5 underrated locations in GTA Vice City that are rarely visited

Sometimes it's easy to get lost in the glitz and glamor of GTA Vice City; more than a few locations are easy to forget about.

With an 80's-based aesthetic and tropical vibes, Vice City is a memorable part of the GTA series. Several key locations stood out immediately. These include the North Point Mall, the lighthouse near the beach, and the million dollar mansions on Starfish Island. Despite crime and corruption, Vice City is a visual treasure.

However, certain locations fade into the background. For one reason or another, GTA players may often forget about these areas. Sometimes there is a lack of interesting sights to see. A few of them play minor or major roles in missions; some of them are easy to miss entirely.

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Five areas in GTA Vice City that are undervalued

#5 - The entire Downtown area

The downtown area isn't nearly as lively as it should be (Image via GTA Myths Wiki)

GTA players will be disappointed to find there isn't much to do here beyond a few missions. Although the second half of Vice City is unlocked later in the game, Downtown lacks the liveliness of the earlier locations. It's mostly commercial districts with tall buildings, with corporate shades of gray.

A few players speculated this was one of the last areas Rockstar Games worked on. The beta map serves as a potential argument in favor of this unproven theory - Hyman Memorial Stadium isn't on there. It was seemingly tacked on later, which makes it stick out like a sore thumb.

Unfortunately, the downtown section of Vice City is mostly empty. At least Love Fist and local biker gangs can be found here. On a related note, there is a beach right nearby that nobody ever goes to. Most players won't even realize there is one in this location.

#4 - 8-Ball’s Bomb Shop

This one is really easy to miss. Hidden away in the rarely-visited Vice Port, 8-Ball Autos just blends in with the warehouse backgrounds. GTA players can use it to set up a death trap with their vehicle.

Since there is no story usage for this feature, most players will skip it entirely. Beyond the official GTA Vice City map, there is no direct mention of 8-Ball Autos within the game itself.

It's simply a leftover mechanic from the previous game. The bomb shop is mainly used for gameplay purposes.

#3 - Ocean Heights Apartment

There are several different safehouses in GTA Vice City. When purchasing a property, the players have to go up to a green icon. If they have the financial means to do so, they can buy the building.

Ocean Heights Apartment tends to get lost in the shuffle. Some players might not even see the green icon for two reasons. The first one is because it tends to be hidden behind the staircase and nearby plants.

Also, due to the location of the safehouse (it's on the right-hand side of the road), most players will drive right past it.

It does offer a single-vehicle garage, however. Players can purchase this property for closer accessibility to the Cortez mission string. It only costs $7,000, which shouldn't be hard to obtain if the player saves money.

#2 - Laundromat

Somewhere in Little Havana is a small laundromat service. There isn't much to do here besides robbing the store. GTA players will need to do so if they want to 100% complete the game. It isn't too difficult, since there are several unique savepoints in Little Havana. Players can use it to avoid police attention.

Notably, the tracksuit is available here. It can be unlocked after players complete Supply and Demand. While it doesn't serve much purpose, it can be fun to wear. GTA Vice City is the first in the 3D series to let players wear different clothing.

#1 - Viceport

Viceport is an industrial area which houses commercial businesses and boats. In sharp contrast to the beautiful city beaches and tropical islands, Viceport is not pleasant to look at.

It's downright grimey and covered in dirt. As a result, it might put off players from staying here for too long.

A few late-game missions take place here, such as Spilling the Beans and Hit the Courrier. Otherwise, there isn't much else to do here. Players can find large trucks and semi-trucks in this area. They are powerful but tend to be rather slow.

The Viceport Boatyard can be found here. For $10,000, GTA players can perform boat races in Checkpoint Charlie. However, these missions tend to be difficult due to the control scheme.

Most players would prefer to buy more interesting assets instead, such as InterGlobal Studios and the Malibu Club.

Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.