Valentine's Day is Wednesday and you're single. What can you do about it?

If you are looking for a special someone, here's some advice from the experts on navigating the maze of love.

Hunt for a date or hide from the world?

Many experts say this is a great time to find a mate, although they have some notes of caution.

Sheryl Kurland, author of "Everlasting Matrimony: Pearls of Wisdom from Couples Married 50 Years or More," found in her research that most of the 75 couples she interviewed met around holidays like Valentine's Day.

"If someone is having a Valentine's Day party, go for it - every event is an opportunity to meet someone," she said.

About.com dating expert Jeff Cohen thinks Feb. 14 is one of the best days to meet people.

"Everybody you approach that day is single, otherwise they would be with their partner," he said.

Stacy Kaiser, dating expert and regular on "The Tyra Banks Show," agreed that this can be a great time, but with a caveat.

"You have to be careful, because it's also a desperate time for people," she said. "People are feeling this urgency to find someone, just for the sake of having the Valentine's Day romance."

The right places

Dr. Sari Locker, a relationship columnist for Maxim magazine, advises singles to join groups or take part in activities they enjoy where they could meet someone who shares that interest. Or if you're looking for someone in a certain occupation, go to where that person might be.

"If you want to marry a doctor, eat lunch in the hospital cafeteria and strike up a conversation with anyone with a stethoscope," she said.

Cohen advises finding a party on Wednesday.

"If you look around, plenty of bars will hold singles parties on Valentine's Day," he said. "I also used to throw parties ... and invite all my single friends to get together, and there are a lot of places that do singles weekend getaways at this time."

Then again, any place can be the right place. Kaiser has a friend who stops her car if she sees someone attractive and hands over her business card.

"She has had lots of dates," said Kaiser.

The important thing is to get out there.

"Guys do not line up at my front door, unbelievably," joked author Carole Brody Fleet.

The approach: Don't be afraid

This is the part where most people get stuck, say the experts - making the first contact. Whether you are a man or a woman, it's a necessary evil.

"Courage isn't something you can just grow inside of you," said Kaiser. "You have to take the risk. It's about starting a conversation. If they are interested, you will get a sense. Be relaxed about it. People pick up on nervousness, and that is a turn-off."

Flirting is good, for men and women, but leave the pickup lines at home.

"Forget about 'What's your sign' or any of those cheesy lines; ask a relevant question," said Locker. "Use an open-ended question that fits a situation. If you are in a book store, ask if there's a book he recommends. You don't want to say, 'Excuse me, Do you have the time?' That is not going to get you very far."

And don't be afraid to ask someone out.

"People are afraid to say 'What are you up to tomorrow night?' because it seems forward," said Cohen. "You are looking at this person because you are interested. You need to get the information as to whether they are dating someone, so why not ask the question?"

If you're hoping someone will ask you the question, look approachable. Project confidence and stop worrying about your flaws - chances are, you are the only one noticing them anyway.

"A smile will win somebody over every time," Fleet said.

In the end, either gender can make the approach. While Cohen finds men do most of the asking, a survey he ran on About.com asked men: How would you feel if a woman asked you out? More than 1,000 men answered, with 70 percent responding positively. Another 20 percent said it would depend on whether the woman is attractive.

The result: Date, mate or draw?

Finding someone isn't the ultimate victory here. It's the pursuit that brings you closer to your goal.

"Don't give up: All you need is one person," Kaiser said.

The experts also say that singles should never think there's no one out there for them. "Make it known you are looking around," Kurland said. "Just being a little bit assertive is going to help you find that special person."

Looking for love? Here's some strategy:

* Know who you are and what your values are. Have a clear picture of the life you must live to be fulfilled. What sort of life will you look back on and say you have no regrets?

* Define clearly who you're looking for - the qualities your mate must possess.

* Get out there.

* Don't wait - to buy a house, take a trip, study painting, whatever. Be engaged in your life.

* The minute you know someone isn't right for you, let him go.

Source: Local relationship coach Karen Jones

Where to meet people

Here are some expert tips for where your odds are good of meeting someone with similar interests:

* Volunteer at a local hospital or soup kitchen

* Sip on lattes at your local coffee place

* Wander the aisles at the local book store

* Join a club or organization

* Take up a hobby you've always wanted to try, such as pottery, bowling, photography

* Sign up for an adult education class or one-day workshop

* Roam the shopping mall

* Visit the Laundromat

* Browse the aisles of a health food store or grocery store

* Take in the art at a museum

* Roam around the zoo

* Enjoy an outdoor concert

* Join an online chat room that focuses on a topic of interest

* Keep fit at a health club or sporting facility

* Attend a conference, convention or lecture on a cultural topic

How to flirt

"Some people think flirting means to pick people up and that is not what it is about," said love coach Robin Gorman Newman, founder of International Flirt Week. "It's really about catching people's eye. It's a 'how-to' for people that I think is very practical. "

Here are her tips:

* Have a prop: Props come in many sizes in shapes - a pin, a T-shirt with an interesting slogan, a tie or a dog. The point is to catch someone's eye.

* Make the connection: Make direct eye contact and smile so that it becomes clear that you are trying to get the person's attention.

* Use body language: Don't stand with your arms crossed staring down at the floor or into space. You should either keep your arms at your side or hold a drink and look about the room, prepared to make eye contact with an interesting stranger.

* Don't surround yourself with friends. That's a good way to scare someone off, because it can be tough to break into a group.

* Go for the compliment or chuckle: If you can make the other person feel good about himself or enjoy your sense of humor, you will be all the more appealing.

* Put on your listening cap: Be inquisitive enough so that you engage the other person in conversation, but you don't want to ask for the "verbal resume." Focus your attention on her so that she feels as though she is the only other person in the room.

How they met

Sheryl Kurland interviewed 75 couples for her book "Everlasting Matrimony: Pearls of Wisdom from Couples Married 50 Years or More." Here's how a sampling of them met:

* The double-blind date: Two friends of the opposite sex set each other up with dates. Those two friends end up with no one, but their dates fell in love with each other.

* Lemons from lemonade: A man was stood up at a restaurant. He approached a woman sitting by herself, and the rest is history.

r Love in the office: One coworker asked another for the number of any single girls who might want to go out. He got two telephone numbers. He called the first and never needed to call the second because they fell in love.

* Use your siblings: A girl was visiting her sister in college. In the dorm hallway, she met a guy visiting his sister. They were engaged three days later and have been together 50 years.

* Fate happens: A guy had a date for a dance, but she got appendicitis. At the last minute, he was fixed up by a friend and ended up marrying the fix-up.

* Picnic fun: A guy went to a picnic and saw a cute girl. He took a fork and poked her with it. Both laughed, and they're still together today.

The moral: Love happens in unexpected places and ways.

Source: Author Sheryl Kurland

Tips for a first date

Consider these safety tips from our dating experts:

* Make sure to meet in a public place;

* Drive yourself rather than riding in the other person's car;

* Make a first meeting a brief one;

* Be sure to tell a friend or relative where you are going and with whom (including the date's telephone number).

Source: Relationship expert Stacy Kaiser

What to wear when you're out looking

Be yourself. If you're a guy who normally wears khakis, don't show up in a three-piece suit.

If you're a woman, don't put on your spikiest heels, lowest-cut shirt or shortest skirt, if that is not something you'd normally wear.

Don't wear sweats, either. Choose something you feel like yourself in, but yourself at your best.

Source: Dr. Sari Locker, advice columnist

Meet the experts

Love coach Karen Jones of Lawrence founded the site "The Heart Matters" (www.theheartmatters.com) and is certified by the Relationship Coaching Institute.

Carole Brody Fleet of California is the author of the forthcoming books, "Widows Wear Stilettos: A Practical and Emotional Guide for the Young Widow" and "Widows Wear Stilettos: The Answer Book.".She was widowed in 2000 at age 40.

Jeff Cohen of New Jersey is About.com's guide to dating and the author of "Dating Inc."

Robin Gorman Newman of New York is the author of "How to Marry a Mensch (decent person)" and founder of LoveCoach.com.

Stacy Kaiser of California is a regular on "The Tyra Banks Show" and a dating service consultant. In March, she joins the VH1 show, "Celebrity Fit Club" as a psychotherapist.

Sheryl Kurland of Florida wrote "Everlasting Matrimony: Pearls of Wisdom from Couples Married 50 Years or More" and has been married for 17 years. She's been featured on "The Dr. Laura Show," "The Sally Jessy Raphael Show" and "The Leeza Gibbons Show."

Dr. Sari Locker of New York is an author and relationship expert who writes an advice column for Maxim magazine.