From StrategyWiki, the video game walkthrough and strategy guide wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

San Andreas is an entire state whose geography resembles that of California and Nevada, with forests, rural landscapes, deserts, mountain ranges, and beaches. Its 13.9 square miles (36 square kilometres) is arranged into five islands connected by a series of bridges. The population of San Andreas is divided among its three major cities (Los Santos, San Fierro and Las Venturas) and the small towns dotting its five counties (Red County, Flint County, Whetstone, Tierra Robada and Bone County).

Major cities[edit]

Los Santos[edit]

File:Los santos.jpg
A view of affluent Western Los Santos.

Los Santos is a fictional city based on the real-life Los Angeles County, specifically its cities of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Inglewood, Beverly Hills, Compton, and Santa Monica. Consequently, Los Santos bears many similarities to these areas; it is filled with references to famous L.A. landmarks, including the Walk of Fame, the Hollywood Sign, the Great Western Forum, the Los Angeles City Hall, Rodeo Drive, the Bonaventure Hotel, the Watts Towers, the Capitol Tower, Whisky a Go Go, the U.S. Bank Tower and the Santa Monica Pier, among many others. The city is the hometown of Carl "CJ" Johnson, who returns from living in Liberty City for five years, after his brother informs him of their mother's death.

Los Santos is the largest city in San Andreas and is located in the southeastern part of the state. Los Santos is bordered by Red County to the north and Flint County to the west. The suburbs east of the affluent downtown are crime-ridden and mostly controlled by gangs. Far more affluent areas, however, can be found to the north and west of the city in the Vinewood region (the city's version of Hollywood). Another large section of Los Santos is comprised of high-end retail shops, and the Central Business District is home to several skyscrapers. The southern part of Los Santos features Los Santos International airport, based on LAX. The game manual for Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, fashioned as a 1998 edition of the Liberty Tree newspaper, mentions that Los Santos has been voted as "The city where you are most likely to get eaten by a wild animal" that year.

Districts[edit]

  • Commerce / Downtown L.A.
  • Conference Centre / Los Angeles Convention Center
  • Downtown L.S. / Downtown L.A.
  • East Beach / Long Beach
  • East Los Santos / East Los Angeles
  • El Corona / El Sereno
  • Ganton / Compton
  • Glen Park / Echo Park
  • Idlewood / Inglewood
  • Jefferson / Watts
  • Las Colinas / Los Feliz
  • Little Mexico / Downtown LA (South)
  • Los Flores / Boyle Heights
  • Los Santos International Airport / Los Angeles International Airport
  • Marina / Marina Del Rey
  • Market / West Hollywood
  • Market Station / Wilshire/Western Station
  • Mulholland / Hollywood Hills
  • Mulholland Intersection / US 101 and SR 110 Intersection
  • Ocean Docks / Los Angeles Harbor/San Pedro
  • Pershing Square / Pershing Square
  • Playa del Seville / Playa Del Rey
  • Rodeo / Beverly Hills
  • Richman / Bel-Air
  • Santa Maria Beach / Santa Monica
  • Temple / North Hollywood (North)
  • Unity Station / Union Station
  • Verdant Bluffs / Griffith Park
  • Verona Beach / Venice Beach
  • Vinewood / Hollywood
  • Willowfield / Willowbrook

San Fierro[edit]

File:GTASA PC City View San Fierro Gant Bridge.jpg
Gant Bridge, modeled after San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge.

San Fierro is a fictional city based on San Francisco, California. Consequently, San Fierro bears many similarities to San Francisco: both are moderately sized bayside cities situated on a peninsula, boasting steep hills and picturesque scenery. Both cities are also serviced by a cable car system.

San Fierro is the smallest metropolitan area in San Andreas and is located in the western part of the state. San Fierro bears visible scars of an earthquake, a likely reference to the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989, three years before the game is set. South of San Fierro lies the massive Mt. Chiliad and the town of Angel Pine in Whetstone County. To the north, across the Gant Bridge (San Fierro's version of the famed Golden Gate Bridge), lies the small town of Bayside. To the northeast is the desert county of Tierra Robada, and to the southeast the heavily forested Flint County. The city's docks lie in Easter Basin, which includes a naval base, aircraft carrier and Easter Bay Airport, modeled after San Francisco International Airport. Other landmarks include replicas of the Transamerica Pyramid (Fierro Pointy Building), Lombard Street (Windy Windy Windy Windy Street), Cliff House (Avispa Country Club), the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (Garver Bridge), Sutro Tower, and the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption.

Districts[edit]

As with landmarks, several San Francisco locales have been recreated as San Fierro neighborhoods and districts, including:

  • Doherty / Dogpatch
  • Hashbury / Haight-Ashbury
  • Garcia / Mission District
  • Easter Basin / China Basin and/or Hunters Point
  • Queens / The Castro
  • King's / Noe Valley (and Pierre Valley)
  • Santa Flora / Twin Peaks
  • Chinatown / Chinatown
  • Juniper Hill / Russian Hill
  • Easter Bay Airport / San Francisco Airport
  • Juniper Hollow / Cow Hollow
  • Calton Heights / Pacific Heights
  • Palisades / Presidio Heights
  • Downtown and Financial / Financial District
  • Esplanade East / The Embarcadero
  • Esplanade North / Fisherman's Wharf
  • Ocean Flats / Ocean Beach
  • Paradiso / Presidio
  • Battery Point / Fort Point

Las Venturas[edit]

File:GTASA PC Las Venturas from The Strip.jpg
The Las Venturas Strip, where the more renowned casinos are located.

Las Venturas is a fictional city based on Las Vegas, Nevada. Like its real-life counterpart, Las Venturas is a city located in a desert region featuring legalized gambling. In addition to several strip clubs, the city features dozens of hotels/casinos based on real-life Las Vegas attractions, such as The Camel's Toe (The Luxor), The Four Dragons Casino (Imperial Palace), Caligula's Palace (Caesars Palace), The Clown's Pocket (Circus Circus), The Visage (The Mirage), Pirates in Men's Pants (Treasure Island), The High Roller (Bally's Las Vegas), Come-a-Lot (Excalibur) and The Starfish Resort And Casino (Stardust Resort & Casino), most of which are located on the city's version of the Las Vegas Strip. Las Venturas also contains replicas of the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign and Vegas Vic (portrayed by Vice City property magnate Avery Carrington) and Sassy Sally (portrayed by Vice City Porno actress Candy Suxxx.

Las Venturas is the second largest city in San Andreas and is located in the northeastern part of the state. To the city's west is a large desert region called Bone County. Directly to the city's south is Red County, the forest region. Las Venturas is also notable for its freeway system; the Julius Thru-Way is a freeway that circles the entire city (modeled after the real-life I215). Freeways from both Los Santos and San Fierro intersect with it. Another freeway is the Harry Gold Parkway (modeled after the real-life Interstate 15), which runs through the middle of the city and intersects twice with the Julius Thru-Way North and Julius Thru-Way South. Las Venturas' airport is located just off the Strip, much like McCarran International Airport is in Las Vegas.

Counties and towns[edit]

In addition to the three principal metropolises, San Andreas state contains five fictional counties and ten fictional towns.

Red County[edit]

Red County is a rural county with four towns, located among forests consisting of primarily tall redwood trees and streams. The county is based on the quintessential American countryside, primarily California's Central Valley, and is populated with stereotypical rednecks.

Marked zones: San Andreas Sound, Hanky Panky Point, North Rock, Fisher's Lagoon, Hilltop Farms, Ferm Ridge, Hampton Barns, Blueberry Acres, Flint Water, The Panopticon, Fallen Tree, and Easter Bay Chemicals

The towns in Red County include:

  • Palomino Creek: a fictional town located in northeast Red County. It is home to an often-robbed bank, a Pizza Stack, and Hanky Panky Point, a popular destination for teenage couples and "dirty old men". Palomino Creek has two freeway entrances and is easily accessible to Las Venturas and eastern Los Santos. Population: 6,836.
  • Montgomery: a fictional town located in northeastern Red County. It has a small hospital, Crippen Memorial. It also contains a small horse betting shop and a pizza stack. Population: 3,623.
  • Dillimore: a fictional town located on the northern outskirts of Los Santos. Although it is small, it contains a Police station, a Pay 'n' Spray, a gas station and a diner. It also houses the large farm estate, which contains a Quadbike and various farm equipment. Population: 2,130.
  • Blueberry: a fictional town just outside of Los Santos. On the outskirts of town, there is a large farm and the Fleischberg Brewery. The town itself is home to a liquor store, Pizza Stack, and an Ammu-Nation. The climate resembles that of San Fierro. Population: 1,309.

Flint County[edit]

Flint County is an underdeveloped county of San Andreas. There are no towns and only a couple of farms, although it contains a huge landscape and the region is much more hilly than Red County.

Whetstone[edit]

Whetstone is a fictional county with only one town, located in the southwest corner of San Andreas, just south of San Fierro. The county is home to Mt. Chiliad, the tallest mountain in the state at a half-mile (800m) in height.

The only town in Whetstone is:

  • Angel Pine: a fictional logging town located at the foot of Mt. Chiliad. It is notable for containing a hospital at which the player can participate in Paramedic missions. It also contains a sheriff's office, a saw mill, a Cluckin' Bell fast food restaurant, a U-Get-Inn Motel, an Ammu-Nation and a trailer park. The population of Angel Pine is not stated in-game through roadside signs or any other means, but the town bears a resemblance to Palomino Creek, Blueberry, Dillimore and Montgomery.

Tierra Robada[edit]

Tierra Robada is a fictional rural county with three towns, located in the northwest corner of San Andreas. It is loosely based on the Sierra Nevada area and Marin County. Its name is Spanish for "Robbed Earth" or "Stolen Land". Indeed, the distinctive flora of southern San Andreas are missing from the desert. Scattered highways are located here, as is a ranch which belongs to Mike Toreno. In maps that come with the game, the very western of Tierra Robada runs off the map, suggesting San Andreas is not all islands. However, in-game its stops at a cliff that drops into the Pacific Ocean.

Other marked zones: Valle Ocultado, Arco Del Oeste, Sherman Dam, Sherman Reservoir, Bayside Tunnel, Bayside Marina, and San Fierro Bay

The towns in Tierra Robada include:

  • Aldea Malvada: a fictional Pueblo ghost town located in Tierra Robada overlooking El Quebrados on the outskirts of town. Its name is Spanish for "Evil Village".
  • Bayside: a fictional waterfront town located on the western tip of Tierra Robada, just north across the bay from San Fierro. The sole access point to the town is directly linked to San Fierro via the Gant Bridge. The town contains a boat school, where Carl can obtain his boating license, as well as a helipad where helicopters spawn. The buildings in Bayside resemble those found in the Presidio neighborhood of San Francisco, but its location and proximity to the Gant Bridge suggests that the town is primarily based on Sausalito. It is also a rest stop from truckers between San Fierro and Las Venturas.
  • El Quebrados: a fictional town that is home to a sheriff's department, medical centre, barber and Pay & Spray. The town is located east of Bayside. Its name is Spanish for "The Bankrupt," or "The Broken."
  • Las Barrancas: a fictional town that is located within viewing range of the Sherman Dam, and is also located just beside a cliffside ruin. "Las Barrancas" is Spanish for "The Ravines". According to the official website, the sound of a hundred horses galloping through the town can be heard at midnight. The cliff dwellings located on the face of the Las Barrancas mesa appear to resemble the Montezuma Castle National Monument located in northern Arizona. Las Barrancas has a Dam Camper RV Park, Church, Trading Post, Tee Pee Motel, steak restaurant with a large cow on the roof and an empty cemetery.

Bone County[edit]

File:GTASA PC Gameplay Airplane.jpg
Bone County, as seen from the air.

Bone County is one of the most important areas of the game, other than the major cities themselves, containing many areas and missions needed for continuation; a large number of easter eggs are also located within it. The county's two most prominent features include Area 69, a secret military base located at its center, as well as an abandoned airfield, directly north of Area 69. Bone County boasts an oil field, a quarry, several unique natural features such as mesas and a spring. The mesas and buttes appear to resemble the buttes located in Monument Valley on the Arizona/Utah border.

The county is bordered in the west by the Sherman Reservoir and Dam (based on the Hoover Dam) as well as Tierra Robada county. Las Venturas is located to its east, and Red County to its south. The county as a whole is based on rural portions of the American state of Nevada, with its similar climate, terrain and topography. Two populated towns and one ghost town are located in this county.

Other marked places: Verdant Meadows, El Castillo del Diablo, Regular Tom, 'The Big Ear', Lil' Probe Inn, Green Palms, Octane Springs, and Hunter Quarry

The towns in Bone County include: Fort Carson, Las Brujas and Las Payasadas

  • Restricted Area (Area 69): a fictional restricted, fenced-in military base, based on Area 51 and named after the 69 sex position (another example of an in-joke that the game developers use in numbering in-game locations, e.g. Pier 69 in San Fierro and all of the airport runways). The base houses various clandestine government projects, including the "Black Project" jet pack. Echoing the conspiracy theories surrounding Area 51, it is implied that it may house projects involving UFOs or extraterrestrial life, as suggested by the presence of the nearby "Li'l Probe Inn" (a reference to the Little A'Le'Inn) located in the real town of Rachel, Nevada, the dialog on the base's PA system during the "Black Project" mission (directly saying "alien technology") and by dialog on Marvin Trill's in-game radio show. Much of the base consists of underground research labs, although the player can only enter these labs during the course of a single mission. The above-ground structures include a series of control towers, guard posts, and garages for military vehicles, including the Patriot (a Humvee), the Rhino (an army tank) and the Hydra (a military jump jet). These garages are the first area in the game in which tanks and military helicopters will automatically spawn. The player automatically receives a five-star wanted level for entering, attempting to enter, or flying over the base (at a low altitude); surface-to-air missiles will be fired at the player from the base if he attempts to fly over, although the SAM sites can be destroyed.
  • Fort Carson: a fictional town that is the largest in Bone County and also its county seat, as indicated by the small red building in the main street, having been significantly undeveloped as of 1992. North of the town is Area 69, as well as the smaller town of Las Payasadas. It has a small hospital and a sheriff's office. There is also an Ammu-Nation just outside of town. The town is located west of Las Venturas. A Beagle plane is known to appear next to one of the houses near here and it is flyable, though often blows up when the player enters. Fort Carson also boasts five motels. A miniature version of the 'Vinewood' sign is perched upon a hill on the eastern side of the town, though the name is changed accordingly. The Lil' Probe Inn, a fictional bar/motel, is located north from Fort Carson. The Lil' Probe Inn is actually a parody of the Little A'Le'Inn in Rachel, Nevada, in which the interior is similar to the interior of the real life Little A'Le'Inn. The main similarities include the pool table, bar, numerous pictures and the map located in the back staff room. Driving north on road from the Probe Inn is Area 69. The Big Ear, a large satellite dish located west of Area 69, is claimed by the official San Andreas website to emit radiation that resulted in birth defects in the local populace, in which its newborns have no ears. There is also a big mast located on the "Big Ear" hill, north of Fort Carson, and can be seen from miles around. Apparently, the mast is used to broadcast radio signals throughout San Andreas, such as "K Rose" and "WCTR". Population: 369.
  • Las Payasadas: a fictional town that bills itself as the home of "The Big Pecker — the world's largest cock", which in fact is a huge animatronic rooster designed to advertise a store called "Pecker's Feed and Seed". It is located in northern Bone County, on a cliff top overlooking the Verdant Meadows airstrip. Its name is Spanish for "clowning off." Population: 211.
  • Las Brujas: a fictional ghost town located in the El Castillo del Diablo (Spanish for "The Castle of the Devil") region of Bone County. It is located right off the Verdant Meadows airstrip. This is the location of Officer Jimmy Hernandez's death at the hands of Tenpenny and Pulaski. Nearby to Las Brujas is a mass grave containing a few bodybags (which can be seen being buried by two mobsters in "The Introduction." If one stands on the rooftop of one of the abandoned shacks, one can see that SOS's have been burned into the shingles of each roof. Las Brujas is Spanish for "The Witches".

Transportation[edit]

Air[edit]

There are four airports in San Andreas (one abandoned). The airports are:

  • Los Santos International Airport - Los Santos (LSX): LSX is a fictional airport located at the southern end of Los Santos. The airport is described as being "the fourth busiest airport in the world," as of 1992. The airport is made up of five gates that are connected by a U-shaped three-level main terminal. A highway from the Mulholland Intersection links directly to the airport's main terminal.
  • Easter Bay Airport - San Fierro (SFI): The Easter Bay Airport is a fictional airport located at the southeastern end of San Fierro, beside a bay. The airport has one runway, three taxiways, and a double tier terminal. This is one of the larger airports that can be found in San Andreas. During takeoff, the player has a view of the bay, San Fierro skyline and the Garver Bridge.
  • Las Venturas Bone County Airport - Las Venturas (LVA): LVA is a fictional airport located at the western side of Las Venturas between the Harry Gold Parkway and the Julius Thruway West. Around the airport are large depots, which service plane parts and other material for aircraft use. The airport also houses the large flyable airliner, the AT-400, which is the same plane used by Juank Air, on which the player can buy a ticket and fly to one of the other two cities. The terminals has a similar design to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport from an aerial view
  • Verdant Meadows Aircraft Graveyard - Bone County (abandoned): Verdant Meadows is a fictional abandoned airstrip in which the remains of several planes can be found; it appears to be based on the ex-CIA facility at Pinal Airpark, Arizona, which is now an aircraft boneyard. During the game, CJ will be forced to purchase the Verdant Meadows airstrip by Mike Toreno in order to learn aircraft piloting. After CJ's aircraft lessons have been completed, the airstrip may be freely used and one or more airplanes (dependent on the player's flight school ranking) will spawn regularly in the various hangars throughout the strip while others can be saved in the large hangar at the east of the airstrip. The jetpack which The Truth asks CJ to obtain ends up there too. Verdant Meadows has one dirt (sand) strip/runway.

There are regular flights between Los Santos International, Easter Bay and Las Venturas airports. Each of these airports are operated 24 hours a day. The main airline in San Andreas is called "Juank Air". Flights cost $500 one way.

Rail[edit]

The Brown Streak Railroad is a fictional railroad entity within the game, meant to mimic that of California's Metrolink, and Caltrain, or Union Pacific Railroad systems. Its slogan is "Go for the Brown". The Brown Streak Railroad also shares its tracks with non-passenger freight service. In addition to heavy rail, San Fierro also has a one tram line that encircles part of the city, although the player is unable to use it. The name "Brown Streak" is likely to refer to both the title of the movie Silver Streak starring Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor, and a term referring to a feces stain on white briefs. There are six stations which are operated on the Brown Streak Railway, although one of them is merely a driver's stop.

Brown Streak Railroad trains typically run with two car service, with the occasional three car set. The freight trains are three or four cars long. All stations can accommodate a five-car train (one locomotive inclusive). Service is operated 24 hours a day, and tickets can be purchased from ticket windows, vending machines and aboard trains.

As in the first Grand Theft Auto game, players can hijack a train and drive it themselves. Additional sub-missions also involve operating the train and delivering cargo to stations within the allowed time limit. If one has successfully completed the freight train sub-missions, the player has control of the asset, gaining money via it on a regular basis. In addition, the player can become a passenger by entering the passenger doors.

Brown Streak Railroad locomotives are diesel powered, with no electrified tracks. Its train yard is based in Las Venturas. The locomotives and cars used by the Brown Streak are modeled after real ones. The freight locomotives resemble EMD SD40-2s, though the trucks resemble ones from GE. The passenger locomotives resemble EMD F40PHs and the cars resemble Superliners.

The trains are near-indestructible. It is impossible to damage a train by any normal means, even attacking it with a tank. It is, however, possible to derail a train.

Stations[edit]

  • Unity Station - Los Santos: a play on Union Station, in Downtown Los Angeles. This station has two side platforms, and vending machines.
  • Market Station - Los Santos: possibly referring to a station on the Metro Red Line. It is an underground station, closer to the Flint County end of the tunnel under most of Los Santos. Also has a side platform, but only on Track 2. Ticket Machines are available.
  • Cranberry Station - San Fierro: biggest station in San Andreas. Features 2 side platforms, 1 island platform. Features a glass atrium, ticket offices and vending machines. A San Fierro tram line is located directly in front of the station's entrance. Many transport links feed into the station, such as the San Fierro tramway and the Garver Bridge approach. It is most likely based on Caltrain's San Francisco station, as the location and track design in both stations is similar.
  • Yellow Bell Station - Las Venturas: side platforms. Ticket offices and vending machines are also available. Free parking is also there for those who wish to use the lots.
  • Sobell Rail Yards - Las Venturas: side platform on Track 2 only. One ticket machine, and located near the Sobell Rail Shops, across the Julius Thruway.
  • Linden Station - Las Venturas: similar to Yellow Bell station.

Train lines[edit]

The Brown Streak Railroad uses two side by side tracks which route right around San Andreas. At two points, the rails combine into a single rail and run for a couple of miles before parting back into 2 tracks. In Los Santos, a track connects to the main circuit and is a more industrial line. This line can not be driven on in the game and is merely for show. In San Fierro, a track connects to the main line and leads to the Ocean Docks. This is also a track which trains in the game cannot drive down (although the "route" file exists in the game folder for this track). The primary track is the one which is on the inner part of San Andreas. This track is the one in which players will see trains drive on during normal game play. The track which runs beside it is used in missions ("Wrong Side of The Tracks" and "Snail Trail").

Bridges[edit]

San Andreas features two distinct mainlands. These are separated by a large stretch of water from east to west. Various bridges can be found along the length of the water inlet as a means of transport between the mainlands. The Bridges are listed from east to west:

  • Frederick Bridge: a small railway bridge situated to the east of the state. The bridge separates Rockshore East (a district in south eastern Las Venturas) from Hanky Panky Point near Palomino Creek in northeastern Red County.
  • The Mako Span: the state's easternmost road bridge and is located along the main route that connects Los Santos to Las Venturas. The bridge runs out onto the inlet from the Harry Gold Parkway in Las Venturas to the north, then passes through the Montgomery Intersection at the southern end of the crossing. This road then continues south straight into Los Santos.
  • Fallow Bridge: serves as a crossing between two counties: Red County and Bone County. The bridge's southern entrance is located close to the Hampton Barns, whilst the northern end provides access to the Hunter Quarry.
  • Martin Bridge: is similar to fallow bridge and again serves access between Red and Bone Counties. However, this bridge has been positioned close to two country towns: Blueberry in Red County and Fort Carson in Bone County. This, therefore allows Martin bridge to cater for a more distinct cause than the nearby Fallow Bridge.
  • Kincaid Bridge: as the river continues west, the waters open out into a large inlet as Easter Bay Airport is passed; this follows on to the pass of the seafront at Downtown, San Fierro. At this point the river flows underneath Kincaid Rail Bridge. This bridge is passed over by trains just after departing Cranberry station in Doherty, San Fierro. The trains traversing the bridge pass over to Tierra Robada, leaving glorious views of the San Fierro skyline behind them. This is closely based on the Forth Rail Bridge in Scotland.
  • Garver Bridge: situated immediately west of the Kincaid Rail Bridge is the traffic using equivalent. The Garver Bridge, is one of San Andreas' largest and most impressive bridges. The bridge is part of the Freeway system and runs northeast directly out of Downtown, San Fierro. This passes over into Tierra Robada, more specifically onto the Robada Intersection, where the users of Garver Bridge face a choice of many other nearby routes and destinations in the state. This is closely based on the Forth Road Bridge in Scotland, but could also be thought of as a one-deck version of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, which extends northeast out of San Francisco.
  • Gant Bridge: running out of north western San Fierro is the Gant Bridge, closely based on San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. The Gant Bridge is the largest and arguably, the most aesthetically pleasing bridge in San Andreas. The Bridge features toll barriers at the San Fierro end, but use of the bridge is free to the player.
  • Oram Bridge: located east of Angel Pine connects Flint County and Whetstone.
  • Flint Bridge: connects Whetstone with the San Fierro peninsula just south of Foster Valley and north of Angel Pine.

Other attractions[edit]

Stores[edit]

  • Ammu-Nation: a fictional firearms/ammunition store. It is the only legal place in the state where a person can purchase guns and ammunition. There are a few in every major city and sometimes small towns. The large ones have firing ranges in the back where people can practice their shooting. Prices are higher in Las Venturas than anywhere else in San Andreas.
  • 24-7: a fictional supermarket/convenience store chain in San Andreas. 24-7's ubiquity and basic layout throughout the fictional state are meant to evoke the large presence of convenient store chains 7-11 and ampm in California, and the 24-7 sign is a parodying pastiche of both brands' logos. The only things of note in them are two vending machines for a snack or a can of Sprunk soda ($1) to help regain health and two arcade games (free to play). The stores only appear in Los Santos, Las Venturas, Whetstone and Bone County.
  • 99, 98, and 69¢ Stores: (based on 99 Cents Only Store) fictional stores found in many cities across San Andreas which works just like the 24/7 stores.
  • Tattoo shops are in all three cities, all of them having different range of tattoos which can be tattooed all around on CJ's upper body, on a total of 9 possible body parts (Upper and lower left/right arm, stomach, left/right chest, upper and lower back)
  • Barber shops are all around the map, for hairdressing from $50 to $1000 cuts.

Clothing stores[edit]

  • Binco: a fictional clothing store that is the cheapest in San Andreas. It is the first store that Carl buys clothes from, and is popular among the Grove Street Families. It may be a thrift store, due to its motto 'More Trash for Less Cash'. There are many Bincos in San Andreas, and a Binco panel truck is featured in the game.
  • Pro Laps: a fictional sport clothing store. It is filled with baseball jerseys and the like. The name is a reference to prolapse and a pun on sporty 'professional' and 'laps' subjects. There appears to only be a few Pro Laps stores in the state, not as many as Binco.
  • Sub Urban: a fictional gangster themed clothing store. It is more hip, and more about style than Binco, but also more expensive. There appears to be three Sub Urbans, one in each major city.
  • Zip: a fictional store that opens for business later in the game. It is more middle class, and expensive. Zip has a few, but not many, store locations in the state. It is based on Gap (which in turn was spoofed as 'Gash' in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and as "Zip" In Grand Theft Auto III).
  • Victim is another late opening store. It is more expensive than Zip and contains leather jackets, cowboy pants, Hawaiian shirts, a couple of t-shirt-under-jacket suits and the like. There are three Victim locations in the state.
  • Didier Sachs: a fictional clothing store that is the most expensive in San Andreas. Didier Sachs is based on Dior, and opens late in the game. It is targeted at upper class rich citizens, and consists of tuxedos, suits, dress pants, expensive watches, etc. It is the most expensive, and flashiest store, it contains very flashy vintage suits (in the same fashion as the ones featured in the previous title) in the colors of Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green, all except Green are worn over a white t-shirt. The only Didier Sachs in San Andreas is located in Rodeo, Los Santos.

Restaurants[edit]

  • Cluckin' Bell: a fictional chicken-based restaurant in San Andreas. There, the meals are the Cluckin' Little Meal, Cluckin' Big Meal, Cluckin' Huge Meal and Salad Meal. There is also a poster on the wall for a Little Cluckers Kids Meal, which is the Cluckin' Little Meal. It is based on real-life fast food chains KFC and Taco Bell, which are incidentally the same company, both being divisions of Yum Brands. This restaurant is involved more in commercial activity, and generally has a few more of its chains spread out around the state. The franchise is notorious for its overworked and underprivileged employees, who can be heard to complain whenever the character orders food from a restaurant (in one cutscene, when Carl Johnson orders a chicken meal, the cashier can be heard to say, "Cluckity-fuck, sir! Hope ya choke-a-doodle-doo!"). Cluckin' Bell is the only fast food chain that advertises on the radio. Their ads often circle around their severe abuse of chickens and the extreme measures they'll go through to silence anyone who protests it.
  • Burger Shot: a fictional hamburger restaurant in San Andreas (also in the North Point Mall in Vice City). The meals there are the Moo Kid's Meal, the Beef Tower, the Meat Stack and the Salad Meal, which is cheaper here than at other restaurants. It is based on McDonald's, Carls Jr, Wendy's, and Burger King. Critics have given this restaurant a bad name, due to its lack of cleanliness, although the employees are relentlessly friendly, possibly as a contrast to Cluckin' Bell. The name itself implies Burger shot as a slang term for a pornographic closeup image of the female genitalia.
  • The Well Stacked Pizza Co: a fictional pizza restaurant in San Andreas (which also appears in Vice City). The meals there are the Buster, Double D-Luxe, Full Rack and Salad Meal. It is based on Domino's Pizza and Pizza Hut. Employees tend to be moderately friendly and speak in an informal manner.
  • Diners/Restaurants: Present in a number of cities and towns, but only accessible during the date missions.
  • Bars: One in each city, named differently, and a few scattered about the countryside. They feature pool games and video games machines, but can also be used as a location for the date missions.

Gas Stations[edit]

  • Xoomer (a pastiche of Exxon) is the main fictional automative fuel brand in San Andreas. Other fictional brands include: Going (Mobil), Tosser (Esso) and Gasso (also Esso). In addition, there are also independent filling stations, located in south Angel Pine, Flint County (near Flint Intersection) and central Tierra Robada just off the Interstate. Stations cannot be entered but pumps can be exploded while vendors, flowers and fire extinguishers are usually found here.

Xoomer locations: Easter Basin, Juniper Hill/Juniper Hollow, Come-A-Lot, Spiny Bed, The Emerald Isle, Redsands West, Julius Thruway South, Shady Creek services, El Quebrados and Octane Springs.

Gasso is located in Dillimore.

Tosser is located in north Montgomery.

Going is located in Idlewood.

Law enforcement[edit]

There are four different police forces in San Andreas, the LVPD for Las Venturas, the LSPD for Los Santos, the SFPD for San Fierro, and the SAPD for the San Andreas state police, which patrol the highways and the towns; however all police vehicles carry the same insignia. The insignia outside the LVPD headquarters, however, resembles that of the New York Police Department.

Each 'major city' police vehicle resembles that of a Chevrolet Caprice in 1992, with the exception of Las Venturas, which has a boxier, older-looking version of the Caprice, that was last used in 1990. The highway patrol police cars are SUV's. Each police car is the black and white 'panda car', including the Highway Patrol SUV's and the heavily armored SWAT vehicles.

Also, there are police stations scattered throughout the state. There is the police headquarters in each big city, the LSPD has a headquarters that looks exactly like it's real-life counterpart of the LAPD. The LVPD have the biggest HQ, a multi-level station in the neighborhood of Roca Escalante. The SFPD is the only station with access to a helicopter pad. SFPD is also the only police station that you can't enter. the police stations are in the following cities:

  • Los Santos
  • Las Venturas
  • San Fierro
  • Dillimore
  • El Quebrados