GTA V: The Real Los Angeles Behind Los Santos

In Los Santos the white Vinewood letters sprawl across the hillside above the city, doing exactly the job the real sign does: instant proof of where you are. Rockstar based the in-game sign directly on the Hollywood Sign, the American landmark overlooking Hollywood in Los Angeles. The original went up in 1923 as a temporary advertisement for a local real-estate development, and it simply never came down. It stands on Mount Lee above Beachwood Canyon, and the Griffith Observatory nearby gives a close view of it.

Location precision: Los Santos is fictional; the pin marks the real Hollywood Sign that the in-game Vinewood sign copies.

Visitor guidance: Combine with the Griffith Observatory stop for the classic sign view.

Vinewood Boulevard plays the part of Hollywood Boulevard in the game, and its grandest cinema is the Oriental Theater, which Rockstar based on Grauman's Chinese Theatre. The real building is a movie palace on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, Los Angeles. It opened on May 18, 1927, with the premiere of Cecil B. DeMille's The King of Kings, and it has since been home to many premieres, including the 1977 debut of Star Wars. The forecourt concrete blocks still bear the signatures, footprints and handprints of film stars.

Location precision: Los Santos is fictional; the pin marks the real Chinese Theatre behind the in-game Oriental Theater.

Visitor guidance: Check listings; it still operates as a cinema and hosts premieres.

Los Santos money lives in Rockford Hills, the game's version of Beverly Hills, whose most famous street is Rodeo Drive. The real Rodeo Drive is a two-mile-long street in Beverly Hills, California, with part of its southern stretch inside the City of Los Angeles. The name usually means the three-block run between Wilshire Boulevard and Little Santa Monica Boulevard, lined with designer storefronts. Come to window-shop the same luxury strip the game recreates, and compare the real prices with the virtual ones.

Location precision: Los Santos is fictional; the pin marks Rodeo Drive, the real street behind the Rockford Hills shops.

Visitor guidance: The main shopping stretch sits between Wilshire and Little Santa Monica Boulevards.

One of the game's quietest landmarks is the Galileo Observatory on the hill above the city, modeled directly after the Griffith Observatory. The real observatory stands on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park. Named after its benefactor, Griffith J. Griffith, admission has been free since it opened in 1935, in accordance with his will. It is a popular tourist attraction with a close view of the Hollywood Sign, so pair it with the Vinewood sign stop.

Location precision: Los Santos is fictional; the pin marks the real Griffith Observatory behind the in-game Galileo Observatory.

Visitor guidance: Admission is free; check the observatory website for opening hours.

Los Santos winds down at the Del Perro Pier, the game's copy of the Santa Monica Pier, with rides glowing over the Pacific. The real pier stands at the foot of Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica. It contains a small amusement park, concession stands, and areas for views and fishing. Its centerpiece is Pacific Park, a family amusement park with a solar-panelled Ferris wheel visible from far down the beach. Ride the wheel, then walk the boards the way the game lets you.

Location precision: Los Santos is fictional; the pin marks the real Santa Monica Pier behind the in-game Del Perro Pier.

Visitor guidance: The Ferris wheel is floodlit and visible from far down the beach.

South of the pier, Vespucci Beach takes over: Rockstar built it as a combination of Santa Monica and Venice Beach in Los Angeles. The real Venice Beach Boardwalk is a two-mile promenade running parallel to the sand, and its attractions include Muscle Beach Venice and the skatepark. The Boardwalk draws some 28,000 to 30,000 visitors daily, about 10 million a year, which makes the game's crowded beach feel honest. Bring sunscreen and join the promenade parade.

Location precision: Los Santos is fictional; the pin marks the real Venice Beach Boardwalk behind the in-game Vespucci Beach.

Visitor guidance: Expect big crowds; mornings are quieter on the Boardwalk.

In the game's south-east, the Jefferson Towers rise over the streets, copied from the Watts Towers of Simon Rodia. The real site is a collection of 17 interconnected sculptural towers in Watts, Los Angeles. They were designed and built solely by Sabato Rodia, an Italian immigrant construction worker and tile mason, over 33 years from 1921 to 1954. The tallest reaches 99.5 feet. It is outsider art on a huge scale, still standing where Rodia left it.

Location precision: Los Santos is fictional; the pin marks the real Watts Towers behind the in-game Jefferson Towers.

Visitor guidance: The site is a public park; check tour hours before visiting.