If you look at the GTA 6 trailers and only focus on Vice City, it is easy to think Rockstar is simply bringing Miami back with better graphics.

The reality is a little more interesting.

Grand Theft Auto VI is set in the fictional state of Leonida, with Vice City at the centre of the game. Rockstar's official material also identifies the Leonida Keys, Grassrivers, Port Gellhorn, Ambrosia, and Mount Kalaga National Park as named locations within the wider world.

And while none of these places are literal Florida cities, the connections to the real Sunshine State are hard to miss.

Vice City clearly draws from Miami. The Leonida Keys are Rockstar's take on the Florida Keys. Grassrivers has the feel of the Everglades. Other parts of Leonida appear to borrow elements from Florida's Gulf Coast, agricultural interior, and northern landscapes.

So if you have been searching for a GTA 6 real life map, wondering what real life cities will be in GTA 6, or looking for the GTA 6 locations in real life, here is the clearest way to separate strong comparisons from community interpretation.

Where Is GTA 6 Located?

GTA VI is located in the fictional state of Leonida.

Rockstar's official GTA VI material places the game in Vice City and the wider state of Leonida. In its announcement for Trailer 2, Rockstar describes a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state and presents the setting as Vice City and beyond.

Leonida is essentially Rockstar's fictional version of Florida. The geography, architecture, wildlife, coastlines, wetlands, and general atmosphere all draw heavily from the real Sunshine State.

That does not mean Rockstar recreated Florida town by town.

A better way to think about Leonida is as a fictionalized Florida, where Rockstar has taken recognisable pieces of the real state and reshaped them for the GTA universe.

Rockstar's current official artwork names six locations: Vice City, Leonida Keys, Port Gellhorn, Ambrosia, Grassrivers, and Mount Kalaga National Park. Those names can be checked directly on Rockstar's official GTA VI Artwork & Wallpapers page.

Vice City vs Miami

This is the easiest real world comparison in GTA 6.

Vice City is Rockstar's fictional counterpart to Miami, and the resemblance goes far beyond the name.

Rockstar's official material shows a modern coastal city filled with high rises, beaches, highways, waterfront areas, nightlife, and distinctive neighbourhoods. Rockstar's own Vice City description highlights places such as Ocean Beach, Little Cuba, Tisha-Wocka, and the VC Port, giving the city a deliberately South Florida feel.

This is why searches such as "Vice City vs Miami" make so much sense. The real world inspiration is not difficult to see.

There are also obvious architectural parallels. The colourful beachfront buildings, palm lined roads, causeways, residential islands, and tropical urban landscape all fit the Miami influence that has defined Vice City since the original game.

But GTA VI is not intended to be a literal copy of Miami.

Rockstar has created its own fictional neighbourhoods, businesses, landmarks, characters, and geography. It is taking the visual identity associated with Miami and building something new around it.

So what city is Vice City based on?

Miami is the clearest real life inspiration for Vice City, but Vice City itself remains fictional.

Leonida Keys vs the Florida Keys

The Leonida Keys are one of the strongest real life comparisons in the entire game.

Rockstar officially identifies the Leonida Keys as part of GTA VI, and its character material directly connects the area with Jason Duval. Rockstar says Jason spent time in the Keys working for local drug runners. The same official material introduces Brian Heder, who lets Jason live rent free at one of his properties in exchange for helping with local shakedowns.

The real world comparison is straightforward: the Leonida Keys are Rockstar's fictional take on the Florida Keys.

The visual similarities are easy to understand. The region features islands, waterways, boats, bridges, tropical vegetation, and a more relaxed coastal environment than Vice City.

That does not mean every island in GTA VI corresponds exactly to a real island in the Florida Keys. Rockstar is using the real region as inspiration rather than publishing a literal digital copy of it.

Still, among all the GTA 6 locations in real life comparisons, this is one of the most obvious.

Grassrivers vs the Florida Everglades

If Vice City represents Florida's urban side, Grassrivers represents the opposite end of the spectrum.

Rockstar officially identifies Grassrivers as one of the named GTA VI locations, and its official screenshots show wetlands and swamp environments around the region.

The obvious real world comparison is the Florida Everglades.

Community mapping and reference sites also make that connection. GTABase describes Grassrivers as an Everglades inspired area, while the name itself fits the broader "River of Grass" identity associated with South Florida's wetlands.

This is one of the stronger environmental comparisons in GTA VI because it is not based on a single building or street. It is the whole landscape.

At the same time, it is better to call Grassrivers Everglades inspired than to describe it as a one to one recreation. Rockstar has confirmed the location and shown the environment, but the exact relationship with the real Everglades is still an interpretation.

What Is Port Gellhorn Based On?

Port Gellhorn is a more interesting case because the real world comparison is less certain.

Rockstar officially confirms Port Gellhorn as a GTA VI location and has released dedicated screenshots and artwork for it.

Community research has connected the area with Florida's Gulf Coast and Panhandle, with Panama City often mentioned as a possible comparison. GTABase currently lists Panama City among the real world inspirations associated with Port Gellhorn.

But there is an important distinction here.

Rockstar has not officially said that Port Gellhorn is a one to one recreation of Panama City.

So the most accurate description is that Port Gellhorn appears to draw from Florida's Gulf Coast, with Panama City being one of the stronger community comparisons.

That fits what Rockstar has shown of the area so far. The location feels noticeably different from the glamour of Vice City, but we should avoid turning that observation into a more specific claim than the evidence supports.

What Is Ambrosia Based On?

Ambrosia gives us another useful Florida comparison, although it also needs some caution.

Rockstar officially presents Ambrosia as an industrial setting and has released dedicated artwork and screenshots for the location.

Community research has connected Ambrosia with South Florida's agricultural interior, particularly the Clewiston and Lake Okeechobee area. The comparison is largely based on the region's sugar industry and the industrial landscape shown in GTA VI.

Clewiston is known for its strong connection to sugar production, which makes the comparison understandable.

Still, Rockstar has not officially stated that Ambrosia is a direct recreation of Clewiston.

A better way to describe it is that Ambrosia appears to combine elements of Florida's agricultural interior, with Clewiston and the Lake Okeechobee region offering one of the more plausible real world comparisons.

That is more useful than forcing a single city name onto an entire fictional location.

Mount Kalaga National Park and Northern Leonida

Mount Kalaga National Park takes GTA VI even further away from the Miami image most people associate with Vice City.

Rockstar officially identifies Mount Kalaga National Park and has released dedicated artwork and screenshots for the location.

The terrain shown so far is much more rugged and natural than the beaches and city streets of Vice City.

Community researchers have compared parts of the landscape with northern Florida and neighbouring Georgia, with some discussions pointing toward places such as Providence Canyon as a visual reference. These comparisons are interesting, but they are not confirmed Rockstar statements.

The safest conclusion is that Mount Kalaga represents a more northern and rugged side of the broader Southeast inspired world rather than trying to assign it to one exact real life park.

So What Real Florida Cities Are Actually in GTA 6?

Technically, none of the real Florida cities are appearing under their real names.

Rockstar has created fictional places inspired by real ones.

The clearest comparisons are Vice City with Miami, the Leonida Keys with the Florida Keys, and Grassrivers with the Everglades. Ambrosia has strong agricultural South Florida comparisons, while Port Gellhorn and Mount Kalaga are harder to tie to a single real world city or landmark with confidence.

That is why the question "What FL cities will be in GTA 6?" is slightly misleading.

You are not going to enter a city literally called Miami or drive into Clewiston.

You are exploring Rockstar's fictional version of Florida.

What Is Florida Called in GTA 6?

Florida is called Leonida in the GTA universe.

The official GTA VI material consistently uses Leonida as the name of the fictional state, while Vice City is the major city at its centre. Rockstar's current material describes the game as extending beyond Vice City into the wider state.

That is why it helps to keep the two names separate.

Vice City is the city. Leonida is the state.

Where Is GTA 6 Being Located?

GTA VI is being set in Leonida, with Vice City and the surrounding regions forming the larger game world.

Rockstar currently lists the game for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with a release date of November 19, 2026.

Rockstar also announced on August 6, 2026 that Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look will premiere on August 27 through Netflix, the official Rockstar Games YouTube channel, and the GTA VI website.

For the broader release information, story details, and confirmed features, see our GTA 6: Everything We Know So Far.

And if you are looking for a complete breakdown of the official map information, size estimates, and what is actually known about Leonida's layout, check out our guide: Is There a Confirmed GTA 6 Map? Vice City & Leonida Breakdown.

GTA 6 Locations in Real Life: The Quick Comparison

If you want the simple version, the real life comparisons look like this.

Vice City: Miami and the wider South Florida urban environment.

Leonida Keys: Florida Keys.

Grassrivers: Florida Everglades and South Florida wetlands.

Ambrosia: South Florida's agricultural interior, with Clewiston and the Lake Okeechobee area among the strongest comparisons.

Port Gellhorn: Florida Gulf Coast and Panhandle, with Panama City often cited by community researchers.

Mount Kalaga National Park: Northern Florida and neighbouring Georgia inspired terrain, although there is no officially confirmed one to one counterpart.

The first three are much easier to support than the more specific comparisons sometimes attached to Ambrosia, Port Gellhorn, and Mount Kalaga.

That distinction matters because the more specific the claim becomes, the more evidence it needs.

What About the GTA 6 Real Life Map?

There is no single official Rockstar map translating Leonida into real Florida cities.

Instead, researchers use Rockstar's trailers, screenshots, official artwork, environmental details, and recognizable landmarks to work out what parts of the fictional state appear to draw from the real world.

That work has become even more interesting recently. An unofficial GTA VI map surfaced online on August 18, 2026, and GTABase reports that the leaked material appears to come from an older development build. Rockstar has not officially confirmed the leaked map as the final map.

For that reason, the leaked map should be treated as a separate source from Rockstar's confirmed location material.

The official comparisons remain the safest foundation for understanding where GTA 6 is located and what parts of Florida inspired it.

FAQ

What real life cities will be in GTA 6?

GTA VI does not literally include real Florida cities under their real names. Instead, Rockstar uses fictional locations inspired by places such as Miami, the Florida Keys, the Everglades, and parts of Florida's Gulf Coast and interior.

What city is Vice City based on?

Vice City is primarily based on Miami, particularly the city's South Florida architecture, beaches, nightlife, waterfront areas, and tropical urban environment.

Is GTA 6 actually set in Florida?

Not literally. The game is set in Rockstar's fictional state of Leonida, which is heavily inspired by Florida.

Is Grassrivers the Everglades?

Grassrivers appears to be Rockstar's fictional take on Florida's wetlands and is widely compared with the Everglades. The comparison is strong, but it is better described as inspiration than a literal recreation.

Is Ambrosia based on Clewiston?

Clewiston and the Lake Okeechobee region are strong community comparisons because of the agricultural and sugar industry connection, but Rockstar has not officially confirmed a direct Clewiston counterpart.

Is Port Gellhorn based on Panama City?

Panama City is one of the stronger community comparisons for Port Gellhorn, but Rockstar has not officially described Port Gellhorn as a direct recreation of Panama City.

The Bottom Line

GTA VI is not simply GTA in Miami.

Rockstar is using Leonida to create a fictional version of Florida that stretches from the neon streets and beaches of Vice City to the tropical Leonida Keys, the wetlands of Grassrivers, the Gulf Coast atmosphere of Port Gellhorn, the agricultural landscape of Ambrosia, and the wilderness of Mount Kalaga National Park.

The strongest real life comparison is still Vice City and Miami, but the rest of the map makes the bigger idea clear. Rockstar is borrowing recognisable pieces of Florida rather than copying the state exactly.

That is also why some comparisons are easier to prove than others.

Miami and the Florida Keys are obvious. The Everglades connection is strong. Ambrosia, Port Gellhorn, and Mount Kalaga require more interpretation, and those connections should be presented as research rather than official Rockstar statements.

As Rockstar prepares to show more of the game with Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look on August 27, 2026, we may get even more clues about how Leonida connects to the real Florida landscape that inspired it.