• grunge, women dancing image by dip from Fotolia.com
  
  Orange County, California, might be only a short 40-minute drive from wild nightlife in Los Angeles, but those who know the OC know that that 40 minutes is too much of a hassle. There's no reason to travel outside of the beach cities, anyway, when there are plenty of hot nightclubs within the county's 34 cities. A few of the best are located closest to the beach and offer something for both the college kids and the working rich and everyone in between.
  
  

Bar 330

• Located near the Edwards Cinema on the trendy Birch St. Promenade, Bar 330 fits the scene and allows a space for anyone walking along the promenade to enjoy what they want. Whether you want to dance to what the DJ is spinning, play pool, or watch sports, Bar 330 has it. Hip-hop, house, and reggae are what you'll likely hear, except on theme nights, which can focus on anything from 70s disco to 50s doo-wop. The bar serves food and drinks in all price ranges.
  
  Bar 330
  330 W. Birch St.
  Birch Street Promenade
  Brea, CA 92821
  (714) 256-9986
  
  

Mosun & Club M

• Thanks to its location in the popular Laguna Beach, girls with fake accessories and botox make it the place to be Friday and Saturday nights. Mosun & Club M is an "and" for a reason--a sushi restaurant and club combined. The modern Asian style is reflected in both the restaurant and club, and the combination makes it easy to move seamlessly from enjoying dinner to enjoying dancing to hip-hop, techno, and top 40 hits. There is a $10 cover charge to get inside.
  
  Mosun & Club M
  680 S. Pacific Coast Hwy.
  Laguna Beach, CA 92651
  (949) 497-5646
  
  

Red Night Club (formerly Tentation)

• Another club by another popular beach, Red Night Club offers a swanky place to spend your weekend nights away from the tensions of the work week. This club brings in upper-class folks wishing to experience a night of dancing and drinking. The bar plays hip-hop, house, and top 40 and there is a $20 cover charge to get inside. The bar does feature a full, fine-dining menu.
  
  Red Night Club
  4647 Macarthur Blvd.
  Newport Beach, CA 92660
  (949) 660-1010
  http://www.rednightclub.com/
  
  

Shark Club

• A club in South Orange County that is not too upscale for college kids and anyone else wanting a place to go on Friday night is the Shark Club. This down-to-earth club is located in a warehouse setting, featuring a large shark tank in the midst of the area with a dance floor on one side and pool tables on the other. The club has something for everyone, including a fireplace to relax and hang out with friends after a long work week. There's also a complimentary buffet for everyone to enjoy, along with a broad menu to order what you want directly. There's a $15 cover charge on Fridays and a $20 cover charge on Saturdays.
  
  Shark Club
  841 Baker St.
  Costa Mesa, CA 92626
  (714) 751-6428
  http://www.sharkclub.com/