly as promised.

There also are scores of smaller floors that dot North County’s dance scene.

Sometimes there is no specific dance floor at all. At the Inn L’Auberge in Del Mar, for example, people dance cheek to cheek to slow tunes in the hotel’s dimly lit lobby.

And, if the bar-restaurant scene does not provide the atmosphere or type of dance you’re looking for, there are many clubs that offer kinship and exercise.

Here is a sampling of the foot fare going down under the stars in North County:

BALLROOM/SOCIAL

Inn L’Auberge Del Mar, 1540 Camino del Mar, Del Mar. Call 259-1515. Dinner dancing in the lobby Friday and Saturday nights.

Stoneridge Country Club, 17166 Stoneridge Country Club Lane, Poway. Call 487-2138. Ballroom dancing from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Vista Ballroom Dancers, Vista Woman’s Clubhouse, 1375 Oak Drive, Vista. Call 744-9628. The group is host to a dance from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. on the first, third and fifth Saturdays of the month. Dancing includes fox trot, swing, waltz, rumba and cha cha.

CONTEMPORARY/TOP 40s

Borrelli’s Back Room, 2677 Vista Way, Oceanside. Call 721-5400. Dancing to Top 40s tunes Tuesdays, Thursday-Saturday.

Carlos Murphy’s, 240 E. Via Rancho Parkway, Suite A-1, Escondido. Call 489-5932. Dancing Thursday-Saturday.

Carmel Highland Golf & Tennis Resort, Pebble Eagle Lounge, 14455 Penasquitos Drive, Rancho Penasquitos. Call 672-9100. Dancing from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Coco Palms, 1950 N. Highway 101, Encinitas. Call 942-1444. Disc jockey spins Top 40 dance music from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Thursdays.

Distillery East (Teen Dance Club), 775 Metcalf, Escondido. Call 741-9393.

Fireside Lounge, 439 W. Washington Ave., Escondido. Call 745-1931. Dancing to contemporary tunes at 8 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday and at 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Del Mar Hilton, Derby Lounge & Oyster Bar, 15575 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. Call 792-5200. Dancing to live Top 40s music from 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesdays.

Jolly Roger, 1900 N. Harbor Drive, Oceanside. Call 722-1831. Dancing from 8:30 p.m. to midnight Wednesday-Saturday.

The Mission Inn, 502 E. Mission Road, San Marcos. Call 471-2939. Contemporary music offered at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Pala Mesa Resort, 2001 Old Highway 395, Fallbrook. Call 728-5881. Dancing to contemporary tunes from 7 to 11 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

COUNTRY

Del Dios Country Store, 20154 Lake Drive, Escondido. Call 745-2733. Dancing to live music from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 5 to 8 p.m. Sundays. Dance lessons are held 3 to 5 p.m. Sundays. Dinner reservations required Fridays and Saturdays.

The Earthquake Cafe, 1020-110 San Marcos Blvd., San Marcos. Call 471-1222. Every Monday at 8 p.m., KOWF FM (92.1) radio hosts country dancing to a live band. Dance lessons are held from 6 to 7 p.m.

Leo’s Little Bit O’ Country, 680 W. San Marcos Blvd., San Marcos. Call 744-4120. The two-step, 10-step and country waltzes to live music are offered every night of the week except Monday, when the club is closed. Dancing begins at 8:30 p.m. nightly. Joel Reese Band also performs at 4 p.m. Sundays. Call for times of dance lessons.

Oakvale Lodge, 14900 Oakvale Road, Escondido. Call 749-3193. Line dancing and couple’s two-step to live music from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays and from 4 to 11 p.m. Sundays. Dance lessons offered from 6:30-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and from 2 to 4 p.m. Sundays.

The Pomerado Club, 12237 Old Pomerado Road, Poway. Call 748-1135. The two-step waltz and swing dancing offered at 8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; at 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Dance lessons offered at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and at 7:30 p.m. Saturdays.

Ron’s Red Eye Saloon, 1448 S. Mission Road, Fallbrook. Call 728-9956. Country-Western dancing offered every Friday and Saturday.

Smitty’s Downtown, 119 E. Broadway, Vista. Call 724-0510. Country dancing to live music at 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 7 p.m. Sundays. Dance lessons at 5 p.m. Sundays.

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL

Acapulco Restaurant, 16785 Bernardo Center Drive, Rancho Bernardo. Call 487-6701. Dancing every night.

Acapulco Restaurant, 1020 W. San Marcos Blvd., San Marcos. Call 471-2150. Dancing every night.

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Call 481-9022. Dancing to live music offered several times a week.

Borrelli’s Back Room, 2677 Vista Way, Oceanside. Call 721-5400. Dancing to rock ‘n’ roll and Top 40 tunes Tuesdays and Thursday-Saturday.

The Earthquake Cafe, 1020-110 San Marcos Blvd., San Marcos. Call 471-1222. Dancing at 9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Disc jockey Rockin’ Roger takes requests for dance music Fridays and Saturdays.

El Comal, 12845 Poway Road, Poway. Call 486-1010. Dancing to live music Friday and Saturday nights.

Fogerty’s Pub, 245 W. El Norte Parkway, Escondido. Call 743-9141. Dancing to live rock ‘n’ roll begins at 9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday.

The French Connection, 9823 Carroll Canyon Road, Scripps Miramar Ranch. Call 566-4000. Dancing to live music at 8 p.m. Thursdays, 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Full Moon Saloon & Nightclub, 485 First St., Encinitas. Call 436-7397. Disc jockey spins rock ‘n’ roll and rhythm and blues dance music nightly except Thursday when a live band performs.

Henry’s, 264 Elm St., Carlsbad. Call 729-9244. Old time ‘50s and ‘60s rock ‘n’ roll performed by a live band at 9 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday.

Pounders, 125 W. Grand Ave., Escondido. Call 739-1288. Live rock ‘n’ roll and heavy metal every night.

Poway Mine Company, 12375 Poway Road, Poway. Call 748-7296. Dancing to live music Thursday-Saturday.

Ralph and Eddies, 390 Grand Ave., Carlsbad. Call 729-2989. Dancing to live rock ‘n’ roll at 9 p.m. nightly. Thursday is reggae night.

The Sand Bar and Restaurant, 3878 Carlsbad Blvd., Carlsbad. Call 729-3170. Dancing to live music at 9 p.m. nightly.

SQUARE/FOLK DANCING

The Boots & Slippers Square Dance Club of Fallbrook holds lessons and dances at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Sheridan Hall, St. Peters Church, 450 S. Stagecoach Lane, Fallbrook. First class is free. Each additional class is $3. Call 728-9269.

The Leather & Lace Squares hold dances from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Grange Hall, 1050 S. Santa Fe, Vista. Cost is $2.50 a person. Call 941-1169.

The North San Diego County Folk Dancers meet at 7:30 p.m. Fridays at Vista Grange Hall, 1050 S. Santa Fe., Vista. No experience or partners necessary. Cost is $3.50 a person. Call 743-5927.

The Ocean Wavers Square Dancers holds beginner lessons from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and dancing from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. Thursdays at the Vista Woman’s Clubhouse, 1375 Oak Drive, Vista. Cost is $2.50 a person for each lesson and $3 a person for the dance. Call 724-7651.

The Seaside Twirlers offers beginning lessons from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Thursdays at Lincoln Junior High School, 2000 California St., Oceanside. Call Peggy Thompson at 931-9506 evenings.

For further information on square dance clubs in North County, contact the Palomar Square Dance Assn. at 743-4155.

SWING/JITTER BUG

Belly Up Tavern, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach. Call 481-9022. Different swing bands perform from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Admission is $2.

Del Mar Hilton, Derby Lounge & Oyster Bar, 15575 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar. Call 792-5200. Swing dancing to live music offered from 8 p.m. to midnight Thursdays, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

La Costa Hotel & Spa, Costa Del Mar Road, Carlsbad. Call 438-9111. Dancing to live Big Band and jazz music from 8 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Tuesday-Saturday in the Tournament of Champions Lounge. Admission is free, but there is a two-drink minimum.

The Mission Inn, 502 E. Mission Road, San Marcos. Call 471-2939. Dance to live Big Band music from 7 to 11 p.m. Wednesdays.

North County Jitterbug and Swing in Escondido has a variety of West Coast swing, jitterbug and ballroom classes available throughout North County. For a complete schedule of classes, call 489-9154.