Corinthian Yacht Club 43 Main Street • Tiburon • CA 94920

The setting of the Corinthian Yacht Club is truly spectacular. Even its members, who've been coming here for years, never fail to be awed by its sweeping view. It's easily one of the great panoramas in all of California, taking in Tiburon's rustic downtown, the deep waters of Raccoon Strait, Angel Island's wooded profile, the silvery Bay Bridge, the high hills and towers of San Francisco, Alcatraz' ship-like silhouette, and Belvedere Island's leafy slopes and grand mansions. Only steps away, in the club's harbor, spars and spinnakers bob everywhere and there's a steady flow of craft setting out to ply the bay or return home from it.

This beloved Marin landmark—a Colonial Revival building with a shimmering white façade and soaring 40-foot columns—could be tempted to let its prime waterfront address do all the work. But the club has never rested on its scenic laurels. "Location, location and location" is matched with a high level of service, thanks to a cadre of employees who have worked here for years. Their experience shows in their uncanny ability to anticipate guests' needs, providing little touches that may not be much in the larger scheme of things, but are remembered over the years by grateful clients: glasses that get refilled without prompting or perhaps a server conjuring up a special platter of hors d' oeuvres for the couple when they've arrived late to their cocktail hour.

The club welcomes private events hosted by members and non-members alike. Bridal parties can take over the entire second story, an ensemble of four distinctive spaces that flow together beautifully. People love to circulate here, knowing that each area they stroll to presents its own visual reward. Start with the Grand Ballroom, a redwood-paneled room with a 22-foot-high ceiling, large stage for musicians, imposing stone fireplace, and an oak floor that's ready for dancing no matter how you configure the dining tables. The adjoining Sun Porch, which runs along one side of the ballroom, affords unobstructed views of the main dining area as well as a dramatic bay vista through giant picture windows. With such an impressive backdrop, the Sun Porch is also a favorite site for the cake cutting. It accesses an outdoor deck that not only presents a fine harbor and breakwater view, but can function as a bar or reception space, too. Both the deck and Grand Ballroom have doorways to a separate cocktail area with a granite-topped bar and a collection of nautical-motif plaques, pendants and photos that create an enjoyable yacht-club feel.

The Corinthian Yacht Club is a unique Bay Area venue where you don't have to choose between the site and the service—your guests will take away wonderful memories of both.