Leonida: Rockstar's Florida
GTA 6 is set in the fictional state of Leonida — Rockstar's reimagination of Florida. Unlike GTA V's Los Santos, which focused primarily on a single metropolitan area with surrounding desert and mountains, Leonida promises an entire state's worth of environmental diversity crammed into one seamless open world.
This is Rockstar's most ambitious map ever built. Based on trailer analysis, leak footage, and satellite-style map fragments that have surfaced online, Leonida spans everything from gleaming Art Deco beachfront to alligator-infested wetlands, from strip-mall suburbia to isolated island chains. The variety isn't just visual — each region appears to have distinct NPCs, vehicles, activities, and even weather patterns.
The map is widely estimated to be approximately twice the size of GTA V's, though Rockstar has not confirmed exact dimensions. What's more important than raw size is density — every trailer shot reveals an extraordinary level of environmental detail, from individually modeled storefronts to reactive wildlife ecosystems.
Major Regions Breakdown
Leonida is divided into 5 major geographic regions, each with distinct visual identity, gameplay opportunities, and cultural character.
The genius of Leonida's design is how these regions flow into each other. Driving south from Vice City's skyscrapers, you pass through increasingly suburban sprawl, then suddenly the road narrows and you're surrounded by cypress trees and murky water. It's a gradual environmental transition rather than an abrupt biome switch — something Rockstar perfected in Red Dead Redemption 2.
Vice City (Downtown & Beach)
The heart of Leonida is Vice City — Rockstar's version of Miami and Miami Beach. This is where the glamour, the money, and the most iconic imagery lives. 18 distinct neighborhoods and landmarks have been cataloged within the metro area.
Other confirmed Vice City neighborhoods include Little Havana (Little Haiti equivalent with vibrant Latin American culture), Port Gelhorn (an industrial port area likely used for smuggling missions), Vice City International Airport (a fully modeled commercial airport), and Star Island — an exclusive residential island where Leonida's wealthiest NPCs live behind gated security.
The Vice City metro also appears to include a monorail or elevated rail system visible in trailer footage, which would be a franchise first for public transportation that actually traverses a meaningful distance.
Suburbs & Residential Areas
Surrounding Vice City is a ring of suburban communities that mirror real Florida's sprawl. 12 suburban locations have been identified, ranging from gated retirement communities to working-class strip-mall corridors.
Kelly County appears to be GTA 6's answer to Broward County — a vast suburban expanse of cookie-cutter homes, big-box retail stores, and wide multi-lane roads. It's the kind of environment that barely exists in previous GTA games, and it serves a critical purpose: making Vice City feel like a real city surrounded by real suburbia, not an island floating in void.
A gated community modeled on locations like Weston or Parkland has been spotted, complete with a golf course, community pool, and HOA-style uniform architecture. This could serve as both a heist target and a purchasable property location.
On the grittier end, several motel-row corridors along highway strips have been identified — the kind of low-rent, no-questions-asked motels that would serve as early-game safe houses before characters can afford Vice City real estate.
The Everglades & Swamplands
This is the region that most sets GTA 6 apart from any previous open-world game. The Everglades analog — likely called Grasslands or Sawgrass based on leaked map fragments — is a massive wetland region covering approximately 20-25% of the total map area.
10 distinct locations have been cataloged within the swamp region, including an airboat tour operation, a reptile farm, several fishing camps, and scattered stilt houses accessible only by watercraft. The environmental storytelling here is extraordinary — rust-streaked trailers, hand-painted warning signs, and improvised docks suggest a community that exists outside mainstream society.
Gameplay in the Everglades revolves around water navigation. Airboats are the primary transport, and the shallow, vegetation-choked waterways make traditional boats impractical. Wildlife is dense and dangerous — alligators, snakes, and panthers inhabit the region, and encounters appear to be dynamic rather than scripted.
The swamp also appears to be home to drug manufacturing operations and smuggling routes, tying into the game's crime narrative. Hidden labs, camouflaged compounds, and abandoned buildings dot the landscape, offering both story mission locations and free-roam discoveries.
Rural Towns & Farmland
North and west of Vice City, Leonida transitions into agricultural countryside. 11 rural locations have been identified, drawing on real Florida's central farming communities — think Homestead, Immokalee, and Okeechobee.
A small town with a main street, gas station, diner, and sheriff's office has been spotted — likely serving as the hub for the rural region. This is the kind of location where Jason and Lucia might lay low between major jobs, blending into small-town anonymity.
Farmland and ranches stretch across the northern map. Citrus groves, sugar cane fields, and cattle ranches are visible in aerial shots from the trailers. These aren't just background scenery — tractors and farm vehicles are drivable, and there's evidence of agricultural side activities (possibly a farming or ranch management minigame).
A Native American reservation or cultural site may also be present based on leaked map details, though the specifics remain unclear. If included, it would likely feature a casino — a common element in Florida's Seminole territories that could serve as both a story location and a gambling activity hub.
The Keys & Coastal Islands
The southernmost region of Leonida appears to be an island chain inspired by the Florida Keys. 9 locations have been identified across this coastal archipelago, connected by a long causeway bridge that mirrors the real Seven Mile Bridge.
The main island (analogous to Key West) appears to be a colorful, laid-back tourist town with bars, dive shops, marinas, and a distinctly Caribbean vibe. It's visually and culturally distinct from Vice City — slower, more relaxed, and populated by a different demographic.
Several smaller private islands are scattered throughout the chain, ranging from a luxury resort compound (potential heist target) to uninhabited mangrove islands that serve as stash points for smuggling operations. At least one island appears to have an abandoned military installation — possibly a decommissioned coastal defense site that could play into the story.
The causeway connecting the Keys to the mainland is itself a notable location. At roughly 4-5 miles of in-game length, it would be the longest continuous road segment in GTA history — perfect for high-speed chases with ocean views on both sides.
Key Landmarks & Points of Interest
Beyond neighborhoods and regions, GTA 6 is packed with individual landmarks that serve as navigation anchors and activity hubs.
Vice City Coliseum — a massive sports arena modeled after Miami's Kaseya Center. Likely hosts in-game events and potentially serves as a concert venue for the radio station artists featured in the game.
Leonida State Capitol — a government building visible in the northern part of the map, establishing that Vice City is the state's major city but not its capital (mirroring how Miami relates to Tallahassee).
Port Gelhorn Shipping Yard — the industrial port district features shipping containers, cranes, and warehouse complexes. A natural setting for smuggling missions, gang confrontations, and heist preparation.
Leonida Space Center — a Kennedy Space Center analogue appears in the northeastern map area. This could range from a background landmark to an accessible location with mission content.
The Malibu Club — while not confirmed by name, a Vice City nightclub matching the Malibu's description from Vice City (2002) has been spotted. If it is indeed the Malibu, it would be one of the most significant legacy callbacks in GTA history.
Underground & Interior Locations
One of GTA 6's most anticipated improvements is interior density. Previous GTA games had vast outdoor worlds but relatively few enterable buildings. Trailer and leak evidence suggests Rockstar has dramatically expanded interior access.
Confirmed enterable locations include multiple convenience stores (with dynamic robbery mechanics), restaurants and bars, shopping malls (a multi-story mall is visible in trailer footage), nightclubs, gun shops, clothing stores, and various safe houses and apartments.
The leaked footage also showed an extensive underground parking garage system beneath Vice City's downtown — multiple levels of drivable space that create opportunities for car chases, stealth approaches, and getaway routes that don't exist on the surface streets.
Most excitingly, there's evidence of a sewer or drainage tunnel network connecting certain parts of Vice City. This would add an entirely new traversal layer to the city, allowing players to move unseen beneath the streets — a dream feature for heist planning and police evasion.
Map Size & Scale Comparison
While Rockstar hasn't released official measurements, community analysis of trailer footage and leaked map fragments has produced consistent estimates:
Leonida's total playable area is estimated at approximately 75-80 square miles of land and water — roughly twice GTA V's 49 square miles. However, raw area comparisons are misleading. What matters more is usable density, and Leonida appears to pack significantly more explorable content per square mile than any previous GTA map.
The water area is particularly significant. Between the Keys, coastal waters, the Everglades waterways, and Vice City's bay and canal system, water may account for 30-35% of the playable map — but unlike GTA V's ocean (which was largely empty), these waterways appear filled with activities, discoveries, and navigation challenges.
For context: driving from the northern edge of the rural region to the southernmost Key island is estimated to take approximately 15-18 minutes of real time at highway speed. That's a genuinely massive world that should take weeks of exploration to fully discover.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is the GTA 6 map?
Community estimates place Leonida at approximately 75-80 square miles — roughly twice the size of GTA V. This includes both land and significant water areas. The map features dramatically more environmental variety than any previous GTA title.
Is GTA 6 set in Miami?
GTA 6 is set in the fictional state of Leonida, which is Rockstar's reimagination of Florida. The main city, Vice City, is inspired by Miami and Miami Beach. The map also includes Everglades-like swamplands, Florida Keys-inspired islands, and rural agricultural areas.
Can you enter buildings in GTA 6?
Yes — significantly more than in previous GTA games. Confirmed enterable locations include convenience stores, restaurants, malls, nightclubs, gun shops, and various residential properties. Underground parking garages and potential sewer systems add vertical depth.
Will GTA 6 have multiple cities?
Vice City is the only major metropolitan area. However, Leonida includes several smaller towns, suburban communities, and island settlements that provide distinct environments. The variety comes from regional diversity rather than multiple large cities.
Are there underwater locations in GTA 6?
Trailer footage suggests extensive underwater content, particularly around the Keys and coastal areas. Coral reefs, shipwrecks, and underwater caves have been spotted. The underwater gameplay appears significantly expanded compared to GTA V.
Last updated April 23, 2026. Location counts and descriptions are based on community analysis of official and leaked materials. For the full searchable database, visit our Locations Wiki.