How to Unlock the Tropical Island in Animal Crossing: New Leaf

Upgrading Your Tent to a House

Gather 10,000 bells. When you first start your game in Animal Crossing, you will be living in a tent. In order to unlock the island, one of the first prerequisites you must fill is moving out of the tent and into a house by paying off your first loan. Of course, to pay off your loan, you need bells. Gather 10,000 bells by helping villagers, selling fruits, etc.

Go to the Post Office. The Post Office is on Main Street, and it is designated on the map by a red envelope.

Use the ABD. The ABD (automatic bell dispenser) looks like an ATM. Go up to it and press “A” to open its interface.

Choose “Pay Back Loan.” Once you've chosen this option, you will see an interface pop up that shows you how much you still owe and how many bells you currently have. Use the number inputs to pay off the rest of the debt.

Visit Nook. Run next door and talk to Nook in order to let him know that you paid off your loan.

Wait one day. Now that you've paid off your loan, you will have to wait one game day before your tent is replaced with a brand-new house.

Unlocking the Tropical Island

Talk to Tortimer. After getting a house, the next time you start up your game, Isabelle will tell you that there is a visitor in town that wants to see you (this occurs during the start-up screen). It turns out that the visitor is Tortimer, the town’s old mayor. To find him, run down to the docks on the south beach of your town. Talk to him by pressing “A.” Tortimer will mention that he knows this great island, suggesting that you visit him there sometime.

Wait. As with many things in Animal Crossing, you will need to wait a day before you can visit the island that Tortimer has mentioned. You cannot immediately visit.

Enjoy the island. Once you’ve gotten a house, talked with Tortimer, and waited a day, the island is permanently unlocked! You can now visit the island any time you want, provided that you have the 1,000 bells that Kapp’n charges to take you over there on his boat. To actually get to the island, run to the docks again and talk to Kapp’n (the frog standing there) by pressing “A.” He will say that he can take you to the island and back home for one price of 1,000 bells. As long as you have the bells on hand, say yes and you’ll be off.