Highlights

• Fallout 4 contains numerous secret and hidden locations that many players may be unfamiliar with.
• These hidden locations include a malfunctioning Chinese submarine, a private island with a battle against Mirelurks, and a robot-run American diner.
• Other interesting hidden locations in the game include a haunted school, a recreation of the Titanic, and a parking garage turned deadly maze.

Even though it’s been out for a few years, there are lots of secret and hidden places in Fallout 4 that the average player may not be familiar with. Hidden references to other pieces of fiction, quirky rooms, and even spots that have unique game mechanics.

While there are literally dozens and dozens of these kinds of areas in the massive world of Fallout 4, the ones on this list are either the most interesting or the least known among fans. If it’s been a while since fans played this great game, they may want to load it up and go check out some of these obscure hidden locations for themselves.

Updated April 2, 2024, by Jake Fillery: Return to the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout 4, or enjoy it for the first time, and experience the best secret locations found within. With the hype surrounding Amazon Prime's Fallout show, some players might want to delve back into Bethesda's nuclear wasteland of Boston and uncover a few surprises along the way. There are a ton of secret locations in Fallout 4 and its DLCs, so it's time to grab a gun, squeeze into some power armor, and explore the ruins of the old world.

20 HalluciGen, Inc.

Location: Found Within The Esplanade Neighborhood

• Hostiles: Gunners

HalluciGen, Incorporated was known for manufacturing biochemicals in an attempt to bring non-lethal technology into the world for military use. Yet, nuclear fallout would cease production, killing the workers, and leaving the experimental chemicals unattended, with all of their valuable data and experiments up for grabs by the future generations of the apocalypse.

Thanks to the brash thinking of some Gunners, these chemicals were released into the building, flooding the halls with hallucinogenic and lethal chemicals that made anyone who breathed this gas become a hostile maniac. Venturing into this location is dangerous for its effects, and it's very easy to get lost in the broken hallways and collapsed floors.

19 Hawthorne Residence

Location: In The Upper District Of Diamond City

• Creatures: Cats

The addition of cats in Fallout 4 is an odd but welcoming surprise, and these adorably furry friends can be found scattered across the wasteland, usually keeping their distance from players and other humans that might want to pet them or go pstpstpst. Nevertheless, if players want to see a cat overload, then picklock the Hawthorne Residence in Diamond City.

Upon entering this building, players will find an abundance of cats, just relaxing here like it's been their property for years. They lounge on the red couches, clean themselves on the floor, and simply laze around as the adorable felines that they are.

18 Vault 75

Location: Found Underneath The Malden Middle School

• Creatures: Synths

There is nothing creepier in Fallout 4 than uncovering a new vault and discovering the twisted Vaul-Tec experiments within. The same is once again said for Vault 75, a secret vault underneath a school, where players will not only have to deal with hostile synths, but also the creepy backstory, uncovered through careful exploration of the Vault, and reading the lore logs of what happened here.

The Vault was all about separating children from their families, having the adults executed to simply raise the youth in a post-war Vault. These children were taught of the horrors of the world, and trained in discipline and strength to survive in the wasteland. It's a creepy location, and the memories linger within.

17 Ted Williams’ Seat In Fenway Park

Location: Aim At The Bleachers In Diamond City

• Ted Williams Easter Egg

This one is more of a history lesson than anything else, but it's a great secret that players can find in Fallout 4's Diamond City. Boston pride is everywhere in Fallout 4, and Fenway Park within Diamond City is just one of the many notable editions. However, one such edition is not available to players by the naked eye, and they will need a sniper or a weapon with a scope to zoom in on the seats of the Fenway Park stadium for a special easter egg.

In the distance, players can find a lone red seat among the green seats. This is a real-life thing in Fenway Park, and it's known as Ted Williams' seat, the iconic baseball player who hit the longest home run of the stadium's history, measuring 502 feet, immortalized in real life and again in the video game world.

16 Captain Zao's Yangtze Submarine

Location: South of Boston Airport, Northeast of Four Leaf Fishpacking Plant

• Here There Be Monsters quest

When the Sole Survivor takes the plunge and enters the waters of the Boston Harbor, they may just find a malfunctioning Chinese submarine, holding on board the ghoul crew of Captain Zao. Players can explore this strange relic of the pre-war, and it really is their only evidence of life outside of America in the Fallout universe, as both the vessel and the people inside are from China, causing tension between the Sole Survivor, a pre-war American, and Zao, a ghoul from China, also pre-war.

The submarine is worth exploring for its history, but if valued lessons are not to the interest of players, then they can still explore the vessel and complete its quests to obtain some unique rewards, like Zao's sword, and the submariner outfit worn by Zao. It all depends on how they want their diplomatic relations to go with Zao in a post-war world.

15 Spectacle Island

Location: Coast Southeast of Boston

• Creatures: Mirelurks

Once home to an eccentric billionaire who built himself a mansion on the private island, Spectacle Island is located off the coast of Boston near Warwick homestead. The island is one of the sites in Fallout 4 that can be claimed as a settlement, but players will have to put some work into it as it's relatively well-hidden and harder to access.

To unlock the settlement and claim their loot, players will have to make their way through highly irradiated water (which can kill the player), and then beat a Mirelurk queen and Mirelurk hunters in an intense battle.

14 Handy Eats

Location: General Atomics Galleria

• NPCs: Cook Handy, Waitron

Handy Eats is about as close as Fallout 4 gets to a classic American diner, with a twist (of course). Located in the General Atomics Galleria, the unmarked Handy Eats is a diner where the staff is made up entirely of robots and the customers are old skeletons.

The most notable part of this diner is definitely the robot waiters and cook, but players will also be able to get the fishing tournament ad loot. Be warned, it is not recommended to eat here.

13 Shanty Store

Location: Southeast of Coastal Cottage

• NPC: Leonard Moore

South of the Coastal Cottage, the Shanty Store is a trading store, unlike other trading stores in Fallout 4. The elevated shack sells scrap, general goods, and ammo and is owned and run by Leonard Moore and his companion Jangles, the moon monkey.

Players might be tempted to take over and use Leonard's living quarters, but these are marked as owned and cannot be used.

12 Suffolk County Charter School

Location: West of Quincy Quarries

• Creatures: Pink feral ghouls, Radroaches

The Sutton County Charter School is one of the hidden locations in Fallout 4 that has a particularly morbid history. The Principal of the school, Jackie Hudson, agreed to allow the government to experiment on the students with their Nutritional Alternative Paste Program (NAPP)without the consent of the families, which ended up making them pinker in complexion.

This experiment is why the ghouls on the school grounds are bright pink, and also why they pack a harder punch than other ghouls - so be prepared for a fight.

11 Titanic Float

Location: Near The Nucleus

• Titanic (1997) Easter Egg

Found near the Nucleus shipwreck in Far Harbor, this hidden location is a nod to one of the most famous movies of all time. The Titanic Float features a floating door with two skeletons that are recreating the moment from The Titanic where Rose and Jack grip each other before Jack sinks into the freezing ocean.

Though players won't find any interesting loot at this hidden location, if they're an avid film fan it's a must-visit. Maybe players can decide for themselves whether there was enough space for both of them?

10 Dunwich Borers

Location: Bottom of the Quarry

• Creatures: Feral ghouls, Bob Stanson, Bradley Ramone, John Hatfield, Tim Shoots

While this location isn't necessarily considered hidden as it is marked on the map, the Dunwich Borers reveal more and more secret pathways the further players explore them.

The marble quarry, located East of The Slog, leads straight underground where players will encounter dangers and hazards galore. If players manage to defeat the endless onslaught of enemies, they may find the remains of a cult.

9 Cranberry Island Shed

Location: Cranberry Island Bog

• Creatures: Mirelurks

This hidden location is not the most exciting on this list, but it will be very useful if players are looking for crafting supplies. The small supply shed is located on the Cranberry Island bog in Far Harbor and absolutely filled to the brim with crafting supplies.

Players will need to follow the clues for the quest 'The Hunt for Loot' to find the key to accessing the bunker and beware of any mirelurks that spawn nearby.

8 Carhenge

Location: Walden Pond

• Stonehenge Easter Egg

There are many car-henges in real life, but the one in Fallout 4 takes the cake. It’s located near Walden Pond and is a recreation of Stonehenge using rusted cars. There’s no telling if this structure was built before or after the blast, but it’s a great easter egg.

Even more amusing is that a super mutant behemoth lives in it as if alluding to the supposed supernatural rumors regarding the real Stonehenge. So, if players plan on visiting this location in the game, they better be prepared for a tough fight.

7 Parking Garage Dungeon

Location: South-Central Near Milton General Hospital

• Creatures: Feral ghouls, Radroaches

Known in-game as the Milton Parking Garage located near the Milton General Hospital. This massive structure was taken over by a psychopath who rigged the entire place to be one giant maze full of traps. There are notes inside from the deranged individual discussing the place, and there are a number of bodies the player can discover.

At the end of this twisted dungeon is a series of rooms filled with valuable loot. The player must choose wisely, however, as, once they’ve made their choice, the other rooms are destroyed.

6 The Rocket Shack

Location: Northeast of Relay Tower 0BB-915

Perhaps the best-known secret is by far the most interesting. Near Relay Tower 0BB-915 is a mysterious shack on a cliff. Inside, players can find the top floor houses three launchers and a stash of explosive tanks.

Someone rigged the launchers to hurl the tanks out into the wilderness, causing decent-sized explosions. It’s not clear if this was for defensive purposes, mindless fun, or if the person was just insane, but it does make for a fun distraction while players are completing quests.

5 Crashed UFO

Location: Southeast of Oberland Station

• Creatures: Alien

Near the ruins of Somerville is a surprising discovery that has the Commonwealth’s conspiracy theorists buzzing. If players explore the area off the road, they’ll find a UFO that has crashed into a field. The craft itself is little more than something to look at, but players that notice the green blood can track it to a nearby cave.

Inside is a wounded and hostile alien who shoots at the player with a powerful weapon. For players that manage to kill the alien, they’ll obtain the Alien Blaster, a powerful energy pistol with some of the rarest ammunition in the entire game.

4 Cat Cabin

Location: Southeast of Walden Pond

Creatures: Cats

Another location near Walden’s Pond is a plain-looking cabin with an unsettling secret inside. The entire cabin is filled with cats and pictures of cats. It’s unclear what happened to the cat lady that used to live here, but the cats have apparently been doing fine since the bombs fell.

Other than the shiver that runs down one's spine from seeing the cats everywhere, there’s not really a reason to visit this cabin. Some players opt to clear out this abominable place for the good of mankind, but it’s up to the player.

3 Jaws Boat

Location: North of Salem Museum of Witchcraft

• Jaws (1975) Easter Egg

Known as the FV Orca, this boat is located in the bay west of Salem. It’s the wreckage of a small fishing vessel with the skeleton of the captain and the body of a large sea creature inside. The scene is a reference to the iconic moment from the movie Jaws when the boat captain Samuel Quint is eaten by the monstrous shark.

Another fun fact is that this creature was meant to be included in a massive underwater section of the game that was cut before the game’s final release.

2 Treasure Of Jamaica Plain

Location: Southwest of University Point

• Creatures: Feral ghouls

This is perhaps the most underwhelming or most exciting location in the game depending on the player's playstyle. Jamaica Plain is a mysterious town found in the Commonwealth that houses a secret treasure room in the basement of the Town Hall. Many adventurers have died trying to access this supposed wealth.

If players bypass the numerous traps and turrets, they’ll discover a museum of pre-war relics, many of which have been degraded and not worth much. If the player happens to be a melee fighter then the 2076 World Series Baseball Bat should be of interest to them. Take it for a couple of swings and it's easy to see why.

1 Ug-Qualtoth’s Cavern

Location: The Dunwich Building

• The Dark Heart of Blackhall quest

Easily the most interesting location in the entire game is the secret location known as Ug-Qualtoth’s Cavern. This mysterious location is a reference to the horror fiction of H.P. Lovecraft. In fact the building it’s found under, Dunwich Borer is a reference to his short story The Dunwich Horror.

This cavern is where swampfolk commit ritual sacrifice to a cosmic entity known as Ug-Qualtoth. The blade used in these sacrifices, Kremvh’s Tooth, can be found on the altar and is considered one of the best melee weapons in the game. Just don’t delve too deep into this mysterious location, or players may go mad.