There are many real-world locations players can visit right now which were heavily featured in Red Dead Redemption 2. When RDR2 was released in 2018, it instantly became one of Rockstar’s most celebrated games. It acts as the third entry in the Red Dead series that began with Red Dead Revolver and is a direct prequel to 2010’s Red Dead Redemption.
The story follows the adventures of Arthur Morgan, a member of the Van der Linde gang, and his associates as they venture in the wild, wild west. The plot begins in 1889, and even though many of the locations use fake names, they’re based on places that can be visited in real life. The similarities between the animated locations and the real places they're based on are astounding.
Rockstar’s RDR2 has been praised for its realism and attention to detail, and comparing these animated locations to their real-life counterparts makes it clear why. Plus, these incredible locations make for a perfect vacation spot for fans of the game who want to see their favorite Red Dead Redemption 2 settings in real-life.
RDR2's Saint Denis Is An Old-Time New Orleans
Red Dead Redemption 2 players who have been to New Orleans in real-life are likely shocked at how closely Saint Denis resembles the Louisiana city – and it’s not just the French-sounding name that gives it away. Entire corners of the animated city look exactly like how New Orleans did at the start of the twentieth century. In the middle of Saint Denis, players find a large square full of diverse characters that is meant to resemble New Orleans’ iconic Jacksonville Square, complete with St. Louis Cathedral right in the middle.
RDR2's Blackwater In Real Life
In Red Dead Redemption 2, Blackwater in a small town in the state of West Elizabeth. The town was put under lockdown by the Pinkertons after a massive gunfight took place between them and the Van der Linde Gang, all of which happen prior to the start of the game. This location is based on the real-life town of Blackwater, Missouri, which became an important trading point in the 19th century. Only several hundred people live in this small town today.
RDR2's Braithwaite Manor Is An Old Plantation
The Braithwaite Manor in RDR2 is based on an old plantation that’s still standing today. Oak Alley Plantation was built in the mid-19th century in Vacherie, St. James Parish, Louisiana. The plantation has a canopied path of Oak trees lining its entrance, identical to the ones that can be viewed in the game. Oak Valley Plantation has been designated a National Historic Landmark.
RDR2's Annesburg Is An Animated Pittsburgh
If the name didn’t make it clear enough, Red Dead Redemption 2's Annesburg is meant to represent an old-time Pittsburgh. The mining town features much of the charm that Pittsburgh resonated in the middle of the 19th century. The water surrounding Annesburg even has an oily sheen to it, meant to mimic the pollution that began ravaging the environment in Pittsburgh at the dawn of modernization.
RDR2's Caliga Hall Is The Oldest Plantation In Virginia
Caliga Hall, the tobacco plantation owned by the Grey family in Red Dead Redemption 2, can be found in the Bayou Nwa region of the Lemoyne Territory. This structure is based on a real-life plantation – the Shirley Plantation, the oldest active plantation in Virginia. It is also the oldest family-owned business in North America, after being founded in the early 1600s. The Shirley Plantation was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1970.
The similarities between these Red Dead Redemption 2 locations and their real-life counterparts are striking and are definitely worth a visit from anyone who’s a fan of the series. The only difficult part is deciding which location to visit first.