Quick answer
Arrive early for parking. PJ's take from around the corner: street parking on Cedros and the lot fill up fast. Most shows this week open doors at 7 p.m.; get there before that.
Have a plan B. The city lists business public parking at the Plaza Street lots and the Distillery lot (140 S Sierra Ave, about a 5-minute walk). The COASTER station lot is for transit customers only, so it's the move only if you take the train (parking details).
Eat nearby first. Park once, then walk. Two of PJ's spots, Pillbox Tavern and Saddle Bar, are a 3 to 4 minute walk away on W Plaza St (PJ's spots).
Forgot something? Phone dying? Text PJ. Forgot-it runs, a charged power bank, a jacket from the car. He carries things, not passengers (how it works).
Bring ID. Belly Up is 21 and over, no exceptions.
Know someone who needs this?
Something changed here? Text PJ and we'll update this page.
More free local tools: the North County toolkit.
Latest · auto-checked Oct 6
- NWS: Extreme Heat Warning until Thu Oct 8, 8PM · forecast
- NWS: Beach Hazards Statement until Fri Oct 9, 11PM · forecast
- NWS: Coastal Flood Advisory until Fri Oct 9, 11AM · forecast
- Tonight in Solana Beach: low around 70°F, mostly clear then patchy fog (NWS)
- I-5 South at Leucadia Blvd: 1 of 4 mainline lanes closed, Wed 7:01pm to Thu 12:01am · Caltrans
- I-5 North at Birmingham Dr: 1 of 4 mainline lanes closed, Wed 7:01pm to Thu 12:01am · Caltrans
- I-5 South at Encinitas Blvd: on ramp full closure, Wed 7:01pm to Thu 5:01am · Caltrans
- I-5 North at Santa Fe Dr: on ramp full closure, Wed 7:01pm to Thu 5:01am · Caltrans
- Stay close: The Sand Pebbles (0.4 mi, ~9 min walk) · Courtyard San Diego Solana Beach/Del Mar (0.6 mi, ~11 min walk) · Winner Circle Resort (1.0 mi, ~20 min walk) · book direct for tonight's rate, or text PJ
- COASTER from Solana Beach Station: last train tonight to San Diego 7:41pm · to Oceanside 9:59pm (30 trains today) · NCTD schedule
- Local tip: buying at the Belly Up box office in person skips online fees (per Belly Up's FAQ).
- Tonight at Belly Up: Rickie Lee Jones · tickets from $58.80 (Ticketmaster) · tickets
- Wed Oct 7 at Belly Up: Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Dogo du Togo & The Alagaa Beat Band, DJ Flying Disc · tickets from $44.30 (Ticketmaster) · tickets
- Wed Oct 7 at Belly Up: Seun Kuti · tickets
- Thu Oct 8 at Belly Up: The Wallflowers - Bringing Down The Horse 30th Anniversary Tour w/ The Whitmore Sisters · tickets from $77.55 (Ticketmaster) · tickets
- Fri Oct 9 at Belly Up: Atomic Groove's Ladiez Nite Pink Dance Party Happy Hour · tickets from $17.80 (Ticketmaster) · tickets
Pulled automatically from public feeds (news, NWS, SDG&E, NREL, Google Trends). Something we missed? Text PJ.
The basics
Before you go: Belly Up basics
- Where
- 143 S. Cedros Ave, Solana Beach, CA 92075. From I-5, Belly Up's directions are: exit Lomas Santa Fe, head west, then turn left onto Cedros Ave.
- Age
- 21 and over. Belly Up's FAQ says it "strictly enforce[s] a 21 and over policy at all times, and there are no exceptions." Bring a valid ID.
- Doors
- Each show's page on bellyup.com lists its own show time and doors time. For the shows listed below, doors open 30 to 60 minutes before showtime (most are doors 7 p.m., show 8 p.m.).
- Box office
- In person: Saturday to Thursday from 4 p.m. until closing (or until 5 p.m. if there's no evening show), and Fridays from noon. Phone sales run from noon daily at 858-481-8140. Belly Up's FAQ says buying in person at the box office avoids convenience fees.
- Seats
- Mostly standing room. A limited number of floor seats are first come, first served, and the loft seats on the balcony are the only reserved option. Shows marked "Seated Show" guarantee a seat, but it's still first come for the front rows.
- Stepping out
- Belly Up's FAQ says "leaving the venue to smoke out front is considered as leaving the premises, and there is no re-entry allowed." There's a designated smoking area at the back instead.
As of Oct. 1, 2026, per Belly Up FAQ and the individual show pages on bellyup.com. Policies can change; the box office is the final word.
Parking
Parking: the real story
"Street parking on Cedros and the lot fills up fast, it's all hard."PJ, whose office is around the corner from Belly Up
Belly Up's own FAQ gives driving directions but doesn't cover parking. So the honest plan is: arrive early, know your backup, and walk the last few minutes.
- 1 · Arrive early
- Aim to be parked before doors. If you're eating first, park once near dinner and walk over (see PJ's spots, most are under 10 minutes on foot).
- 2 · City public lots (plan B)
- The City of Solana Beach's public parking lot map marks three lots as "City Operated Lot, Business Public Parking": the Plaza Street North and South lots (listed at 116 N Highway 101) and the Distillery lot (140 S Sierra Ave, about 0.25 mi or a 5-minute walk from Belly Up). They're small, so they fill too. The map is a 2011 inventory the city still links today, so read the posted signs for time limits before you leave the car.
- 3 · The COASTER station lot
- Solana Beach station is at 105 N Cedros Ave, about 0.3 mi or a 7-minute walk from Belly Up. NCTD says parking is free at COASTER stations (except downtown's Santa Fe Depot), but also that "Parking lots are for transit customers use only." Use it if you're actually taking the train, not as a concert lot.
- 4 · Charging a Tesla first?
- The Solana Beach Supercharger is at the Beachwalk center, 437 S Hwy 101, about 0.4 mi or a 9-minute walk from Belly Up. Charge before the show, then park for the night. More in What to do while your Tesla charges in Solana Beach.
Taking the COASTER instead
The last trains stop at Solana Beach earlier than most shows end, except late on Fridays and Saturdays. Here's the last stop at Solana Beach by day, from NCTD's schedule effective Oct. 1, 2026:
| Last train at Solana Beach | Mon–Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northbound (toward Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside) | 9:59 p.m. | 11:19 p.m. | 11:19 p.m. | 9:19 p.m. |
| Southbound (toward Sorrento Valley, Old Town, downtown) | 7:41 p.m. | 9:41 p.m. | 9:41 p.m. | 7:41 p.m. |
With most shows starting at 8 p.m., the train is easiest for getting there. Getting home by train mostly works on the late Friday and Saturday northbound run, if your show's out in time. NCTD also lists BREEZE Routes 101 and 308 at the station; check their schedules for evening times.
As of Oct. 1, 2026, per Belly Up's FAQ, the City of Solana Beach Public Transportation page and its public parking lot map (Exhibit 2-2, draft April 13, 2011), NCTD's stations and parking page, and NCTD's COASTER schedule effective Oct. 1, 2026. Walking distances from OpenStreetMap walking directions from 143 S. Cedros Ave. NCTD says schedules are subject to change.
Eat · drink · hang
Before or after the show: PJ's spots
PJ's list of where people eat and hang before or after a show. We checked each name and address on the business's own site and measured the walk from Belly Up with OpenStreetMap. We don't list hours because they change, so tap through before you go.
Pillbox Tavern
About 0.15 mi · 3-min walk117 W Plaza St, Solana Beach. Its site calls it a "retro modern" beach bar serving Coastal Americana food, above the Fletcher Cove neighborhood.
Saddle Bar
About 0.2 mi · 4-min walk123 W Plaza St, Solana Beach. "Your Solana Beach Local's Bar," per its site, and a spot for sports, live music and DJs.
Rustic Root (Solana Beach)
About 0.35 mi · 8-min walk343 S Highway 101, Suite 100, Solana Beach. New American comfort food. Rustic Root also has a Gaslamp location downtown, so book the Solana Beach one.
Lana
About 0.4 mi · 9-min walk437 S Hwy 101, Suite 601, Solana Beach, in the Beachwalk center. Coastal American dining, and the same center as the Solana Beach Tesla Supercharger.
Brigantine Seafood & Oyster Bar (Del Mar)
A short drive, in Del Mar3263 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar. About 0.9 mi from Belly Up, roughly a 20-minute walk. Brigantine has several locations around San Diego County; Del Mar is the closest one to Belly Up.
Or eat local, PJ-style: Just the Tip, the presold machine-cooked tri-tip club around the corner. First drops open soon; join the list.
As of Oct. 1, 2026, per pillboxtavern.com, thesaddlebar.com, rusticrootsd.com (Solana Beach location), lanasb.com and brigantine.com, Del Mar location. Walking distances and times from OpenStreetMap walking directions from 143 S. Cedros Ave, rounded.
On the calendar
Upcoming shows at Belly Up
Next three weeks at Belly Up, from Ticketmaster and SeatGeek listings, checked Tue Oct 6, 12:33pm PT. Watch links go to each artist's official YouTube channel. Dinner before doors or a drink after: eat and drink nearby. Set times and changes: bellyup.com.
- Tue, Oct 6 Rickie Lee Jones · watch Rickie Lee Jones
- Wed, Oct 7 Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Dogo du Togo & The Alagaa Beat Band, DJ Flying Disc · watch Seun Kuti & Egypt 80
- Thu, Oct 8 The Wallflowers - Bringing Down The Horse 30th Anniversary Tour w/ The Whitmore Sisters
- Fri, Oct 9 Atomic Groove's Ladiez Nite Pink Dance Party Happy Hour
- Fri, Oct 9 The Wallflowers - Bringing Down The Horse 30th Anniversary Tour w/ The Whitmore Sisters
- Sat, Oct 10 Wayward Sons, DJ Mr. 80s
- Sun, Oct 11 Dinosaur Jr. - Fall Tour 2026 with special guest Stef Chura · watch Dinosaur Jr.
- Mon, Oct 12 In Conversation with Davide De Pierro
Making a weekend of it? See This weekend in North County San Diego.
Around the corner
Forgot something? Phone dying? Text PJ
PJ's office is around the corner from Belly Up. He has a Tesla and a street-legal cart, and both carry things, not passengers. If something's missing on show night, text him what you need and where you are. He'll tell you whether he can do it.
- Forgot-it runs: the thing you left at home, at dinner or in the car.
- Charged power banks: phone at 5% before the headliner? Text before it dies.
- A jacket or bag to or from your car: so you're not hauling it all night.
- Food pickup: grab-and-go from nearby, before or after the show.
Things, not passengers. SideGuy picks up and delivers items. It never carries people. And since Belly Up's FAQ says leaving to smoke out front counts as leaving, with no re-entry, text first before you walk out to get something.
Text PJ Your local part-time SideGuy
More: Golf cart vs LSV: what's street legal locally · Solana Beach errand help
Artists & crews
Artists & crews: need a supply run during load-in? Text PJ
Playing Belly Up or working the show and short on something? PJ is a few minutes away and can be your runner for gear and supplies:
- Strings and batteries
- Gaffer tape and cables
- Water and food for the crew
Text a list with what, how many and when you need it, and he'll tell you whether he can get it. PJ is independent and not part of Belly Up's staff.
Need more than a quick run, like tech or setup help that takes a real block of time? That's The SideGuy Hour.
Questions
Is Belly Up 21 and over?
Yes. Belly Up's FAQ says it strictly enforces a 21 and over policy at all times, with no exceptions, so bring a valid ID. The venue is at 143 S. Cedros Ave, Solana Beach, CA 92075.
Where should I park for a Belly Up show?
Arrive early. PJ, whose office is around the corner, says street parking on Cedros and the lot fill up fast. The city's public parking map lists business public parking at the Plaza Street lots (116 N Highway 101) and the Distillery lot (140 S Sierra Ave). The COASTER station lot is free, but NCTD says its station lots are for transit customers only.
Can I take the COASTER to a Belly Up show?
Yes. Solana Beach station, 105 N Cedros Ave, is about a 7-minute walk from Belly Up. Per NCTD's schedule effective Oct. 1, 2026, the latest trains stop at Solana Beach at 11:19 p.m. northbound and 9:41 p.m. southbound, on Fridays and Saturdays only. Other nights the last trains are earlier, so check the schedule against your show.
Can someone bring me something I forgot during a Belly Up show?
Text PJ at 858-461-8054. He's around the corner with a Tesla and a street-legal cart that carry things, not passengers: forgot-it runs, a charged power bank, a jacket or bag to or from your car, or a food pickup. He'll tell you whether he can do it.
Know someone who needs this?
Something changed here? Text PJ and we'll update this page.
More free local tools: the North County toolkit.