Sometimes we just want kick back, get our groove on or shake what our mommas gave us without worrying about any sort of pesky cover charge. Luckily for the thrifty-yet-frisky amongst us, Boston has a great selection of hot dance clubs where free is the name of the game. So kick up those heels and close up that wallet;  here are some of the city’s best options to dance the night away, all at a price you can afford.

Red Sky
16-18 North St.
Boston, MA 02109
617-742-3333
www.redskyboston.com

Operating as a well-rounded, welcoming place for Boston’s expanding cultural demographic, Red Sky captures the chill nightclub atmosphere of a New York City venue while retaining all of the hometown simplicity for which Boston has become famous over the years. Whether it’s dancing to the hottest DJ-spun hits after dark or enjoying a nice meal accompanied by a stiff drink or comforting ale, Red Sky has proven to be a solid nighttime hotspot for business types, locals and tourists alike. Best of all, there’s never a cover on Thursday or Friday nights, so feel free to come on down and see exactly what Red Sky has to offer.

Related: Boston’s Best Live Latin Music

Clerys Boston
113 Dartmouth St.
Boston, MA. 02116
617-262-9874
www.clerysboston.com

There is usually quite the line curving around Clerys on a Friday or Saturday night, and with good reason, for this Back Bay destination holds the proud distinction of never charging a cover to any of its 400+ strong number of dedicated regulars. Indeed, Clerys is a popular hotspot for those seeking to dance on a dime, without having to worry about harassing clientele, uncomfortable surroundings or a $10 cover. Instead, Clerys provides plenty of downstairs dancing space in contrast to the comparatively chilled and laid back lounge area upstairs. Whether you’re seeking an after-work drink or a late night, weekend dance-a-thon, you’d be severely remiss to not give Clerys a shot at the title.

Related: Boston’s Best Live Blues

Joshua Tree
1314 Commonwealth Ave.
Allston, MA 02134
617-566-6699
joshuatreeallston.com

While Allston’s own Joshua Tree (as opposed to the iconic album of the same name by influential Irish rockers, U2) would better be classified as a sports bar than your typical dance joint, the downstairs dancing area is large enough to allow plenty of foot stomping and fist pumping. Joshua Tree proper provides plenty o’ pub-styled grub to feed sweaty, post-dance appetites till the wee hours of the morn’. The Joshua Tree staff is well equipped for birthdays, bachelor parties and get-togethers of all shapes and sizes, while the aforementioned downstairs area hosts college and DJ nights from the likes of 6one7 Productions, Top Shelf Entertainment, DJ Niso and Dj el Sid, all without ever having to worry about a cover charge.

Storyville
90 Exeter St.
Boston, MA. 02116
617-236-1134
www.storyvilleboston.com

Storyville is a unique night life entity for the Boston crowd–this upscale club embraces the cool-as-a-cucumber speakeasy aesthetic of the Prohibition era and drags it, kicking and screaming, into the millennium with wondrous results. Although chilled and relaxed for the most part (look out for Dub Apocalypse, a Wednesday night tradition featuring the city’s best professional musicians unleashing a psychedelic jazz/funk/soul onslaught), Storyville also provides a solid dance club environment, free from congestion while always keeping things hoppin’ with the latest pop hits. This Boston joint with a Nawlins soul is also well known for the culinary skills of Chef Louis DiBiccari, and offers all this with no cover, so why not deviate from the norm and try something new this weekend?

The Green Dragon Tavern
11 Marshall St.
Boston, MA.
617-367-0055
greendragonboston.com

Though falsely boasting Revolutionary connections to Paul Revere, John Hancock and Daniel Webster may not win this pub any points, The Green Dragon Tavern is related (at least in spirit) to the original, but now demolished, Green Dragon Tavern of the 1700s. Just as the original was utilized by Freemasons and declared “The Headquarters of the Revolution” by historians, so too does our own Green Dragon do its best to ply its patrons with hearty, stick to your ribs pub food, ice cold beers and, of course, a dance floor to let fly your freedom-given right to dance. Although the occasional live music act may or may not bring with it a cover, for ordinary dancing, dining and drinking The Green Dragon is a fee-less option for a night out in the Faneuil Hall area of Boston.

George Pacheco has been writing professionally about arts and entertainment for over a decade. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, George currently resides in a humble New England home with his wife, cat and massive music and film collection. His work can be found at Examiner.com.