Grand Theft Auto 5 provides you with a sprawling metropolis for to explore and exploit. The digital playground of Los Santos gives all sorts of opportunities for you to unwind after a long day of pulling heists, stealing cars, and causing destruction wherever you go.
Aside from the usual activities such as tennis, golf, or even catching a movie, Los Santos is also home to a venerable amount of secret missions and hidden objectives that even the most hardcore gamers might have missed. There is such a large variety of things that these missions have you doing. Everything from driving a tow truck, to hunting bail bond jumpers. There is no end of fun and surprising things to do in Los Santos.
Updated October 30, 2022 by Ritwik Mitra: Grand Theft Auto 5 is a game that needs no introduction. It is easily one of Rockstar’s most impressive titles, with GTA Online doing a great job of enhancing the longevity of this game. Of course, it goes without saying that the single-player content of GTA 5 is the meat and bones of this title that many people want to get into, and the world of Los Santos is absolutely brimming with secrets. Here are some fun sidequests in the game that you might’ve missed out on.
10 Completing A Series Of Exercises
The last thing anyone would expect to do in GTA 5 is undergo a triathlon. However, not only do you need to do the same as a part of a Strangers & Freaks side quest for the game, but this also involves all three protagonists as well.
Mission Name
Exercising Demons
Prerequisites
Where To Start The Mission
Mary-Ann is who you need to interact with for this side quest. She will put all three characters through a physical gauntlet where you’ll need to mash everything on your controller to get through all these tasks with flying colors.
9 Racing With Franklin
Driving around with Franklin is a blast, especially with his special ability that essentially slows down time when you are driving. It’s a useful ability that is bound to get a ton of mileage in the game, and the best place where you can use this ability to great effect is through the street races you can unlock by talking to Hao.
Hao Street Races
Complete Chop and Pulling Favors
Davis
There is a series of five races that Franklin can attempt in succession after talking to Hao about this side activity. It’s a fun distraction that you can attempt to brush up on your driving skills.
8 Trevor And His Mommy Issues
In one of the more interesting revelations of character in GTA 5, there are two missions, experienced one after another, that allow you to get acquainted with Trevor’s mom. And as you would expect, the rotten, sociopathic apple does not fall far from the substance-addled tree.
Mrs. Philips
Damaged Goods
Trevor’s Trailer
In an effort to win back his mother’s love, Trevor is tasked with stealing her substance of choice — a whole van of it, actually. The interactions between Trevor and his mom are actually really humanizing for Trevor. It is a reminder that the reason why anybody is the way they are could be a result of their environment and the people around them. Deep Rockstar, deep.
7 Go Straight And Drive A Taxi
If chaos isn’t the reason you play video games, then you can take a more legitimate way to build your bank account. Buying the Downtown Cab Company as Franklin will allow you to occasionally moonlight as a cab driver when they aren’t on rampages.
Mission Names
Clown Car
Cut You In
Deadline
Take It Easy
Fare Needs Excitement
Follow Car
Got You Now
Got Your Back
Take to the Best Tailor
Purchase Downtown Cab Co. as Franklin
Varies
These are Private Taxi Fares, and there are nine of them to randomly encounter. As you would expect, these missions require you to get your customer to their destination in a timely and safe manner. Easier said than done in Los Santos.
6 Solve A Crime At Sea As Michael
Usually, you are playing a crook in GTA 5, but there are times when you get to act like a P.I. trying to crack a case. One excellent example of this is a side mission involving Michael. Michael crosses path with a widow, who asks Michael to collect 30 pieces of a submarine to help discern whether her late husband perished by accident or through other nefarious means.
What Lies Beneath
Sonar Collections Dock, talk to Abigail.
The best part of this mission is the ambiguity of the woman’s innocence in this whole scenario. Afterward, you can decide whether to dispense your own form of frontier justice and send her to the same watery grave that she might have sent her husband to.
5 Who Ended Leonora Johnson?
Speaking of mysteries, Franklin also gets his chance to crack a case wide open. Hidden throughout the urban jungle, and surrounding wilderness, of Los Santos, are 50 pieces of a mysterious letter. These are all clues pointing to the killer of a woman named Leonora Johnson.
A Scarlet in Vinewood
Peter Dreyfuss’ house as Franklin.
Collecting all these clues leads you to the criminal. Confronting him gives you the option to let him run away and get away with it, or act as judge, jury, and executioner.
4 Join A Cult
Yes, the Epsilon Program stand-in is not merely there for show: you can actually join the acolytes of the Epsilon Program. Rockstar went all out when they designed this creepy little cult, even making a real-life website for them.
Seeking the Truth
Accepting the Truth
Assuming the Truth
Chasing the Truth
Bearing the Truth
Delivering the Truth
Exercising the Truth
Unknowing the Truth
Use the web browser on Michael’s phone or computer to go to the Epsilon Program’s website (epsilonprogram.com), and then click on “Evaluate Your Identity”.
Raton Canyon
The cult forces you to donate money to them in order to progress through their storyline (similar to a real-life group that the Epsilon Program is blatantly spoofing). If you play your cards right, you can actually come out quite rich on the other end of this quest line. We can all say Kifflom to that!
3 Face Off Against “Real” Aliens
One of the best missions in all of GTA 5 doesn’t involve daring heists or hot pursuits from law enforcement. Rather, it follows Michael taking a few hits from a joint via an activist and starts seeing things. Notably, he spots an army of aliens surrounding him, waiting to close in.
Grass Roots (Michael)
Complete Complications and Pulling Favors
Legion Square, talk to Barry as Michael.
What results is an epic shootout between Michael and the alien forces. Michael eventually comes down from his visions and goes back to the boring reality we all know and love.
2 Become A Paparazzo
Los Santos is very much like the real Los Angeles it is based on, complete with the lowest vermin of the low: paparazzi. Whereas in real life, the paparazzi are reviled as bottom feeders, in GTA you get to join those bottom feeders!
Paparazzo
Complete Pulling Favors
West Vinewood
As Franklin, you can be contracted by Beverly to get the scoop. No journalism here, just helping Beverly get the shots he needs. You know what they say — if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.
1 Chasing Down Bail Jumpers
GTA 5 doesn’t stop you from living out your Dog The Bounty Hunter fantasies. Take a break from breaking the law, and spend some time dishing out the law! Playing as Trevor, you can link up with Maude, who will task you with tracking down bail jumpers and bring them back alive.
Bail Bond (series)
Complete Mr. Phillips
Maude’s mobile home, playing as Trevor.
As you can imagine that last part is totally optional, as this is GTA of course. Sadly, you do get paid less for ending these tardy bail jumpers. Go figure.
NEXT: Ranking Every Grand Theft Auto Game From Worst To Best
