Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Fire Away Marina del Rey!

MARINA DEL REY, CA–(Marketwire – September 15, 2010) –  An elevator that takes captive its passengers and transports them back in time; a gazebo that has held leading roles in A-list movies; and, a tavern with 1,200 beer pulls tacked to the ceiling — these and more hidden treasures of Marina del Rey await an adventurer willing to travel to the ends of the Marina to photograph its rare findings. Today, the Marina del Rey Convention & Visitors Bureau announces the launch of Hit Me With Your Best Shot, its first digital photo hunt.

The Visitors Bureau’s digital photo hunt will ask locals and visitors to take the best “shot” of themselves in front of or next to iconic, unique and quirky items in the popular seaport community. Contestants can “fire away” and collect between 5-10 photos from three categories: families, foodies or brides/grooms. Each of the three categories is designed to showcase the Marina’s activities for the participants’ specific interests, such as romantic spots for couples, one-of-a-kind menu items for foodies and family-friendly water sport toys.

Shutterbugs who participate will be entered to win grand, first and second place prizes in one of the three categories. To become eligible for the “Captain’s” grand prize, adventure-seekers must complete all ten photo missions within that category; first place “First Mate” prize entries must complete at least seven photo missions; and second place “Deck Hand” prize entries must complete at least five missions. Winners in each category are awarded a variety of one-of-a-kind, valuable prizes that include luxurious hotel stays, delectable meals and exclusive tickets for specialty events and activities in the Marina.

“Our digital photo hunt invites people to explore Marina del Rey as they never have before — we want people to enjoy discovering the ‘local secrets’ in and around the Marina,” says Beverly Moore, executive director of the Visitors Bureau. “It doesn’t matter if you are an amateur photographer and if you snap photos with a camera phone — we want to see photos from all points of view, whether it’s silly and fun or scenic and photojournalistic — the Marina has something for everyone and that’s what the contest will reveal.”

Each category boasts prizes valued at up to $2,200. The following are some examples of the prizes:

• A getaway weekend, offering three deluxe rooms for two-nights each and daily breakfast for six at the elegant Marriott Marina del Rey
• Luxurious Bed & Breakfast Overnight Package at Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey
• One night stays at various premier hotels in the Marina, including the Marina International Hotel , Marina del Rey Hotel and the Jamaica Bay Inn reopening later this year
• Double kayak and Duffy rentals at Fisherman’s Village from Marina Boat Rentals
• Exclusive tickets to Champagne Brunch and Dinner Cruises featuring live music and food with Hornblower Cruises and Events
• Dinner for two at Vu, the newest restaurant opening in late fall, at the Jamaica Bay Inn
• Dinner and Brunch for two at Jer-Ne, The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey’s acclaimed restaurant
• $300 Gift Card towards dinner at the premier Marina restaurant, Café del Rey
• $50 Gift Card towards fresh, artisan sandwiches at Mendocino Farms Sandwiches & Marketplace
• $50 Gift Card for the famous food and bar selection at Tony P’s Dockside Grill
• Round-Trip tickets to Catalina Island from Marina del Rey’s shore with Catalina Ferries

To enter and submit their “best shot,” contestants must upload each photo one of several ways: upload to Facebook, Twitter or send by email to [email protected]. Deadline to submit all photos and to qualify to be entered in a random drawing is Oct. 27, 2010. The grand prize and runner up winners will be announced via Facebook, Twitter and the Visit Marina del Rey Blog on Nov. 10, 2010.

By submitting photos for Hit Me With Your Best Shot, participants agree to the rules of the contest. For more information on contest rules and description for the 2010 Hit Me With Your Best Shot, travelers can visit the official Marina del Rey Facebook event page.

About Marina del Rey CVB

Marina del Rey Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing organization for Marina del Rey, California. MdR CVB provides support and information on tourism services and facilities to the public, travel agents, tour operators, meeting planners and the media.

For more information, call 310-305-9545, log on to www.VisitMarinaDelRey.com, www.facebook.com/visitmarinadelrey, www.twitter.com/marinadelrey_ca, or www.marinadelrey-ca.blogspot.com/; or stop by the Marina del Rey Visitors Center, 4701 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292. For group information and travel professionals, call 310-306-9900.

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