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Grand Theft Auto IV has been forgotten in the Grand Theft Auto series but fear not! For those who need a refresher on all those places you can visit, I’m your girl.
Being a PlayStation fan, I had to crack out the PS3 to be able to replay the game and explore all those famous landmarks and districts of Liberty City and the State of Alderney.
I know Rockstar has shelved a re-release for GTA IV on newer consoles, but it does deserve to be released to a new generation of players and for those die-hard fans that would love to see it again.
Like many open-world, crime-fighting games, GTA IV chose an American city as its primary home, and it’s pretty clear from the get-go which city was its direct inspiration. Welcome to a GTA IV places and locations guide.
Related read: Comprehensive GTA IV Mission Guide.
Liberty City
It’s clear from looking at the map alone that New York City was the most prominent inspiration for GTA IV Liberty City’s area is split into four sections: Algonquin, Bohan, Broker, and Dukes. Imagine living in NYC and being able to play in the city as a video game. Do you think it would be boring or exciting to see your city brought to life in the GTA way?
Each represents an area of the state of New York, giving them their own Rockstar feel. There are many landmarks, famous parks to walk through, and iconic regions to visit. It’s ok if you spend your time gazing at all the sites; Niko can get back to his crimes or even crime-fighting later.
Algonquin
Algonquin is the main star of Liberty City and is a near carbon copy of Manhattan. It is ultimately my favorite place on the GTA IV map, especially the way Rockstar can recreate Time Square and Central Park and put their spin on it.
One of my favorite cities to visit is New York, meaning I could easily throw myself back into the city without buying a pricey flight fare from London.
Algonquin is the star of the map, having the most districts and arguably, the most character. It’s split up into a massive 29 areas, each with its quirks to give the Big Apple vibes. If you’re bored of all that Grand Theft Auto malarky the map brings, you can just take a walk and take in the sights.
For an added Easter Egg, head to Happiness Island and look at the Statue of Happiness’ face. It’s bound to give you a few laughs. It cracked me up and was very fitting when the game was released.
South Algonquin
The south areas of Algonquin give off the financial vibes. Business people can be found dotted about The Exchange, and watch out for those pesky government officials near City Hall.
Down in the South
Settled on the southern point of Algonquin is Castle Gardens. Home to the hilariously named restaurant Poop Deck on the pier. The Exchange is the financial hub of Liberty City. There are skyscrapers galore and the infamous Wall Street. I wonder if anyone has found the Wolf?
Not so fancy Fishmarket South and North
While they are two separate districts, Fishmarket North only has a few blocks, so we might as well bunch them together. They aren’t the most bustling of areas, with the South being used as a gateway across to Broker.
A strip of differing districts
Taking center stage in the South, Chinatown combines residential and business owners. Fight the City Hall! Or don’t. Alongside China town is City Hall, which acts as the government’s central district throughout GTA IV. The Civic Citadel is nearly identical to the Civic Center in Manhattan.
Most of Algonquin is pretty wealthy, but one of those more upscale areas is Castle Garden City, not to be confused with Castle Garden. Rockstar’s version in the Grand Easton Terminal is home to Grand Central Station. The area is mainly commercial and can be a hub for those Big Apple tourists.
Lower Easton, Little Italy, and Suffolk
Situated just below Easton is, you guessed it, Lower Easton. It’s not as exciting as its northern neighbor but still packed with business and those perks of police officers. Nearby is Little Italy. For the most part, Little Italy is overrun by the Italian Mafia. It’s also where Tony lives during the DLC ‘The Ballad of Gay Tony.’
Locking in Little Italy is Suffolk. Suffolk County exists in New York, but I don’t think this area would be based on it, considering it’s out in the Long Island end. Best way to describe Suffolk? If you have money, you’d probably spend time here.
Happiness Island
Happiness Island is home to the Statue of Happiness and is set just west of Castle Garden City. Again, I’m not going to spoil who the Statue of Happiness is based on just yet, and you’ll have to keep reading to see who it is… The area is full of tourists wanting to visit the iconic lady.
Central Algonquin
The area that will pull most tourists to Liberty City would be Central Algonquin, which comes with tourist traps aplenty. Star Junction, check! The tallest tower in GTA IV, check!
Before the main attraction
On one other hand, The Meat Quarter isn’t as alluring. Full of old warehouses which have been gentrified over the years, the world hasn’t been so kind to this area. Take a visit to the Rotterdam Tower, the main attraction of The Triangle and the tallest tower you can find, as I’ve already mentioned. However, no King Kong is hanging off of here. Another less exciting area is President’s City. The area is primarily residential, with nothing of great notice located there. It’s a miss to visit.
Star Junction
The highlight of Algonquin is Star Junction. It makes you feel as if you’re in Time Square with the bright billboards, street performers, and the added hustle and bustle. It is also one of the largest districts on the island, which makes sense considering how much is packed into the area, and there is just too much to note. The NYC replicas are endless. One of my favorite things in-game is to visit Star Junction at night and see the big lights on show.
Westminster
No, not the district in London. There’s no Big Ben here. Instead, it’s full of nondescript buildings and an abandoned part of the train line. I wonder why Rockstar named such a flat area after the bustling Parliament area of London.
Dotted around Star Junction
The Zirconium Building is the highlight of the area Lancet. However, its tallness pales in comparison to that of the Rotterdam Tower. Out on the east side of Algonquin is Hatton Gardens.
Riddled with life-like buildings, you can spot a few recognizable places here. Is this Purgatory the gateway to hell? It might as well be. The area isn’t aesthetically pleasing at all, and there isn’t any real need to visit the place in-game.
North Algonquin
While you can find affluent areas in North Algonquin, it quickly blends from money hills type of areas to the poor side of Algonquin. Not everything can be glitz and glamour, unfortunately.
Middle Park
It’s not quite in the middle of Algonquin, but it is central. Did you see what I did there? Middle Park is the largest area of greenery in Liberty City. You’ll find a gaggle of street performers begging people over to watch performances that aren’t always stellar. It’s beautifully picturesque and gives me the warm feeling that Fall does. Get your pumpkin spice ready.
Fancy around the park
It’s the fancy part of Liberty City now. The Middle Park East is glamorous with its fancy residential areas and high-end shops. Fancy a leisurely afternoon stroll? Mirror Park West could be for you. Visit the Liberty State Natural History Museum or marvel at what looks like Grant’s Tomb.
Varsity Heights is the student hub of Liberty City, home to Vespucci University. Lancaster is another posh residential area without much hype to its name. It borders the upper eastern part of Mirror Park, giving residents stunning views from their apartments.
Right in the North
The other north districts are Northwood, North, and East Holland. They like their dutch names Rockstar does. These two districts sit in the northern part of Algonquin. The East is primarily full of residential areas, whereas the North has a wider variety of businesses to explore.
And finally, right on the Northern tip is Northwood. Probably the poorest in the area and seems to have been forgotten over the years with its run-down buildings and low-cost living. Hardly a star on Algonquin.
Let’s not forget Colony Island
Situated between Broker and Algonquin is Colony Island, similar to that of NYC’s Roosevelt Island. Fun fact, I stayed on Roosevelt Island when I went to NYC, mostly so I could go on the Spiderman cable car, which is replicated in the game.
Broker
Broker is the first area players get to explore in GTA IV fully. It’s where Niko first gets off the boat and makes a home for himself, well, kind of. Broker is a copy of Brooklyn, including the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, albeit with a different name.
There are brownstones galore, something of a dream house for myself, lush parks to take a stroll through, and true to GTA fashion, crime around every corner.
The main ‘attraction’ of Broker
The main pull of Firefly Island is its amusement park. However, Rockstar does the unthinkable and keeps it closed for the game’s duration, saying it’ll re-open in the summer. How sad; I wanted to go on a few rides.
Beachgate is nearby but primarily residential, with its little gated community, which shuts the residents off from the rest of Broker. Another place where the dollar gets you far.
Central Broker
Hove Beach is the central hub for Niko Bellic while he’s out, causing chaos around Liberty City. The area is predominately home to Eastern Europeans and tends to be riddled with crime from the Russian Mafia.
It’s high in residents and high in crime; welcome to Firefly Projects! The Hustlers massively influenced the area, making it not a nice place. Always keep an eye out when you’re in Firefly Projects.
East Hook is large essentially, with a few businesses dabbled here and there. It’s one of the first places you’ll see in GTA IV as Niko starts his Liberty City journey here.
Are you looking for a new home?
The main pull of Outlook is Outlook Park. While there are still some famous landmarks like the Public Library and Soldiers Plaza, they just don’t take up the land space as the park does. One of the more excellent areas in Broker is South Slopes. If you want to move to the area, you can pick up a cute brownstone without the crime. The two districts paired together give the homeliest feel over the whole of Broker.
Dutch returns!
Rockstar likes to name its places after the Dutch city, with Rotterdam Hill being a little district in Broker. It’s one of the smallest, most minor areas in Liberty City, just several up a few slithers of roads. We’re going Downtown! Despite being in the northern part of Broker, Downtown is the main central business hub of the borough.
One of the larger areas in Broker comes in the form of Schottler. The area is a mixed bag, home to all cultural groups and residential buildings. Don’t let that fool you into thinking the place is safe, though.
Beneath the Off-ramp of the Algonquin Bridge Overpass
BOABO, short for Beneath the Off-ramp of the Algonquin Bridge Overpass, what a mouthful, is a riverfront neighborhood that gives you just the most stunning views of Algonquin Bridge; very instagrammable.
Lastly, in Broker, we have Beechwood City. It’s largely low-rise, consisting of a few businesses, including a Burger Shot and a car wash.
Dukes
Welcome to Queens! Sorry, I mean Dukes. Very cleverly named from Rockstar. Like the rest of the map, Dukes is based on an area in New York; this time, its Queens.
I love the area of Meadows Park. I think Meadows Park may be better than Mirror Park, mainly for the Monoglobe.
Cerveza Heights and its East Island City neighbor
It’s Beer Heights! The beverages names area is primarily residential with a mixed group of people. To keep the residents entertained, there are also multiple businesses and a large hospital to bandage them up when they cause chaos.
East Island City is mostly street-based instead of a square hub. Most buildings are along two streets, including Dukes Park and Kenny’s Warehouse.
Park’s a-galore
Steinway is open-aired mainly, full of parks and a cemetery. There are a few high-rise apartment blocks, but not enough to remove the beauty of the green in the area.
Another beautiful area in Dukes is Meadows Park. This primarily green area has an attractive centerpiece of the Mon, statues dotted about, and even a museum.
Francis International Airport
The central transport hub of Liberty City is Francis International Airport. The airport is extensive, with two runways and multiple different aircraft.
What makes up the rest of Duke
Another small area comes in Meadow Hills. The thin strip is full of houses, most of them on the fancier side. Willis is another area that does serve as a plot device for the player but is still there for you to roam around.
You only go to Charge Island to get from Dukes, Bohan, and Algonquin. The little island is full of busy intersections, which are not that exciting.
Bohan
It’s the smallest borough on the map, meaning there isn’t a lot of action for Niko, but it’s still a key district in GTA IV. The Bronx is this area’s true inspiration for the region that stages seven main missions.
Northern Bohan
This time, Boulevard is another area primarily taken up by a park: Welham Parkway. Its main attraction is the Baseball field, home to the unusually named Little Swingers. Also in the North is the aptly named Northern Gardens. It is one of the best places in Liberty City to visit if you want beach vibes. It has a small strip of sand where you can often find people relaxing or exercising to get those muscles up.
Small parts that makeup Bohan
The not-so-exciting area of Little Bay is next on our list. The neighborhood is primarily residential in east Bohan, with apartments and houses galore. Not so far away is Fortside, which is a mixed bag of everything. You have mixed-up shops, businesses, residential areas, and even some industrial parts.
Southern Bohan
Just before you hop across the water to Charger Island is South Bohan. Like the rest of Bohan, the area is pretty mixed, but it seems to be the place that is given the less care, with derelict buildings dotted about. The largest site in Bohan is the Industrial, one of the most boring named places in Liberty City. You already know what you’re going to get with this area, so there’s no point in too much detail.
Lastly, in Bohan is the teeny tiny area of Chase Point. It is one of the worst areas for criminal activity, with gangs and drug deals taking over.
Alderney
The State of Alderney is technically separated from Liberty City, but it is still easily accessible via multiple bridges.
Set in the far West of the map, Alderney has taken inspiration from Newark and New Jersey and put their spin on it. While Alderney gives off similar vibes, it’s not as similar to its real-life counterpart as Liberty City’s boroughs.
Big up top
Welcome to the wealthy land of Westdyke. Here you’ll find large houses for those with the extra dollars to throw around. Alongside fancy streets, you’ll also find Alderney Casino, multiple different businesses, and even a small beach to relax on.
Leftward has a real community vibe about it. It has its police station, church, and community hall plus a hospital, meaning residents have all they would need at their fingertips. The area is one of the easiest to access, having a bridge that directly takes you to Algonquin.
Alderney City
Alderney City takes up one of the most significant parts of the State of Alderney. It is central but has more land in the Northern part of the state. Here, you’ll find more famous landmarks given the Rockstar twist, including the Kakagawa Building and Exchange Place Center.
French Themes in the Middle
Berchem is another primarily residential area in the State of Alderney. While it does have a few businesses dotted about, there isn’t anything of great interest to keep you hanging around for long. Normandy helps make up two parts of the port, alongside Port Tudor.
In the Normandy area, you’re more likely to find industrial buildings and a small dock. Funnily enough, there’s a ship named the Wet Dream docked there. Classic GTA.
No excitement happens in After. The area is Beverly run down, with houses that look like they need good spruce. The construction site shows that they want to update Acter, but it is the most neglected area in Alderney. Tudor is split into two regions, a West and an East.
While the West will mostly have the houses for all the residents, the East bleeds into the business side. Tudor is also where you’ll find the Skyway Diner, where the Angels of Death tended to hang about in The Lost and Damned.
Port Tudor makes up the other half of Alderney’s port alongside Normandy. Port Tudor is the larger of the two, with its various docks for cargo ships to come in and out of.
Acter Industrial Park
Acter Industrial Park isn’t one of those places you’ll want to live, mainly because there are no residential areas; a bit hard to find a place to live here. Instead, you’ll find power plants, factories, and a few oil drums.
Alderney State Correctional Facility
Nestled within Acter Industrial Park is the Alderney State Correctional Facility, which does exactly what it says on the tin. It is also the only prison in the land of GTA IV, so you’ll need to be on your best behavior to avoid the place.
FAQs
Question: What is my favorite place to visit on the GTA IV map?
Answer: If it were open, it would probably have been the Firefly Island amusement park. Unfortunately, we weren’t given that option, so I’d have to say either Happiness Island for what looks like a hilarious version of Hilary Clinton’s face on the Statue of Happiness. See, I told you I would let you all know whose face it is, Or Meadows Park in Dukes.
Question: Where can Roman take Niko bowling?
Answer: One of the most infamous things about GTA IV is how many times Roman just wanted to take a bit of time out from crime and go bowling. There are two bowling alleys called Memory Lanes, one at Firefly Island and the other at Golden Pier in Westminster.
Question: What other activities are there in GTA IV?
Answer: Niko can go on various friends’ activities with some of his pals. They include going out to eat and drink, playing pool or darts, visiting a strip club, watching cabaret shows, and of cour.