18 hidden missions that fans overlooked in Grand Theft Auto 5

Grand Theft Auto V features a multitude of hidden and optional missions that many players may have inadvertently overlooked during their gameplay.

Some of these missions, such as "Parenting 101" and "Doing Business with You," provide entertaining and distinctive experiences beyond the main storyline.

From rescuing a kidnapped family member to aiding a celebrity's escape from paparazzi, these hidden missions add depth and humor to the game.

Undoubtedly, one of the biggest companies in the video game industry is Rockstar, which invests a great deal of effort into its games, particularly its flagship franchise: Grand Theft Auto. Some time has passed since the release of GTA 5, but the amount of content that many people have either overlooked or left behind, even those who played it passionately at the time, would still surprise them!

The remarkable aspect of creating such a vast world as in GTA 5 is that it is inevitable for certain things to elude people, as they may not always come across specific pre-programmed sequences strategically placed by the game developers. The following collection includes some of the more challenging-to-find missions - ones that most people likely did not play from the beginning, as they are optional and much more concealed than those focused on the main story!

Updated on August 31, 2023, by Ben Jessey: The main story of Grand Theft Auto 5 encompasses numerous marvelous missions in which you either work for yourself or the FIB. However, not every exceptional mission in the game is indicated by a prominent marker on the map.

There is a multitude of optional missions that one can easily overlook. And some of these missions are truly enjoyable. That is why we have created this list to highlight a few of them that you might want to seek out. Now, we have updated the collection to include a few more.

18 Parenting 101

Within the game, there are several optional missions revolving around Michael's family. Each of them begins with a call from a member of the De Santa clan who is in need of assistance. You have the choice to accept or decline these missions. In "Parenting 101," your task is to aid Jimmy, who has been kidnapped by a comedy writer. The writer's predicament stems from Jimmy aggressively harassing him on social media.

The gameplay of the mission is rather straightforward, as you pursue the kidnappers and free the youngest member of the De Santa family. However, it is an entertaining escapade due to the humorous dialogue that primarily satirizes internet culture and the concept of trolling.

17 Cut You In

When you purchase Downtown Cab Co. as Franklin, you occasionally have the opportunity to offer private rides. Driving someone from one location to another may not sound like the most thrilling GTA mission. However, many of them are more creative than that, such as "Cut You In," for instance.

In this mission, you pick up a man from the airport, and he persuades you to be his getaway driver for the jewelry store heist he is attempting. It differs greatly from the meticulously planned heists you carry out with the main crew, but it is still thrilling and humorous.

16 Return To Simeon

Simeon is a familiar character for fans of Grand Theft Auto 5, as he is Franklin's boss at the beginning of the game and assigns you most of your early missions. Ultimately, Frank ends up losing his job when he drives through Simeon's car dealership on Michael's orders.

If you return to the dealership shortly after the incident, you will trigger a small mission where Simeon sends his employees after you and flees. You are encouraged to chase him down and eliminate him. It serves as a satisfying conclusion to the Simeon storyline.

15 Stag Do Running Man

While driving on a highway, you may come across a man in his underwear tied to a post. If you free him, you initiate the mission "Bachelor Party - The Sprinting Groom." In this mission, you must escort this underwear-clad man to his wedding on time.

He found himself in this precarious situation during a wild bachelor party, which may be a nod to the movie "The Hangover." However, this nocturnal escapade seems to be even crazier. As you hurry to get the groom to the wedding, you gradually learn all about it.

14 Bail Bond

Trevor has a unique group of allies, and one of them is named Maude Eccles. She has a passion for justice and runs a bounty hunting business. Her targets are fugitives who have escaped on bail.

In the bail bond missions, she tasks you with tracking down these criminals and bringing them to justice by any means necessary. Since most of the communication is done through text messages and there is no marker on the map except for the initial meeting with Maude, these entertaining missions are easy to overlook.

13 Escape Paparazzi

As Los Santos is a parody of Los Angeles, there are many celebrities in the city. There are a series of missions where you chase these celebrities as intrusive paparazzi. However, in the mission "Escape Paparazzi," the roles are reversed.

In this mission, you help the famous actress Lacey Jonas shake off desperate photographers and safely escort her home. It's more challenging than it sounds, as the paparazzi are determined to get their photos. The mission is triggered when you find Miss Jonas hiding in Downtown Vinewood.

12 Become A Cult Member

When you visit the Epsilon website as Michael, you will find a questionnaire that you can fill out. Once you have done so, you will have the opportunity to undertake peculiar side missions from the Epsilon Group. These missions are initially marked on the map as question marks.

These missions involve stealing a car for them and donating your own money to the group before eventually being tasked with delivering a car filled with money to someone (although players can also choose to steal it if they want...). However, be cautious of the consequences if you betray the cult.

11 Steal People For Food

Throughout the game, you will come across people who feel lost and have no way to get to where they need to go. You can pick them up and take them to their destination. However, if Trevor picks up these individuals, the player can take them to a different location: the Altruist Cult, where a group of sinister individuals awaits, indulging in despicable acts and satisfying their evil desires with human sacrifices.

It doesn't take long for them to turn against the person who provided them with all these individuals...

10 The Last One

It's no wonder that most people haven't experienced this hidden mission, as it actually requires a 100% game completion. Once you have achieved that, you can initiate a mission called "The Last One" as Franklin by meeting up with a hunter who claims to be on the trail of a Sasquatch.

Considering the fact that it takes so long to finally reach this secret mission, there will be no spoilers here. But you should know that it's worth the effort.

9 Hunting

Although it may not be immediately obvious, players are given a side activity offered to Trevor by his friend Cletus. Cletus provides him with a deer call and teaches him how to make the best shots while hunting.

Every time Trevor kills an animal, he can send a snapshot of it to Cletus through his phone, who will then evaluate and grade it. It's just a nice little side activity for those who want a break from shooting people!

8 Stop Thelma And Louise!

GTA 5 is a huge game, so it's not surprising that Rockstar has filled it with Easter eggs, including two women in an open car recreating the final scene from "Thelma & Louise".

The iconic duo is trapped and has no way out, so they drive off the cliff, escaping the police but ultimately ending their lives. Players can prevent them from doing so by either eliminating them themselves or pulling them out of the car!

7 Grass Roots

Players who play Rockstar games know that side missions have been assigned by "Strangers and Freaks" for quite some time in all their games. These are random NPCs that players can travel to on the map and experience something outside of the predetermined main storyline.

One of these strangers offers Trevor and Michael the opportunity to smoke something that makes them go crazy and believe they are being attacked by strange enemies like aliens and clowns. They have to defend themselves and take them out! However, Franklin's experience with the stranger is completely different.

6 Minute Men Missions (The Civil Border Patrol, An American Welcome, And Minute Man Blues)

This is an opportunity for players to participate in a kind of border patrol with Trevor, who helps two men who believe they are tracking down immigrants. It quickly becomes apparent that they are merely harassing people from different countries, but obviously, this doesn't stop Trevor from getting involved.

In the final mission, you learn a lot about the border patrol and Trevor. To make amends for his involvement in racist activities, he unleashes his anger on some CBP officers who are threatening a Mexican family.

5 Recruit Patrick McCreary

Anyone who has played GTA 4 will remember Patrick McCreary, as he quickly formed a friendship with Niko, the main character of that episode. The two of them earned money together through criminal activities.

Well, some will be surprised to learn that this guy is also in GTA 5! Players can encounter him and a friend who don't have a getaway driver. If the player chooses to help Patrick, he can later be recruited to assist in heists during the game.

4 Recruit Taliana Martinez

Similar to Patrick, you can also recruit a woman named Taliana Martinez. You can find her in a burning wreck on the highway, where you can stop and help her.

She was the getaway driver in a failed heist where her partner betrayed her by pulling out a knife and causing the crash. If you save her by taking her to her hideout in Sandy Shores, she becomes a recruitable driver for future heists later in the game.

3 Wildlife Photography Challenge

One of the strangers and crazies that Franklin encounters on his journey is a man named Beverly, and after completing this mission, he can participate in wildlife photography competitions (only in the enhanced edition of the game).

The players are tasked with trying to photograph the right animal under the right conditions. Once Franklin has managed to take a photo of each animal on the list, the player receives the "Kraken" submarine to play around with.

2 Therapy Sessions

Although many people disliked visiting Michael's therapist in GTA 5, they were clearly not informed that Rockstar had included a hidden mission that is only triggered when one visits him often enough throughout the game.

He calls Michael to let him know that he is leaving the city to star in his own television show. The player is given the opportunity to track him down to ensure that none of the secrets he has told him can reach the wider world!

1 Parachuting Missions

While you're walking around as Franklin, a dog leads you to a man who is having trouble getting down from a tree. That's Dom, and he was just skydiving before getting stuck.

After Franklin helps him get down, Dom asks him to participate in a dangerous stunt. Afterwards, you unlock parachute jump missions for Franklin. They test your ability to control a parachute and land at the designated spot.