The open world of GTA 5 and GTA Online is one of the best in recent years. It is heavily based on real places in Los Angeles, USA. MeinMMO presents 5 locations that you can also find in the real world and how they look in comparison.
Where is GTA 5 set? The main setting is the city of Los Santos, located in the fictional state of San Andreas. The real counterpart is clearly the US metropolis of Los Angeles and Hollywood.
There are numerous places to discover that are either partially or almost directly based on their real-life counterparts. We show you some places from GTA 5 and GTA Online that you can also find in real life.
1. Galileo Observatory
What kind of place is this? The Galileo Observatory overlooks the city of Los Santos and is named after the famous astronomer, physicist, and mathematician Galileo Galilei. Throughout the main story of GTA 5, players visit this location several times.
In GTA Online, the observatory also plays a role, as you must go there in preparation for the Casino Heist to hack a security guard from the casino. The observatory also plays a role in the Doomsday Heist.
In this heist, you must prevent a war and thus the apocalypse. The heist DLC introduced jetpacks, the Oppressor Mk II, a flying car that also functions as a submarine, and other military vehicles with significant power to the game. In our overview, you can find all heists in GTA Online and how much money they bring.
This is the real-life inspiration: The Galileo Observatory is clearly based on the Griffith Observatory (via Wikipedia), which overlooks the city.
2. Eclipse Towers
What kind of place is this? The Eclipse Tower plays an important role in GTA Online. Players can buy the most expensive apartments in the game there. In the story, players must jump off the roof of the building with a parachute.
In online sessions, the apartments here are a major meeting point. You can invite other players there and walk around the apartment together, drink, party, or watch TV. Additionally, there is a planning room for heists. From there, you can initiate many of the base heists.
Additionally, there is a spacious garage available for rent. It can accommodate 10 cars and 3 motorcycles. A great way to take guests from your apartment downstairs and show them your collection of supercars.
This is the real-life inspiration: Sierra Towers is a 31-story building. Initially, the apartments in the building were rentals, but now the segments are sold individually.
Over the years, celebrities and musicians such as Emma Watson, Sandra Bullock, and Sir Elton John have lived there (photo via Wikipedia)
3. Del Perro Heights
What kind of place is this? In GTA Online, there are three apartments of the company Dynasty 8 available for purchase in Del Perro Heights. These are apartments 4, 7, and 20. They range in price from 200,000 to 400,000 GTA$.
The advantage over Eclipse Towers is primarily the lower price. However, it is also particularly convenient that the building is directly adjacent to Maze Bank West. You can also start a business there as a CEO. It’s quite practical to live just around the corner.
This is the real-life inspiration: The building is called Searise Office Tower and is not far from Hollywood. However, it is simply an office building.
You can view the original in the reddit post by DylanP3692, who made a photo tour through L.A. and recognized some places from GTA 5 (photo via reddit).
4. Maze Bank Tower
What kind of place is this? In GTA 5, the tower is the headquarters of the Maze Bank, the largest bank in Los Santos. In GTA Online, this bank plays an important role. Since the “Further Adventures in Finance and Felony” expansion, players can purchase an office in the tower and build their own empire.
Additionally, the building features a large parking garage for your vehicles on 3 floors. You can also rent a helicopter from SecuroServ directly from the building and start missions from there.
However, this comes at a cost, as the price for such an office is 4,000,000 GTA$. As a CEO of a company, you can earn a lot of money yourself. Here are some methods we’ve listed for you: 13 ways to make money quickly in GTA Online in 2021.
The Maze Bank also plays a role in the story of GTA 5. Michael, Trevor, and Franklin rob it during a heist with a helicopter.
This is the real-life inspiration: The Maze Bank Tower is directly based on the U.S. Bank Tower in Los Angeles. Obviously, both are large bank headquarters and the buildings visually resemble each other very closely. You can find a direct comparison at thetowerinfo.com (photo via thetowerinfo.com).
5. Cayo Perico
What kind of place is this? The island of Cayo Perico was introduced in the last major update of GTA Online. It is a tropical island that appears paradisiacal at first glance.
However, it is ruled by the drug lord El Rubio, who uses the island as a transit point for drug trafficking. In GTA Online, players can initiate a large heist and relieve him of his most valuable possessions.
The Cayo Perico Heist is the most lucrative of the heists in GTA Online. Additionally, it is the only heist that can also be completed by solo players, making it particularly appealing to single players.
If you haven’t been there yet, we’ll explain how to get there – GTA Online: How to get to the new island Cayo Perico?
What is the real-life inspiration? Cayo Perico is based according to gta.fandom.com on the island of Norman’s Cay (via Wikipedia), which was part of the Medellin Cartel’s territory and is located in the Bahamas (via gta.fandom.com). The cartel used the island as a stopover for their cocaine smuggling into the USA.
Additionally, the Fyre Festival failed on the island in 2017, resulting in a huge disaster. The festival had to be canceled due to underprovision, safety, and health issues. The organizer was later convicted of fraud.
6. Bonus: Diamond Casino
Old 
New
What kind of place is this? Before the casino was renovated and renamed in an update for GTA Online, it was simply called Vinewood Casino. Back then, it had little use for the players.
After the update, the casino became one of the most important places in GTA Online. In addition to gambling, the Casino Heist was introduced. The Casino Heist is one of the first heists that offered different approaches. You can complete it either disguised, with stealth, or in full action mode.
There is a new car on display at the casino podium every week, where you have a chance to win it once a day at the lucky wheel. Lucky Wheel in GTA Online: Here’s how to supposedly always win the car. Additionally, gambling fits perfectly into the criminal world of GTA Online.
This is the real-life inspiration: The original building was based on the Hollywood Park Casino, which ultimately moved to a new building (via pinterest.com).
There are still numerous other places in GTA 5 that can also be found in Los Angeles and around the city. Rockstar Games has shown great attention to detail in this regard.
This is also one of the reasons why players are eagerly awaiting a new GTA. There have been wild speculations for some time about where a new GTA might be set.
Many rumors have circulated about this. In the latest case: Netflix says: “GTA 6 is coming soon” and causes confusion.
Have you already taken a tour of Los Santos? Which place do you like best? Do you have any other attractions that fit into this list? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
