A big part of what makes Grand Theft Auto 5 such a timeless and magical experience is the incredible design of its open world, featuring a bunch of unique and interesting locales that will stick with players long after they’re finished with this brilliant experience. Keeping this in mind, here are ten of the most beautiful and breathtaking locations present in Grand Theft Auto 5.
Updated May 23, 2022 by Ritwik Mitra:Grand Theft Auto 5is one of the greatest video games ever made. Rockstar Games threw everything but the kitchen sink into this title, creating something absolutely remarkable that most players are sinking hundreds of hours into to this day. Exploring the massive world of Los Santos never ceases to be entertaining, with the world being full to the brim with interesting locales to explore. Here are some more of the most beautiful ones that players should visit in the game.
15 Grand Senora Desert
At a glance, a desert doesn’t really seem like the most interesting area to explore in a video game. However, Rockstar Games has knocked it out of the park while designing this area as well.
The Grand Senora Desert not only looks absolutely incredible, but it is also full to the brim with unique secrets. It’s a surprisingly scenic area that serves as a breath of fresh air from the usual locales present in the game.
14 Vinewood
The posh area of Vinewood was bound to make its way into this list at some point. After all, it’s one of the most iconic locations in Grand Theft Auto 5!
Vinewood is a beautiful urban sprawl that is extremely scenic too. Roaming around this area and finding beautiful spots to take snapshots is surprisingly easy, due to how picturesque the area is. It’s a great place to just drive around and take a break from the chaos.
13 Chiliad Mountain State Wilderness
Chiliad Mountain itself is a pretty fun area to explore in Grand Theft Auto 5. However, the wilderness of this area also has some delightful parts of its own.
The flora and fauna of the Chiliad Mountain State Wilderness make the entire area feel alive — and pretty dangerous, at times. Thankfully, players don’t need to worry much, as long as they spot any danger quickly and don’t linger at one spot for too long.
12 Fort Zancudo
Fort Zancudo isn’t a breathtaking location in the usual sense. After all, it’s just a restricted military area that most people won’t even frequent all that much in the game.
RELATED: Every Grand Theft Auto Game (In Chronological Order)
However, even taking a look at this place from afar gives a sense of awe. This fort is a rare yet welcome sight — right up until a bunch of missiles come out of nowhere to bomb the player. Then it’s time to get out of there fast.
11 Grove Street
Grove Street served as the iconic hub of San Andreas and has become one of the most memorable locations in video games. Seeing this area in Grand Theft Auto 5 is a nostalgic sight that many people will love.
For some reason, not many members of the GSF roam around this area that often, with the Ballas seeming more prominent. It’s saddening, but this is just a small gripe for a location that is pretty legendary and brings many fond memories.
10 Tataviam Mountains
There is a slew of beautiful locales in Grand Theft Auto 5, but the Tataviam Mountains stands a cut above the rest because of its beautiful places right between the rural and urban areas of Los Santos.
This area is based on the San Jacinto Mountains of Riverside County and can prove to be quite a scenic and beautiful locale for players wanting to witness the masterful open-world design of this title.
9 Tongva Hills
There are many places that look beautiful when the sun is setting in the world of Grand Theft Auto 5, but not many can match the view from Tongva Hills in this regard.
The little streams and waterfalls scattered all across this area are beautiful enough as is, and watching the orange rays of the setting sun bounce off of these reflective surfaces is a treat to witness in every sense of the word.
8 Vespucci Beach
However, there’s another place where people can catch the sunset and be more than appeased by the views — Vespucci Beach. This area is clearly Rockstar’s take on the famous Venice Beach, and this certainly shows in every aspect of its design.
RELATED: The Best Story Missions In Grand Theft Auto 5
The area is populated with NPCs going about their day, making this area feel all the more lively and invigorating to explore. It certainly helps that the landscape also features interesting sights, including a massive Ferris Wheel that is surprisingly beautiful to witness.
7 Alamo Sea
At a glance, it might seem like the seas and oceans of Grand Theft Auto 5 are nothing more than vast expanses of water with nothing to do. However, people who share this notion have clearly never explored the beautiful Alamo Sea.
Driving around the shores of this sea in a boat — or even flying around in a slow plane — is surprisingly calming and makes for a rather underrated highlight in a game that usually sells itself on promoting bombastic action and zany humor over anything else.
6 Paleto Forest
Paleto Forest is a vase expanse of wilderness where pollen can also fill up the air at times to make for a genuinely breathtaking landscape. It’s too bad that this area is populated with bears that will force players to occasionally go into action mode, ruining their enjoyment of this scenic location.
For players who want to explore the areas around Paleto without being hounded by animals, there’s a way better place to explore — namely, the town near this area itself.
5 Paleto Bay
The small town of Paleto Bay is easily one of the best places to explore in the game, featuring a quaint and calming aesthetic that will keep fans occupied with its innate charm and hypnotizing views. This town is based on the real-life area of Fillmore and is the perfect depiction of small-town America in Grand Theft Auto 5.
RELATED: Movies To Watch If You Love Grand Theft Auto
It’s easily a much better place to explore for players who wish to avoid attacks from bears, that’s for sure. Along with this, people who get bored of the town in itself can always choose to roam around the nearby Paleto Cove instead as well.
4 Mount Chiliad
Mount Chiliad is a legendary location in the Grand Theft Auto series, featured quite prominently in San Andreas and rearing its majestic head in Grand Theft Auto 5 as well.
While this place might be infamous for featuring one of the most obtuse easter eggs around, one can’t deny that the place itself looks absolutely majestic and a complete treat to explore at times as well!
3 Mount Gordo
Another mountain that is notorious for featuring a supernatural encounter — the fact that there’s a ghost in Mount Gordo is definitely not the only reason why people should explore this location.
RELATED: Ranked: The Fastest Planes In Grand Theft Auto 5
The Mount Gordo cliffside can be an absolute treat to explore, and the lighthouse present near this area is eerily beautiful in its own way as well.
2 Banham Canyon
Of course, it would be impossible to talk about breathtaking locations in Grand Theft Auto 5 without mentioning the incredibly designed canyons present in this game.
While Banham Canyon isn’t an area where one can just get off and admire the views, one has to admit that driving through the winding roads of this area — preferably in a fast sports car or something along the same lines — is easily one of the most satisfying moments in the game.
1 Raton Canyon
However, when it comes to talking about the most breathtaking location in Grand Theft Auto 5, nothing comes close to the serene beauty of Raton Canyon. It’s a visual treat full to the brim with mountains, cliffs, rivers, streams, and everything else along the same lines scattered all throughout the location.
Players who manage to catch a sunset — or even a sunrise, for that matter — in this location will definitely be able to enjoy one of the most memorable moments in the entire game.
Grant Theft Auto 5 is available now for PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE: Things That Saints Row Does Better Than Grand Theft Auto (& Other Things It Does Worse)
