Los Santos
Vinewood Cemetery
Vinewood Cemetery is a historic cemetery located in central Los Santos, San Andreas. Founded in the late 1800s, it is the burial site for many Los Santos residents and celebrities. The grounds span over 60 acres containing thousands of headstones and mausoleums.
With its central location near the Vespucci Beach and famous residents, Vinewood Cemetery has become a popular tourist destination. The elaborate tombs of silver screen stars contrast with ordinary family plots, reflecting the diversity of Los Santos history.
History
As Los Santos grew rapidly in the late 1800s, existing church graveyards were unable to accommodate the increasing population. Vinewood Cemetery was established in 1892 as a non-sectarian burial ground open to all residents.
Additional land purchases expanded the cemetery to over 60 acres by the 1920s. Arrangements of winding paths, mature trees, and decorative plantings gave Vinewood a park-like atmosphere that proved popular for visits, picnics, and remembrance.
The opening of the film industry in Los Santos led many celebrities to request burial at Vinewood. Lavish tombs and mausoleums now dot the grounds alongside more modest markers.
Notable Graves
Vinewood Cemetery contains the graves of many:
- Nick Bender - Nicholas "David" Bender, age 26, passed away tragically on August 22, 2023 while protecting his friend's daughter from an assailant.
Vinewood Cemetery provides a final resting place for people from all walks of life that shaped Los Santos history.
Tourism
Vinewood Cemetery's landmarks and celebrity lore draw large numbers of visitors. Maps help locate the graves of specific stars.
Fans recreate famous movie scenes and leave flowers at their idols' tombs. Ghost tours are also popular during the Halloween season.
As both a tourism venue and functioning burial ground, Vinewood Cemetery connects Los Santos' origins to its glitzy modern identity. The intermingling of splendor and mundanity reflects the city's diverse history and inhabitants.
Vanilla Unicorn
The Vanilla Unicorn is a club located on Elgin Avenue next to the Olympic Freeway in Strawberry, Los Santos. Known for its risque neon lighting displays, the Vanilla Unicorn has operated as an adult entertainment venue since the 1990s.
The club's interior features a central stage surrounded by seating and private booths. Numerous poles are located around the club for dancer performances. The decor reflects a stylized, psychedelic aesthetic.
Since 2013, the Vanilla Unicorn has been managed by Leon, who purchased the club from previous owner Troy. It employs over a dozen dancers. Some questionable activities have been rumoured to occur in the club's backrooms and parking area during late night hours.
The Vanilla Unicorn attracts a seedy unsavoury patronage with its adult entertainment. Fights and criminal incidents frequently occur at the club. The Vanilla Unicorn remains one of Los Santos' most infamous downtown establishments.
Tequi-la-la
Tequi-La-La is an expansive Las Santos-style nightclub located in downtown Vinewood, Los Santos. Known for its ostentatious theming, vibrant nightly shows, and A-list celebrity guests, Tequi-La-La has been one of the city's hottest after-hours destinations since first opening in 1986.
The multi-level club covers over 50,000 square feet and sprawls between a full concert hall, multiple lounge bars, VIP suites, a dancefloor, and an outdoor pool deck. Its loud, chaotic atmosphere attracts party-goers from across the city every weekend.
History
Tequi-La-La was the brainchild of entrepreneur Salvatore Leone, who leveraged mob connections and laundered money to fund construction of the elaborate club in the mid-1980s. He tapped his friend Gay Tony to design the flamboyant interior decor and manage operations.
The club quickly gained notoriety upon opening for its lavish productions, loose partying atmosphere, and rampant drug use. Its fluid morality and debauchery perfectly captured the excess of Vinewood. Leone used Tequi-La-La's success to grow his family's criminal enterprises throughout the 1990s.
In the 2000s, Gay Tony took over sole ownership and tried rebranding Tequi-La-La as more upscale. Table service prices increased dramatically even as the club's wild reputation remained intact. Financial struggles in the 2010s forced Tony to allow old habits like drugs and prostitution to thrive again.
Today, Tequi-La-La enjoys a renewed popularity among millennial partiers for its retro hedonistic ambiance. The relaunched Sunday Pool Parties draw huge crowds. Tequi-La-La remains a staple of the Vinewood nightlife scene.
Interior & Facilities
Upon entering through its iconic mouth-shaped doorway, visitors are immersed in Tequi-La-La's over-the-top decor. Flashing neon lights, gaudy chandeliers, and suggestive artwork assault the senses. The dancefloor pulsates with music from celebrity DJs performing nightly.
The centerpiece is a functioning volcano built into the stage that "erupts" every hour during shows, spewing jets of fire and smoke across the room to the delight of dancers.
The concert hall hosts sold-out shows and concerts from top headliners like DJ Paul and Jasmine Stewart. Lounges like the G-Spot Bar offer bottle service and VIP mingling. The Twisty-Twisty slide between floors is a club signature.
Outside, the Azure Pool attracts beautiful partiers for poolside cocktails and daytime DJ sets during summer Sundays. Luxury cabanas line the deck.
Clientele & Notoriety
Tequi-La-La caters to an upscale but decidedly debauched crowd, from Vinewood celebrities to east side hustlers. Wealthy elites pay thousands to reserve VIP suites and tables for decadent parties. Industry execs discuss deals over champagne and escorts.
In darker corners, drugs like cocaine and MDMA exchange hands discreetly. Fights and drunken incidents often erupt, requiring heavy security presence. Tequi-La-La has faced numerous accusations of money laundering, drug trafficking enabled by management over the decades.
Yet its allure among the rich and famous remains. Paparazzi stake out its doors nightly to snap photos of celebrity patrons. The club even hosted The Whore's naturalization party in 2019, attended by the likes of Poppy Mitchell. For those craving an unforgettable wild night in Vinewood, Tequi-La-La promises to satisfy every temptation.
University of San Andreas ULSA
The University of San Andreas (ULSA) is a public university system spread across multiple campuses in Los Santos and Blaine County. With over 50,000 enrolled students, ULSA is considered one of the West Coast's most prestigious and selective universities. Its urban campuses also make ULSA the city's second-largest employer.
History
ULSA was established in 1891 when the Los Santos City Council designated funds to create the city's first public university. Originally named Los Santos College, its inaugural campus was built downtown near City Hall. Expansion to other districts and counties occurred throughout the 20th century.
In 1963, the university system was formally rebranded the University of San Andreas to reflect its growth beyond Los Santos. Major satellite campuses were opened in Davis, Del Perro, Rockford Hills, Paleto Bay and Sandy Shores during this era.
Today ULSA continues its rapid expansion with new residence halls, academic buildings and research facilities built every year. It attracts top students from San Andreas and abroad for its world-class reputation.
Campuses
ULSA's main campus remains near Rockford Hills. This historic campus contains administration buildings, liberal arts programs, and ULSA Stadium. Other significant outposts include:
- Del Perro Campus - Overlooking the beach on ULSA Way, home to oceanic, environmental and healthcare programs. Its teaching hospital is one of the nation's finest.
- Davis Campus - Located among residential blocks, focuses on law, criminal justice and public policy programs.
- Rockford Hills - Prestigious business school and performing arts college situated on ULSA Drive.
Academics
ULSA contains over 300 degree programs across 12 undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools. Numerous specialties rank highly worldwide, including the physics, computer science, medicine, law, business, and archaeology departments.
Admissions to ULSA are very competitive with only 20% of applicants accepted. Its student body hails from across San Andreas, the country, and over 100 nations worldwide. Campus life includes over 500 clubs/activities and renowned Division 1 sports teams.
Controversies
As a large urban institution, ULSA has grappled with crime, corruption and scandal over the decades. Campus police departments employ extensive security forces to monitor its expansive grounds. Fundraising improprieties, admissions bribery cases and research ethics violations have all plagued ULSA in recent years.
Student protests are commonplace on its activist-driven campuses in districts like Davis and Rockford Hills. ULSA's administration continues trying to reform the university's practices and reputation going forward.