You can tell the seasons on Balboa Island by the icons. Right now the island is decorated with big, red hearts. They hang from banners at houses on the Bayfront strand and at shops on Marine Avenue. The cookies in shop windows have red frosting and heart shapes, and there are many gifts that contain the heart theme-most of them are for women.

One shirt on a rack of clothes on the sidewalk next to a shop says "I Love (heart-shape for the word ‘love') Me". Women's stacked high heels with tiny red hearts, a white satin blouse adorned with little pink hearts, gift cards at Martha's Book Store, and posters of flyers in nearly every restaurant, each with a red heart advertising Valentine's dining specials such as prime rib ($20) at Village Inn Restaurant all entice shoppers & diners to participate in Valentine's Day held on Monday, Feb. 14, 2011.

When visiting Orange County beaches, be sure to make Balboa Island a pit stop for interesting sites, sounds, and foods that entice. Who knows what's in store for the island on St. Patrick's Day? Here's a list of restaurants on the island.