If you find yourself driving in Tiburon along the main boulevard, you may catch a glimpse of a bright yellow Victorian with a mansard-capped cupola sitting on a coastal bluff. If you stop for a better look you will be rewarded for your curiosity, as you discover the historic Lyford House set on a spectacular coastal wildlife sanctuary owned by the National Audubon Society.

Built in the 1870s as the main residence of a dairy farm on neighboring Strawberry Point, Lyford House was barged over to its present site in 1957 after local conservationists saved it from the wrecker's ball. The house has since become an increasingly popular location for small exclusive weddings, corporate retreats and other events. It is a perfect place for anyone seeking "civilized country charm.

Located on a grassy meadow at the edge of Richardson Bay, this Registered Historical Landmark offers perhaps the best publicly accessible view of the Bay in Marin County. Visitors standing on the bricked terrace that flanks the east and south sides of Lyford House can take in a spectacular panorama that includes San Francisco from downtown to the Marina, Angel Island, Belvedere, and Sausalito. Though it's only one-mile from the North Bay's major freeway, and six miles by water from one of the world's great cities, it is a world apart.

Guests can enjoy the tucked-away quiet and the mingled smells of saltwater, the marsh and meadow. Folks who like to stretch their legs during a meeting or reception can do just that: short walks around the property, enhanced by compelling views, refresh and inspire. A favorite jaunt is beyond the terrace, where the property descends 20 feet over small bluffs to the Bay. A stairway leads down to a 100-yard stretch of beach, the kind of place for slow strolls, conversations and spontaneous attempts to skip stones on the usually tranquil water.

Events are held on the terrace and meadow. Two pairs of large French doors connect the terrace to the adjoining dining room, which serves as a convenient buffet service site. While guests help themselves to the buffet, they can admire the polished hardwood floor, Victorian-era furniture, and signature Audubon prints.

Because Lyford House is part of an official Audubon bird sanctuary, visitors here shouldn't be surprised to see egrets, ducks, sandpipers and the occasional hawk. These feathered party crashers may not fly in with a formal invitation, but everyone seems to appreciate their graceful presence. To protect the wildlife sanctuary, the number of large events allowed is limited.