Here’s What It’s Like to Work on an Island and Make Most of Your Income in 3 Months

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Some people largely rely on seasonal work to survive financially. Read on to learn more. 

Michigan’s Mackinac Island is a unique place. It’s only accessible by ferry, and cars (other than emergency vehicles) are banned. Visitors and residents alike get around on foot or by bike, and outside of the summer months, the weather can be less than inviting.

As such, Mackinac Island businesses rely heavily on summer tourism to stay afloat. In fact, many of the people who work on the island don’t actually live there. There are only about 500 to 600 full-time residents on the island. Workers commonly live in nearby cities or towns and commute by ferry during the peak season, which commonly runs from May through September.

My family and I recently visited Mackinac Island, and during our stay, I couldn’t help but chat up a couple of workers to ask about their lives and livelihood. Here are their stories.

Greg, a 20-something historical interpreter at Fort Mackinac

Fort Mackinac is a major attraction on the island. Visitors can explore soldiers’ old quarters, learn what army life was like, and witness old-school rifle and cannon firings.

During our tour, we were guided by Greg, a 20-something historical interpreter who dresses in uniform and shares the history of the fort during a series of 30-minute walks throughout the day. Greg was kind enough to take questions during our tour, and my eight-year-old daughter wanted to know if he was a “real army guard.” I wanted to know if he was a budding actor, or what inspired him to take the job he did.

Greg explained that he grew up near Mackinac Island and always wanted to work there. He enjoys his current gig because it allows him to interact with people, and he says the pay is decent (though I didn’t press to get further details).

Since the fort is only open from June through October, Greg needs a way to earn money during the offseason. To supplement his income, he works in food delivery. He says his job at the fort provides him with the bulk of his annual income, and he makes it work by saving a big chunk of his summertime paychecks. He also says that rent is reasonable where he lives, so that helps.

Jordan, a 40-something bartender

Jordan has been working as a bartender on Mackinac Island for over 20 years (since, as he puts it, he was old enough to drink himself). In recent years, he’s been fortunate enough to snag a gig at a popular restaurant on the island where the drinks are higher-end and the tips tend to follow suit.

Still, because his income is not only seasonal, but quite variable, Jordan has to budget carefully. Despite working on the island for several months of the year, he still needs a car to get around on the mainland, so that’s an added expense that eats up a lot of his earnings. He says he’s careful about spending on extras and does most of his traveling locally, since he loves where he lives.

Outside of the summer months, Jordan continues to bartend. But it’s hard for him to get really good gigs because he always leaves for Mackinac Island during the summer.

It’s worth it to prioritize his summer gig, though. He says he can earn more money working for three or four months on the island that most people can earn by bartending full-time 52 weeks a year.

It’s all about smart choices and careful planning

As you can see, it’s more than possible to get by earning most of your living in just a few months. But to pull that off, you’ll generally need to budget carefully and supplement your income with other gigs. You may also need to make certain sacrifices, like renting a home instead of owning one (since it can be hard to qualify for and afford a mortgage loan when your income isn’t considered steady).

But for people like Greg and Jordan, seasonal work allows them to be where they want to be during the summer, and it takes some of the pressure off during the rest of the year. And if they can make it work, so can you if the idea of earning a living on an island like Mackinac sounds appealing.

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