Spring Break is almost here, but, unfortunately, not everyone can get out of town for a week of fun in the sun. Many students will still have jobs to contend with, papers to write or simply lack the funds vacations require.

So what to do for Spring Break when stuck in plain ol’ Sacramento? One solution is to make the rounds on the local bar scene. If nothing else, that at least affords students the opportunity to drink away their sorrows of not being able to participate in that wet T-shirt contest in Cancun.

Sacramento offers a broad selection of “dive” bars. Dictionary.com defines a dive as “a dingy or disreputable bar or nightclub.” While that description might conjure up cinematic images of seedy saloons filled with human vipers just itching to break beer bottles in half and start a brawl, the widely-held definition of a dive is far less ominous. The term is generally applied to a bar that has a low-key and relaxed atmosphere and lacks a flashy ambiance.

One such dive is The Golden Bear on K and 23rd Streets. The bar attracts a diverse crowd and provides a pleasant environment to chat with friends for hours on end, with front and back patios equipped with benches, tables and heating lamps. The drinks are reasonably priced and DJs are on hand most nights to give aural pleasure by playing an eclectic mix of music.

Old Ironsides (or “Old I,” as the hipsters call it) is another great Sacramento dive. The site of Lipstick, a popular weekly dance night held every Tuesday, “Old I” has a fairly spacious and lived-in interior. There is a sprawling bar on the right-hand side of the building, facing a series of restaurant-style booths in which patrons can drink comfortably.

To the left is the dance area, an open ballroom of sorts that can house a large number of people in the mood to shake their respective groove things. Against the far wall of the room is an elevated stage upon which bands perform on certain nights. When bands are not playing, the stage is the spot where the bar’s most prolific dancers invariably end up.

“Old I” is senior Jennifer Santos’ favorite dive. “It plays great music,” Santos, a communications studies major, said. “You can go and relax and have great times with friends.”

Socal’s Tavern on 52nd Street and Folsom Boulevard is another dive Santos frequents. “It’s a great place that doesn’t get the credit it’s due,” she said. “Similar to ‘Old I,’ it has a ton of history. It has a jukebox, patio, pool, shuffleboard, hot wings and the funniest bartender you’ll ever meet.”

Old Tavern on 20th and O Streets is another popular Sacramento dive. The bar offers a pool table, shuffleboard and a back patio. It is praised by junior Todd Osterhout, a music major, because “they have cheap Arrogant Bastard (Ale).”

Of course, students looking for fancier and more lavish nighttime destinations are hardly out of luck. The Sacramento area has an assortment of upscale bars for patrons to set their sights on.

Marilyn’s, on K and 9th Streets, is a very classy joint. Entering from the street, patrons must first descend a flight of stairs into a courtyard. There they will find the true entrance to the building. The bar’s interior is quite expansive, with a large stage area for bands to perform. The bar’s website describes it as “an urban oasis,” with a “nook” area outfitted with a plush sofa and chairs. Outside, there is garden seating with fountains.

Junior Sarah Kay Hannon, a journalism major, praised the bar. “It has a good feel,” Hannon said. “I like the fact that they have live local shows.”

Another upscale establishment downtown is R15, located, not coincidentally, at R and 15th Streets. Adopting an almost postmodern decor, with patrons bathed in red overhead lighting, R15’s look is seemingly more befitting a nightclub than a bar.

R15 offers much in the way of entertainment, including several plasma-screen TVs located throughout the bar, pool tables and game rooms where patrons can play Xbox games. A DJ booth is located on the second floor of the bar, as is the Skyy Boxx, a sort of VIP room that overlooks the bar.

Finally, there is Ink, a restaurant/bar on N and 28th Streets with an upscale vibe. Ink has eye-catching tattoo art adorning the walls, an appetizing menu and a very elegant bar. Though seating is limited inside Ink, it has become quite a hot spot on Friday and Saturday nights because it remains open until 4 a.m.

Megan Weeden, a junior photography major, spent her 21st birthday at Ink. “I like the look of it. It’s laid-back, but pretty,” Weeden said. “They have fun drinks there.”

So whether your tastes tend to run on the classier side or remain more earthbound, Sacramento’s bar scene has a little something for everyone. It’s not the white, sandy beaches of Cancun, but it will provide something fun to do until school is back in session.

Brandon Wolfe can be reached at [email protected]