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So you’re new to the game and stumped on what to do with your island. Or maybe you’re a not-so-new player but have leveled your island for the nth time to redo everything.
If you need some inspiration to spark the creative light bulbs in you, here are 35 amazing animal crossing island ideas for beginners and experts alike that can help get you started!
If you want to see more of their designs, the creators of each design are linked below the images. Give them some love and tell them how inspiring their ideas are!
Best Animal Crossing Island Design Ideas
35. Flower Garden
While flowers in Animal Crossing can be beautiful, they can absolutely take over your island if you let a few grow for some time. A great idea to tame these pretty beasts is to fence them!
This island theme idea from @isleofsoph puts some white flowers inside Vertical-Board Fences. Add in a couple of Garden Wagons, Bunny Garden Decorations, and a small picnic area. Your flower garden will end up looking quite charming. You can find more acnh garden design ideas here.
34. Fenced Flower Beds
For a different kind of flower garden, try having a few flower beds on your island! You can use the Simple Wooden Fence to corral your flowers in square beds.
But the sheer ingenuity of @mofu_mori’s design is that the flowers are actually Pergolas placed underground! I gotta say, this is one of the best animal crossing island ideas I’ve come across yet.
Apply your favorite Custom Design paths around the beds, add some customized Log Stakes, and your flower garden will look as delightful as this!
33. Decorating Blather’s Tent
Add a bit of pizzazz to Blathers’s Tent by making it a nice hangout for fossil enthusiasts. It’s a shame this is temporary since you need to unlock the full museum to progress your game. But a momentary cool theme idea like this is nice to try, even for beginners.
For this design, @mineggie added a Green-Leaf Pile, a Bamboo Basket, a cute Tiny Library, a Stack of Books for all the scientific journals, and encyclopedias.
Blathers has a Handcart from all the fossil digging and an Artisanal Bug Cage to keep the bugs from bugging Blathers.
32. Museum Castle
Make the entrance of your museum as grand as possible with this idea! @cosykyle creatively uses Castle Walls, Castle Towers, a Castle Gate, and multiple Pergolas to make his island’s museum look quite majestic.
If you’re aiming to make your island the best island on Animal Crossing ever, having a great-looking museum seems to be a good start.
31. Castle Walls in Town
Making your town look and feel cozy with Castle Walls and Castle Towers is a pretty neat island theme idea as well. Add some Arched Tile or Brick Paths to complete the castle town aesthetic.
Outdoor furniture in Animal Crossing used to be limited, so people had to be really creative with the items in the game. Using a Storefront, a few different trees, and outdoor furniture like the Iron Garden Table and Chair can enhance the look of your island.
30. Waterfalls Entrance
“What should I put on my Animal Crossing island?” You ask.
Well, a good place to start is to work on your entrance. It’s one of the first things your visitors will see when they drop by.
Here’s a really good island entrance idea from u/Te_re_sa! It’s not complicated and overwhelming to the eyes, and it uses a lot of items and tools that you can easily get in the game.
This is also a good island idea for beginners because it’s not that difficult to do. You just have to terraform and make waterfalls and a land bridge, use Terra-Cotta Tiles as your paths, craft some Garden Benches and a Destination Signpost, and redeem a Streetlamp from your Nook Stop.
The only new thing here is the border, but thankfully Reddit user u/boba_teapot kindly provided the code for the tile border, which is a Custom Design by u/melissenpai.
29. Abandoned Drive-in Cinema
There is something melancholic and nostalgic brought by abandoned areas, and this idea by @goldiehorizons is definitely bringing in that wistful and sentimental yet eerie feeling.
Add an abandoned drive-in cinema on your island by using lots of Wheat Field tiles, Windmills, a few Luxury Cars and Minicars, a Projection Screen, and a Plain Party-Lights Arch for the entrance, all corralled with Wood Partitions.
28. Kirby Car
Kirby fans, rejoice! This really creative island idea from @tabane_mori recreates an iconic scene from the latest Kirby game, Kirby and the Forgotten Land.
With a pink Minicar, some curved Streetlights, a bit of land terraforming, and Custom Designs for road and grass paths, you can have a car Kirby on your island as well!
27. Riverside Town
Evoke a peaceful riverside town with this island theme idea from @mousepaladin.
Terraform riverbanks around your island and add a few Wheat Field tiles, some Block Fences as a barrier for the river, a Custom Design path for the road, a couple of Stadium Lights to light the way, and a Retro Transportation Stop to complete the look.
26. Storefronts
A lot of Animal Crossing islands often have small towns and cities in them, but I’ve never seen one with huge storefronts like this!
@aceisbestboyy creatively makes them by having their own Custom Design combined with Simple Panels, Short Simple Panels, Castle Walls, Storefronts, Plant Partitions, and Hedges.
The Custom Design code is kindly provided in the Twitter post, so for those who want to attempt this island idea you can download it easily!
25. Outdoor Library Cafe
It’s nice to read a book while enjoying nature, and this island theme is built from that relaxing idea.
Turn your island into an outdoor library by having Wooden Bookshelves, Strapped Books, Scrapbooks, a Tiny Library, Castle Walls, Wood partitions, and some Simple Wooden Fences.
You can also make it an outdoor cafe by using a Bistro Table, customized Wooden Stools, and food items like Pear Pie and Coffee cups.
24. Floating Tiki Bar
Wouldn’t it be great to just chill and float around on a tiki bar, sipping coconut water and basking in the sun?
This island idea from acnh.enza turns your beach into an amazing floating tiki bar. With some Custom Designs for the water and raft, you can start your very own tiki bar, too.
The raft looks real thanks to the combination of Bamboo Stopblocks, a customized Stall with customized Face Cutout Standees, and Wooden Stools.
Decorate the place with an Outdoor Bath, some Tiki Torches, Mr. & Mrs. Flamingo statues, Shell Stools, Life Ring, Coconut Juice, and a Fruit Basket. Don’t forget to add a Hula Doll!
23. Cobblestone Town
With proper paths, your island won’t look like a deserted lump of land at all! Take for example this island theme from @kuroneko_5810.
The combination of Arched Tile paths, Custom Design cobblestone paths, Castle Towers, and Castle Walls make this island look like it’s taken straight out of a JRPG kingdom.
@kuroneko_5810 provides a Dream Address code for anyone who wants to take a stroll in this lovely cobblestone island.
22. Hidden Totoro Clearing
If you’re a Ghibli fan, particularly a Totoro fan, you will love this Animal Crossing island idea!
If you want to have a hidden forest clearing for Totoro to sleep in, take this Custom Design code (MA-4622-7548-6251) by @atumoriarisu_u9 and slap it on a hidden nook on your island.
This is even a simple enough island idea for beginners. You just need the code and add different kinds of trees and flowers around Totoro.
You can also commission an Emperor Butterfly Model and a Yellow Butterfly Model from Flick as decorations. Add a few Mush Partitions and Glowing Moss Stools, and you’ll have your very own magical Ghibli corner on your island!
21. Pink Sand Island
Want something different? Like, alien-y pink kind of different? Look no further – try out @combjellie’s pink sand code. It makes your island look otherworldly with all the bright pink paths on the ground.
Make your island even more colorful with customized Tree Standees, Mush Lamps, Table Lamps, Bunny Day Lamps, Bunny Day Fence, a Cute Tea Table, and a Mum Cushion. Use the power of pink!
20. Sunken Garden
This is one impressive island idea! With careful terraforming planning, you can have a sunken garden on your island just like this. Use a customized Gazebo as the centerpiece, with different potted plants, bushes, and topiaries around.
For a lush green color, Green or Light Green Round and Triangular Topiaries work best.
Add some seasonal bushes, Cypress Plants, a couple of Evergreen Ashes, Garden Wagons, Floating-Biotope Planters on Turkey Day Pedestals, and Custom Design paths of your choosing – and you have one gorgeous island highlight!
This will also make a great island entrance idea.
19. Japanese Countryside
There is something idyllic about the countryside, and Twitter user @origo_a shows everyone their take on a classic Japanese countryside setting on Animal Crossing.
With a big river, tiny pathways, an astonishing Torii, some Tall Lanterns to set the mysterious atmosphere, and a Utility Pole here and there, @origo_a truly captured the Japanese countryside aesthetic with their design.
18. Mini Pool
A lot of us probably haven’t been to a pool in a while, thanks to the state of the world around us right now. But the nice thing about Animal Crossing is that we can use it as our vacation escapism.
This island idea from lanasacnh on Instagram adds a mini pool and sunbathing area to your island.
Use a Custom Design code for the water, tiles, and boardwalk, put some Beach Chairs and Towels around the area, and add some Inflatable Bird Rings floating in the pool.
The 2.0 update brought in different types of foods and drinks, so use those as decorations as well! You can have some juices and cakes to go with your pool resort.
Thankfully, the creator has shared the codes for these designs.
17. Construction (Bonus: Rural Town)
A lot of us are just perpetually working on our island. To give that forever “under construction” vibe, why not just turn your island into a construction zone?
You can now get construction-related items in the game, like Bulldozers, Excavators, Cement Mixer, Safety Barriers, Construction Scaffolding, and a Dormant Volcano to act as your dirt hill.
For a before and after pic, @SylverFurious made a nice rural town where the construction area once was. Very clever and creative, don’t you think? You can even see the wheat field grow!
16. Elegant Purple Fountain Garden
For something elegant and purple, @Marron_ac shows you a beautiful fountain garden filled with Purple Tulips and Pink Hydrangea Bushes. The paths are also covered with purple petals, thanks to a Custom Design code by @minsuuuuuya.
If you want to do something like this on your island, you have to get and do a few things first.
Surround your fountain garden with different kinds of trees, use some Spooky Fences to corral your bushes, put a Motherly Statue at the back, add Tall Lanterns to light the way at night, and put some Floating-Biotope Planters on Turkey Day Garden Stands.
15. Breath of the Wild Locations
For Zelda fans, turn your island into different Breath of the Wild game locations with this idea from @moyassyi33.
In the picture above, the creator cleverly uses Blocks and Blocks from the Mario Furniture set to make a floating Divine Beast Vah Medoh. You can find other Divine Beasts and Breath of the Wild locations on their Twitter post.
14. Breath of the Wild Shrine House
We’re not done with Breath of the Wild x Animal Crossing island ideas! Here’s another one that can make your house look like a shrine.
Download this set of codes from @10ucan_game and place it on the ground in front of your house or any building that you want to turn into a Breath of the Wild shrine.
To enhance the look, you can add Garden Rocks near the entrance. You can customize a couple of Simple Panels too, so you can cover your house’s walls and make it glow like a BOTW shrine.
13. Pumpkin and Autumn Garden
If you like the autumn aesthetic, you might like this island idea from @arielleabloom.
You can turn your entire island into an autumn garden, filled with pumpkin patches and wheat fields. If you save your Dream Address in this state, people can visit your perpetually-autumn island!
Decorate the area with a Scarecrow, some grown grass, Yellow-Leaf Pile, a few Spooky furniture, a Tractor, and a Covered Wagon.
12. Cozy Castle Town
If you want to build a town or city on your island, Castle Walls and Towers really give structure to your urban planning.
Consider using them like how @riho_acnh used them for this island build. You can also make the streets look warm and homey with the use of multiple Plain Party-Lights Arch.
For a sidewalk that exudes a cafe-like vibe, use Iron Garden Chairs, Antique Mini Tables, Plant Partitions, Flower Beds, a Standing Shop Sign, and a couple of Scooters.
11. Swamp Island
If you want to make your island home quite unique, this Animal Crossing island idea might just be the thing you’re looking for.
Give your island a makeover by turning it into a swamp! Use a Custom Design for the swampy water and boardwalk, and Log Fences around, and decorate the place with Tin Buckets, Yachts, Bamboo Trees, fish in their tanks, and Stalls with customized tin roof designs.
It looks like a place a lot of alligator villagers would like to stay.
10. Lazy River Pool
Wouldn’t it be cool to have your very own lazy river pool? You can just lounge about and let your worries float away. Well, you can! But just in Animal Crossing.
This idea lets you live vicariously through your Animal Crossing mini-me by making that lazy river pool a reality on your island. After building your pool, add some “floating” Life Rings and Inflatable Sofas to make it really look like a lazy river pool.
Thankfully, @miecas_ shares the code needed for this, which was originally created by @miyan0_0miyan.
09. Fleamarket
This is another doable island idea for beginners. You can turn your island into a flea market that your friends can visit! You just need a lot of Stalls and random items to put on them.
@aNimsey shows you can put a lot of things for sale, like Stack of Books, Classic Pitcher, Sturdy Sewing Box, Yule Log, and even paintings. We’ve found a good use for the fake art from Redd!
08. Christmas Popup Book
Make Christmas more magical with this island idea! You can turn your buildings into popup books by using this code from @rerererekn.
You can make it look even more popup book-y by adding items like a Three-tiered Snowperson, Garden Gnome, Sleigh, Aries Rocking Chair, Big Festive Tree, and some Tree and Grass Standees.
07. Factory Island
Are Idyllic gardens and beach resorts not your thing? How about a mysteriously abandoned factory? If this is right up your alley, @mamamomi11271 shows you how to create such a behemoth of an idea.
With some island terraforming, you can make an isolated abandoned factory just like this. Items like Oil Barrels, Oil-Barrel Bathtubs, Simple Panels, Smokers, Silos, and Brick Ovens will aid you to achieve this aesthetic.
Fences like Barbed-Wire and Corrugated Iron will also add to the dilapidated look.
06. Alien World
Make your guests feel like they visited a different planet with this island idea. By customizing some Glowing Moss Balloons and Cosmos Showers, you can achieve this alien flora look.
Add some Astronaut Suits here and there, some Leaf Piles, and a couple of Tin Buckets, and you’ve already transported your guests across the galaxy to an alien world.
If you get the DIY recipes for Glowing Moss Balloon, Cosmos Shower, and Astronaut Suit, this is pretty easy to achieve even for beginners.
05. Japanese Food Stalls
For people who have visited Japan, one of the most memorable experiences from your trip is probably something about food.
Eating affordable and scrumptious street food is always a highlight! If you dearly miss that, relive your experiences on your Animal Crossing island by lining your island with numerous Japanese food stalls!
As shown by pinkcheryisle, just modify a few Stalls and Face Cutout Standees. There are a lot of Japanese food items in the game now, so take your pick! You can have Ramen, Nigirizushi, and even a Kerokerokeroppi Snack.
04. Train Station
If your island is currently designed as a city, you might want to consider adding a train station somewhere.
@noconoco_acnh shows that with customized Face Cutout Standees, Public Benches, a Park Clock, and a Drink Machine, you can make a part of your island look like a train station.
Rover’s Briefcase and a dropped Tailors Ticket add to the train station atmosphere as well.
03. Wheatfield
Turn your whole island into a wheat field! This idyllic farmland can be done with lots of Wheat Field tiles and Windmills.
You can even add a small creek by using a Custom Design path and putting Toy Ducks on it. Oh, to be a duck and peacefully floating on a creek near a wheat field. Total bliss!
02. Fountain Town Center
If you want to make the front area of your plaza into something special, add a fountain town center to it. All you need is a Park Fountain as the centerpiece.
With the paths, you can either use the preset ones or use Custom Designs, like this path by @mohumohu1236. Once that’s done, decorate it to your heart’s content! Add a Bistro Table, some Leaf Piles, parked Cruiser Bikes, a Manhole Cover, and Castle Walls as borders.
01. Little London
This is one of the most impressive and creative ideas I’ve ever seen. One look and it immediately shows just how grand and magnificent it is. @shiron0kuma shows how you can get creative with Simple Panels and Short Simple Panels.
You can use Silos, Stalls, Turkey Day Hearth, and Castle Towers as buildings. Line your roads with Streetlamps and Evergreen Ashes, and Phone Boxes.
To make it look like trees from far away, you can put Pine Bonsai Trees as well.
Conclusion
And there you have it – 35 of the best Animal Crossing island ideas from mind-blowingly creative people! I hope some of these lit the creative fires in you and encouraged you to get inventive with your island transformations.
If you’re looking for more ideas, from island entrance ideas to theme ideas, and ideas good for beginners, stay tuned. We will scour the internet to bring you more island ideas soon!
