Culturally speaking, Las Vegas is not exactly the world capital of high-brow art. True, it possesses a fine philharmonic orchestra and a ballet troupe, but these do not draw the visitors in nearly the same numbers that popular entertainment does. The city, however, continues to attract some of the biggest names in show business with live theatrical shows, magicians, circus acts and dance. There is one major venue, the UNLV Performing Arts Center, Cottage Grove Street and Maryland Parkway.

Most major hotels offer concierge services and can order tickets for the more popular cultural events. Visitors can go online to Ticketmaster to order and pre-pay for tickets. Events at the West Las Vegas Arts Center, 947 West Lake Mead are free.

The best place for visitors to go for cultural listing is online. One website that holds a master list of all Las Vegas cultural and community events is the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce site. Visit their Calendar of Events page for more details.

Music: The Las Vegas Philharmonic performs at the Artemus Ham Concert Hall at UNLV Performing Arts Center.

Theater: As with virtually everything in Las Vegas, the casinos offer the bulk of the stage entertainment. The Luxor is home to the Pharaoh’s Theater and the Luxor Theater. The 1,200-seat Luxor Theater hosts theatrical productions, while the Pharaoh’s Theater offers a topless revue, as well as comedy acts. The MGM Grand is home to the Hollywood Theater, hosting a variety of performers, including Chris Issak, Tom Jones and David Copperfield, and the 1,700-seat EFX Theater, which is currently showing EFX Alive, which showcases musician Rick Springfield. At Caesars Palace, the Celine Dion Theater in the Colosseum features the Canadian songstress in the entrancing Dragone-created production A New Day as well as Elton John in The Red Piano. The two artists alternate schedules through the year, so check the website for show dates and ticket details.

The Las Vegas Little Theater, 3844 Schiff Drive , and the Actors’ Repertory Theater, Summerlin Library and Performing Arts Center, 1771 Inner Circle Drive are two of Las Vegas’ newest small theaters. Both put on more serious theater than the hotel-casinos, be it the classics, modern playwrights or even musicals.

Dance: The Nevada Ballet Theater , founded in 1972, is one of Nevada’s larger cultural institutions and performs many of its productions at the Judy Bayley Theater at UNLV Performing Arts Center. Many of the revues and touring shows incorporate or are devoted to dance.

Film: Mainstream cinemas in Las Vegas include the United Artists - Showcase Mall, 3769 Las Vegas Boulevard South and the Century Orleans 18, 4500 West Tropicana . Seating is normally done on a first-come, first-serve basis. Tickets are sold at the box office on the day of the performance. There are no exclusively arthouse cinemas in Las Vegas, although the Regal Village Square, 9101 West Sarhara Street, features two to three independent films per week. IMAX enthusiasts can get their fix at Brenden IMAX, 4321 West Flamingo Road , located inside The Palms Hotel and Casino; admission is US$9.75. The average cost for a film in Las Vegas is US$9.

Las Vegas is almost as famous a location for films as it is for casinos. Popular movies based in the city include Bugsy (1991), about the infamous gangster’s move from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, and Casino (1995), telling the story of mob-ruled casinos in the 1970s. Leaving Las Vegas (1995) is an emotional story documenting the damage and pain inflicted by alcoholism. The cut-throat and sleazy world of topless revues and Las Vegas nightlife was given an airing in Paul Verhoeven Showgirls (1995). Andrew Bergman’s romantic comedy Honeymoon in Vegas (1992), starring James Caan, Sarah Jessica Parker and Nicolas Cage, pokes fun at Vegas wedding culture and features the astounding Flying Elvises. More recently, the ambitious celluloid version of the late and lamented Hunter S Thompson’s cult classic, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), starred Johnny Depp as the seriously spaced-out ‘gonzo’ journalist, and the remake of the classic Rat Pack vehicle Ocean’s Eleven (2001) directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts.

Cultural Events: Las Vegas’ growing population has opened the door to new cultural and musical events, with springtime events such as jazz festivals in April and May, a folkdance festival in May and Mardi Gras in April. Of course, there is also America’s national day of Independence, July 4, which is celebrated just as fervently in Las Vegas as anywhere else.

Although it is not, strictly speaking, a cultural event, Hunter S Thompson famously reported on the off-road racing in these parts. Las Vegas has become somewhat famous for revving engines, clouds of dust and, of course, arguably the toughest off-road race in America, the BITD (Best in the desert) Nevada 1000 . This 1,609km (1,000-mile) race through the heat and dust of Nevada sets off from Las Vegas on 6 July, returning five days later. Dates for this event change yearly, so visit the website for schedule information.

Literary Notes: More than one book has managed to get behind the flash of Las Vegas’ bright lights to explore its deeper, often darker themes. Not surprisingly, numerous mystery and crime novels are set here. Best known among these are Mario Puzo’s The Last Don (1997), which follows a crime family’s move from Las Vegas to Hollywood, and Michael Ventura’s The Death of Frank Sinatra (1998), which weaves a literary web of crime and intrigue in early 1990s Las Vegas. Many of the movies that made Las Vegas so famous began their lives as books. Casino (1995) was based on the Nicholas Pileggi book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas (1995). Leaving Las Vegas (1995), by John O’Brien, was made into the eponymous movie and recounts a dark, sad tale of a suicidal alcoholic’s finding true love with a prostitute. Perhaps the most influential literary work associated with Las Vegas is Hunter S Thompson’s pop-culture classic, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998). The bizarre, true-life tale follows the journalist Thomson and his attorney’s drug-addled journey through Nevada.

Sport:

Although Las Vegas prides itself as an entertainment hub, the city has no professional sports teams. That said, there are sporting events that attract thousands of fans. The Grand Garden Arena at the MGM Grand has become one of the venues of choice for boxing matches in America. The University of Nevada Las Vegas is home to the UNLV Rebels football team, the local favorite in the exceedingly popular college (NCAA) football league. There is also a wide variety of sporting opportunities in Las Vegas for those who want to take part personally. As a resort destination, the city and region is brimming with golf courses. The vast hotel-casino complexes also offer superb fitness facilities (as luxurious and opulent as their restaurants and lounges) although, due to availability, these are sometimes limited to hotel guests.

Tickets to sporting events can be purchased through the concierge of most large hotels, such as the MGM Grand, Four Seasons, Caesars and Bellagio. Alternatively, the venue website can provide ticket information. Visitors are advised to order their tickets with as much advance notice as possible, as events commonly sell out, especially during peak sporting periods.

Fitness Centers: Most hotels in Las Vegas offer fitness facilities. The Mirage offers fitness and spa facilities - steam sauna, whirlpool, weights, cardiovascular equipment, swimming pool, massages and facials - for US$20 a day. Caesars Palace is equipped with steam rooms, saunas, whirlpools, rock climbing, aerobic/yoga studio, weights, cardiovascular equipment, massage therapy and a pool and charges US$24 per day.

Golf: With an average of 320 sunny days every year, it is hardly surprising that golf has achieved the popularity it has in Las Vegas. Visitors will find a nine-hole course right on the Strip, at the Callaway Golf Center, 6730 Las Vegas Boulevard South, at Sunset Road , charging US$25 for nine holes. Angel Park Golf Club, 100 Rampart Boulevard South , offers three different courses, one at nine holes and two at 18 holes, charging US$65-140 for 18 holes. Both clubs are open to the public and do not require membership. A short distance from the city is the world-class Reflection Bay Golf Club, 1600 Lake Las Vegas Parkway, Henderson offers 18 holes in a spectacular setting designed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus. No membership is required but green fees are pricey, ranging from US$110.00 to US$270.00. Prices vary according to tee time and season.

Tennis: There is no lack of tennis courts in Las Vegas - many of the larger hotels have courts on site. In some cases, there is no charge for hotel guests to use the courts, while in others, a small fee is charged. The Riviera Hotel and Casino, 2901 Las Vegas Boulevard South , provides tennis courts that are open to the public for a nominal fee of US$10. Guests play for free.