GTA 5 Locations in Real Life (And what they actually are)

Hi, in this video I'll be going over some of the most popular buildings in GTA V and explain a little bit about what the buildings actually are and what purpose they serve. This is a little different from what I usually do, so I really hope you enjoy it!
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Credits:
Big credit to Wikipedia, who supplied most, if not all of this information: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
Credit to Drone Snaps for the US Bank Tower drone footage: • Los Angeles, USA 🇺🇸 - ...
Credit to the Ambitioneers Team for their awesome Mile High Club mod: / ambitioneersteam
Credit to Wandering jean for the Pershing Square footage: • Pershing Square | Down...
Credit to Dave Malkoff for the Theme Building footage: • ABANDONED: LAX Theme B...
Credit to Eric Lavey for the Sierra Towers footage: • Sierra Towers #2706
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If you want to chat or need some help with something you can join our discord server: discord.io/InControlAgain
thanks for watching!

[@XD_Avedis_AD]

Finally a Video about irl GTA Buildings with actual explanations from the someone within the GTA Community!

[@stanleybochenek1862]

what about the FIB building and fort zancudo

[@isaacsrandomvideos667]

And straight to the point, too.

[@nilsdawidowski8855]

Can someone please tell me what the background music is?

[@dark_hood7]

@@nilsdawidowski8855 it's the GTA 5 menu theme

[@elliot_is_the_president9986]

@@dark_hood7 no it’s not lmao

[@Magst3r1]

The theme building closed because it wasn't popular enough. After 9/11 airport security was heightened a lot. That means it will take time to get through the controls. Since the building is outside all the security checks, you will have to go through them again, so it wasn't very popular anymore. One of the arches also fell down on the restaurant a few years before closing and it had to be repaired. This probably didn't help with the popularity. One thing you didn't mention is that the observation deck is still open for the public on the weekends.

[@rahulverma8774]

Thanks for info 👍

[@kelestRs]

Oh

[@areyouserious3092]

Wow that's crazy.

[@tjdarkrage6693]

It wasn't one of the arches that fell, but a half-ton piece of the stucco skin. Info available on Wikipedia here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theme_Building

[@Thawhid]

Oh

[@cherrychris5068]

There should definitely be a part 2, maybe do other cities like Harmony or Paleto Bay, or sandy shores.

[@areyouserious3092]

I absolutely agree buddie. I can see it being a popular series. This is interesting stuff

[@Foxtrot-51]

Yes

[@TabbyEgg312]

And GTA IV too!

[@motivationisfake352]

Yess part 2

[@dxncerr1233]

I don’t think the Northern Part of the map exists in real life, I know Sandy Shored Airport does but it nowhere here Los Angeles

[@TheTimTri]

I visited a few of these locations back in 2016 on a holiday to California! Sierra Tower literally looks exactly the same as in the game. I also had a look at Fox Plaza (GTA: Weazel Plaza), Maze Bank & Lombank West, Arcadius Business Center and so many more. Great fun, wish I could go back and see what’s changed! Hopefully once the pandemic is in control.

[@yourfinestlocalidiot]

Didn’t they film Diehard at Fox Plaza as Nakatomi Plaza?

[@mintberrycrunch3630]

What’s changed is the amount of homeless people, it’s higher

[@Chuked]

@@mintberrycrunch3630 lmao true that

[@rdrizzy1989]

pandemics fine bro trust me. Go check it out and enjoy yourself fuck what anybody else says you should do.

[@Vibrate69]

@@rdrizzy1989 ???

[@cd5sircoupe]

My friend did this way back when the game first came out. He compiled every location in the game based on a real world counterpart, complete with a detailed history of the real thing. Had multiple different hour long tours based on certain themes or sections of the map for our crew. Good times.

[@Cody-Bear]

Is there a video?

[@cd5sircoupe]

@@Cody-Bear There's no video. This was back on PS3. It was our crew from an unrelated forum and we all happened to play GTAO.

[@areyouserious3092]

@@cd5sircoupe sounds brilliant buddie.

[@cd5sircoupe]

@@areyouserious3092 It was great. Might still have something from those events on social club but I haven't logged into it in years. I know I have screenshots from ps4 with our various car shows & offroading stuff, but I think the tours were over by that point. I just dumped everything off my ps4 hdd the other day in prep for an upgraded one.

[@areyouserious3092]

@@cd5sircoupe Do try buddie I'm sure loads of people would like to see that stuff me included.

[@Joeymast99]

I’ll never forget how shook I was when I saw the eclipse towers in real life when I went to visit my family in LA in 2015. GTA had just came out on PC so I was in the middle of my first full playthrough. Not only the tower but many many details like the roadway leading up and even stuff like inclines and dips in the road. GTA V is extraordinarily accurate to LA

[@kingflippynips3102]

I'm sad that no one ever mentions the Compton courthouse in these type of videos, I live 5 minutes from this building IRL. It's located over in Davis, in-game. To me, it's one of the most accurate buildings/areas in the game. They capture the Compton sheriff station, the courthouse, the statue out front, the public library, the fire department + Bishops chicken restaurant across the street (there's a Popeyes there IRL) and even the parking structure located to the right of the courthouse. If you look above the doors on the courthouse itself, Rockstar even bothered to put the red arrow signs the tell you which door is for jurors and normal foot traffic (which exists above the doors in real life, and can't be seen from Google maps..which tells me that I possibly had Rockstar devs 5 minutes from my house, scouting the area taking pictures.)

[@aLexGeNeSiS01]

What does IRL mean? sorry its just that here in Mexico use complete words.

[@kingflippynips3102]

@@aLexGeNeSiS01 No worries, it means "In real life".

[@dwightvx9142]

@@aLexGeNeSiS01 cope

[@CoolCoolCool89]

Don't forget the Watts Towers also

[@unofficial-rights2022]

that's amazing. 😳🤔

[@vermark8719]

The Templar hotel is based on the infamous Cecil hotel, known for being haunted and for a particular suicide, it even has the water tower related to it on the roof. Shame they never did anything with it in game

[@Chellex93]

I doubt they would've had time to. They probably had all if not most of the the buildings graphics done at around when Elisa Lam's body was found. That was in February 2013, GTA V came out in September 2013. Idk what the process of making a game or what order each thing goes in.

[@fnaffriends4258]

That’s not what the wiki says

[@LxstGalaxy2000]

Yeah it's where the nightstalker stayed as well I think

[@fnaffriends4258]

In fact its actually based on the Rosslyn Hotel

[@de-ment]

I went to LA 2 years ago and when I was exploring downtown I realised my favourite skyscraper in los santos (arcadius) was actually an hotel IRL, now that I know this, I want stay there for a couple of nights if and when I go back.

[@Utonian21]

I stayed there, it's pretty nice. The exterior elevators are very cool, it was awesome to see the Hollywood sign off in the distance whenever going back up to our room. Also, I'll never forget just chilling out by the pool, the weather was perfect and there was the most amazing breeze I've ever felt.

[@bigthink954]

I remember when I visited the Oriental Theater (Chinese Theater) and Galileo Observatory (Griffith Observatory) irl. It really felt close in game. The only difference is that I don’t have $100 million in my pocket and countless guns in the other.

[@xdkachowpewpew]

I lived in Cali for most of my childhood, especially around Anaheim and LA. It's really nice seeing how much is actually in the game.

[@NikkoNikko98]

I grew up in the Valley of LA irl & have always spent time driving by these locations or even visiting some of them over the years, it’s so sick to know they did such a good job recreating these places :)

[@MarioFilmsProductions]

I used to live in LA when I was a toddler. I revisit to visit family almost every summer, and I never knew that GTA 5 was based of Los Angeles. For example, I went to the Santa Monica beach a couple of weeks ago, and it looked exactly the same as GTA. Rockstar really put the attention to detail. I also got a view of Downtown LA and saw the buildings. It was very cool. Now, it should've been a dead giveaway that GTA V had a "Vinewood" sign that was based off of Hollywood because I've visited Hollywood a couple of times throughout the years. But still. It's very cool that Rockstar went out of their way to put the detail in/

[@shadedfilms7523]

I went to LA back in October and everywhere we turned I knew that place in GTA kinda crazy how a 8 year old game is still pretty accurate.

[@hussle2654]

I was born and raised in LA and still play GTA from day one, it's surreal how realistic it is to real life. Really hoping expanded and enhanced is a decent upgrade, the trailer looked weak as hell tho.

[@interstellar618]

"The Agency" building in Rockford hills was my dads office building for decades. It was a twin with another right across the street at Santa Monica blvd and Avenue of the stars. Lombank west(top floor) was my lawyers office.

[@Timcanhandlebar]

Cool!!!

[@elementalb3m957]

I have both those buildings in gta online

[@DeadRinger4490]

I used to work as an Uber Driver in LA. Only on weekends and lemme tell you. That would get you by nicely. Seeing all these places in the game was always crazy to me. Great work here

[@HaidaWay]

Might be worth mentioning that salvation mountain is near Slab City. Gtas counter part of the mountain also has Stab City nearby.

[@AverageAlien]

it has london nearby?

[@SavageBunnyGetMoney]

the fact they got that creepy Cecil Hotel building too with the water tank im amazed how much work they put into this game I can see why they take their time

[@nickrustyson8124]

The messed up part is they only just found Elisa Lam's body in those water tanks at the time of the game's release

[@ExaltedDuck]

Was hoping to see a blurb about the Vincent Thomas and Gerald Desmond bridges that IRL connect San Pedro to Long Beach over the port via Terminal Island. Both are kind of iconic although the Gerald Desmond bridge is in the final stages of replacement by a newer, taller, wider one that feels kind of unnerving to go over. Also, I'm pretty sure that despite Sandy Shores being based on the Salton Sea/Glamis area, Ron Alternate's wind farm and the highway from LS to Grapevine is almost certainly the 58 between Mojave and Tehachapi... Not just the windmills, but the cement factory that's near the pass summit IRL... It has to be the inspiration. Go run a google street view from the 14/58 intersection up the through the pass. It's a beautiful stretch of road. Many, many others, too, all over the map. But I find the ones outside of LS to be more generally more interesting.

[@PrimeMrCosmic]

Went to LA a long while back, I live in Canada and it really is amazing how much detail they put in to the recreation, just being able to go to LA and have a rough idea of where you are due to a game is nuts.

[@RazorsAreSharp]

Great video! Theres also a definite possibility for a part two. Places like the LS Port (based on Terminal Island) or Sandy Shores (Bombay Beach) and so much more!

[@TheRealRedAce]

Yes, that windmill house is real too. And Stab City is like the real Slab City.

[@huesos_azules]

@@TheRealRedAce no it isn't

[@TheRealRedAce]

@@huesos_azules I've seen photos of the windmill house and Stab City IS based on Slab City according to the game's designers and looks like it too (yes, I've seen photos of that as well).

[@imaginox9]

This is probably the best video of comparison between LA and LS ! There are some other buildings that are in both real life and GTA 5, like Lombank West, Maze Bank West, Bahamas Mamas West, or the cheapest luxury appartment which are all in the same few square meters both in real life (at the western end of Willshire Blvd) and in GTA 5 ! I'd love to go there to see that from my own eyes one day, when the thing that has been going on for nearly 2 years will end

[@jasonmilly3320]

Having traveled to LA last summer and walking on the pier, I gotta say Rockstar did indeed do a great job. It looked exactly the same and I felt like I was in the actual game. And Covid was about 3-4 months old in the US at the time, so this was a Monday morning and it was pretty quiet and relaxed out. It was pretty weird, like I I've killed so many people right here lol.

[@smiley-ii8lo]

I wish had that feeling and be there

[@excelloblade4098]

Bro i love your videos so much and the calming yet nostalgic music from gta is just so well fitting, please never change it

[@justanotherghost4589]

Tbh I really wish we could go into more buildings, especially the Rockford Plaza, it sucks that there's so many in game luxury clothing brands and all that we can go into is Ponsonby's, same for Portola Drive and those surrounding shops, my nitpicking aside, great video! It's cool to look into this stuff

[@Loayo]

Man what an interesting video But definitely not to people who live in Los Angeles

[@rahulverma8774]

Do u know why that building near airport was abandoned irl ??

[@Loayo]

@@rahulverma8774 I was wondering why it was empty around Los Angeles

[@taurielv]

Thank you for sharing this documented work. Apart from Richard Meyer's Getty Museum, I didn't know much for the other interest points. It would be nice if you can do a continuation with other buildings too. And a Happy New Year!

[@Michelle_Klinge]

This was a very Educational video! And I would love to see an part 2, and maybe even more!

[@calibre2634]

thanks for the information! always was wondering!

[@Izzy_Zigg_Arcade]

The Maze Bank Arena is based on a mix of the Forum and the LA Coliseum. Also, the interior was used as a convention center in story mode.

[@amszulu]

What pissed me off, is before it was torn down, the casino racetrack used to be across the street from the forum, not across the city

[@TheLukesterGaming]

4:11 Fun fact: If you go to the Del Perro pier Rollercoaster station in the Creator mode, the train cars will have the exact same/similar Yellow & Red paintjob as pictured on the IRL photo!😮 (usually Blue & Red in general GTA V/Online) 5:35 Coldplay filmed their 'Birds' music video on location at that very site!😎😁 This is definitely the best and most interesting video I've seen for these GTA V locations compared to IRL in Los Angeles, very educational and inspirational to see it all for real one day too, but in the meantime would love to see more videos about this too!👍👏

[@PlittHD]

good video. I like the subtle editing with the titles appearing behind objects and highlighting the name on signs.

[@MatthewGoat91515]

Would love to see more locations in a part 2. Maybe lesser known locations?

[@hussle2654]

Tequila-La is based off the Whiskey-a-go go night club on Sunset blvd just a couple blocks down from Eclipse towers. There are also many other buildings along the Sunset strip that were left out like the Hustler store, Carney's Hot dogs (it's a train car restaurant) The Standard Hotel, Chateau Marmont Hotel, Miyagi's restaurant, Ripley's Believe it or Not, the Hollywood wax museum, and Epsilon is based on Scientology who own numerous buildings down Hollywood blvd.

[@HEKVT]

This is cool, your own take and on a concept that seemed to have been done already.

[@scottl.1568]

Thank for this... I've never been to Los Angeles and wondered about many of these

[@CoolCat_24x]

Very well made video dude! Love the change of pace! Keep it up 👍

[@christerparsson7358]

Love your channel dude! Keep it up!

[@redgorillalamp3724]

hella entertaining video, love your voice. been hearing shit about your server, hope you're doing just fine and can manage all the chaos with everyone you've got

[@loganjoeson]

Would love to see more of these, good job!

[@tyowens7481]

This is a really informing and cool video. Great job!

[@jadico8472]

La qualité de tes vidéos sont incroyable, tu mérites très largement plus d'abonné. Continue dans ce sens avec d'aussi bonnes vidéos !

[@avery6758]

I took a trip to LA a few years back and was blown away by how familiar a lot of the buildings were at venice beach! Especially a particular blue arched building.

[@brickboy127]

Brilliant video, one location that could be in a part 2 is the Galileo Observatory, based of the Griffith Observatory which has a connection to a haunted bench which is quite interesting to look into

[@RoweenC-]

I love being stuck in LA traffic for almost 2 and a half hours and come to his video, I love cali❤️

[@areyouserious3092]

Lol brilliant.

[@monoponok8998]

I remember when Gta V first came out, me and my friends where saying “let’s find our houses, let’s find our houses” we lived in East Los Angeles. How time flies

[@kriptyk]

Really enjoyed it, would definitely love to see more! It also really shows you always put much effort in your videos and you're talking very well, especially since it must be hard with your stutter. In the past year you've really become one of my favorite KZbin Channels, thank you for your incredible content, it really brightens my day.

[@areyouserious3092]

What a fantastic comment buddie.

[@alex_eu]

i love your videos man, very well explained

[@manu201701]

Every video you put out is a good video, amazing job!

[@HMBRTOABLE]

This was definitely an enjoyable video. Thank you for you work😎❤

[@v4astahl564]

Love you been here since u had 3.8 K subs bro keep it up

[@spacerow]

your vids are always informative and original ミ☆ good on you dude :)

[@atefxf]

Awesome video mate, keep the good quality coming!

[@jgallagher3031]

Very cool and informative video. Well done, keep up the good work!

[@matthewwinters4404]

Very detailed and good video, great work!

[@DayumTypeshi]

Keep up the videos bro. We love you

[@johngavlick6479]

This was such an interesting video great job

[@ERIC44424]

Do more of this please, it was a great video as usual

[@mikkelmunch9649]

Really really nice video I enjoyed it very much 😁😁

[@ItsDarkHUD]

Really good explanations man good video

[@aLexGeNeSiS01]

Very nice video. I totally enjoyed 👍

[@SergeantWaiter]

Great video, love to see another one of these!

[@BlazingOwnager]

The video doesn't even begin to scratch the surface :) There's the in-game Wiltern, the club buildings in Vinewood, Ripley's Believe It Or Not also in Vinewood, and tons more.

[@philbowers7572]

This is brilliant, well done!

[@gschroeder1159]

Thanks for explaining. Cool video👍

[@iTryAmaze]

Loved this video man!!

[@wrenk.6569]

how have you only have 120k subs? these vids are banging lad

[@Jahndowe]

Bro keep the videos up ! I love watching these types of videos! Especially the useless facts ones!

[@commietearsdrinker]

I hope you expand this with a video on all the other locations around the map. To name an example, there is a small fireman station in Sandy Shores that has a real life equivalent, and the in-game version looks almost exactly like it.

[@gavla3550]

That was a fascinating video. Very interesting. 👌🏻

[@BetaHendrik]

hey, i really like allll of your videos. i watched the useless facts arround 100 times each, it is soo cool. i would love it if you would make another part

[@not_d4rky578]

Video didn't even start and i know it's gonna be amazing

[@dentside]

Thanks for the information I've seen videos of the locations but they never had any information

[@gg7713]

Love it keep up these unique veidos

[@gangstagarf]

Amazing vid would welcome a part 2

[@clox1889]

I would love to see a part two of stuff stuff like the union depository or sandy shores!

[@ozzydog8905]

Love your vids ❤

[@tommasoviani8949]

you should have added the LA city hall as well! still, great video

[@_.Tsavo._]

I fucking LOVE the old photos you showed. Bravo.

[@jasperli]

Part 2 for sure. There’s so many buildings I’d love to know more about in the HD universe.

[@TheRealRedAce]

The Chumash pier is also a copy of the one at Malibu. Then theres those big metal sculptures near the gas works in LS.

[@beyond_5dtemp]

You know today is a good day when InControlAgain uploads a video

[@toasterking845]

I would love a part 2 to this!

[@Mark-ef8oc]

PLEASE MAKE MORE LIKE THIS! Thank you.

[@The_la_spotter]

Ive been to all these places in real life (or at least seen them as I currently reside in la. Its always cool to compare GTA to the city I live in.

[@johnchedsey1306]

Sandy Shores is strongly based on communities around the Salton Sea area. There's an abandoned store/gas station that I came across that resembles one of the buildings in the game, including the shape of the sign outside. Bombay Beach has levees similar to the ones near Trevor's trailer. Driving in that little town is like driving in Sandy Shores, in some respects. And for those who visit the Salton Sea area, Slab City (the area featured at end of this video) is worth the visit. You'll never see anything else quite like it!

[@thomas1055213]

Great video, very interesting stuff, would love to see more if you could find any? Maybe even the areas of gta and where they’re based on, sandy, downtown, the suburbs and all that. Are there real life counterparts rockstar drew from to design them

[@prodbyrxch3018]

Yes , they do. I go to school directly in the middle of hollywood and i come across alot of streets , regular houses , corners, etc.. that are exactly replicated

[@majdaicha7191]

I really enjoyed this video and hope you make a similar one in the future

[@areyouserious3092]

Me too

[@cjshisno7]

At 1:51 I thought you were gonna cover that building, which is based off of the Cecil hotel. Home to a ton of bizarre incidents and crimes dating back to the 1980’s

[@zyrobss4002]

nice one that construction site building so gorgeous in the real life ..btw we need easter egg video for this new dlc

[@elbladel]

Please part 2! This is cool

[@DerpxGames]

You have some amazing content

[@Fakeaorta]

Growing up in SoCal, several of these places were frequently visited. GTA even put in my favorite Hollywood restaurant.. Carnies! (Railroad car)

[@legendgaming128]

Great Video! Please do GTA IV next

[@joelbyjack]

i only now realized how good gtas graphics are when i saw the side by sides, they look identical it's amazing

[@leou7523]

Please make more this was so interesting

[@lizardgaming6597]

Idk why but your accent is really relaxing

[@DJZofPCB]

Much respect to you!! As a fellow content creator thank you for you time, research, and ability to compile your information into an entertaining video.

[@aprostateprofit7459]

Sacred IncrontolAgain, we never get bored with you!

[@dushooter]

Sad to see 2 of the main bridges changed since this game. The gerald Desmond bridge and the Henry Ford Bridge. One torn down and the other about to be torn down. Great historical background to the iconic building in the game. Keep up the good work.

[@amszulu]

Vinewood Racetrack/Hollywood Park being torn down

[@jacobschroeder9453]

You should make a series out of this mabey some other skyscrapers and things like the alamo sea or other geological areas too.