How I Discovered Seasonal Life (and How It Changed Everything)
- Tara Russell
- Jan 18
- 4 min read
Shortly after turning 21, I knew something had to change.
Life felt slow. COVID had shut so much down, routines felt heavy, and I found myself slipping into a quiet depression without really realizing it. I loved my life, but I craved a new environment, a new pace, and something that felt like me again.
So I made a bold decision.
I packed up what I could fit in my car and moved out of state to North Carolina.
My aunt helped me get settled while I figured things out, and for the first time in a long while, I felt hopeful. Not long after, I was introduced to the idea of working on a cruise ship in Hawaii... six straight months of work, no rent, no bills, just saving money and island hopping.
It sounded like a dream.
But with COVID still lingering, it wasn’t a realistic option yet.
That’s when I discovered something that would completely change the direction of my life.
Discovering Seasonal Work
One night while scrolling online, I stumbled across a website called CoolWorks, a job board filled with seasonal positions all over the United States. Resorts. National parks. Ski mountains. Island towns. Remote lodges.
Jobs that came with housing. Jobs that let you travel. Jobs that turned work into an adventure.
I had never heard of seasonal life before, but the more I read, the more I realized… this was exactly what I had been looking for.
And then I saw it.
Lake Powell Resort – Page, Arizona.
Halfway across the country, but not so far that I couldn’t come home if I panicked. Right in the center of the Grand Circle. Free boat rentals. Housing for only $15 a week. Living inside a national park.
It felt like the perfect first step.
So I applied.
And somehow… I got the job.
My First Seasonal Job: Lake Powell, Arizona
Because housing was strange during COVID, I didn’t even end up in employee dorms. I lived in a hotel room overlooking Lake Powell.
Every morning I woke up to sunrise over the water.
Unreal.
I took a breakfast server position just to secure the job, even though I am very much not a morning person. 4:00–4:30 a.m. wakeups. 5 a.m. shifts. Absolutely not my vibe.
But I worked hard, showed initiative, and eventually moved into night serving and then bartending, much better shifts, much better energy.
Living there gave me endless opportunities to explore:
Boat days on Lake Powell
Fishing for striped bass
Discovering hidden coves and cliffs
Being just seven minutes from Horseshoe Bend
On my days off, I drove anywhere I could:
Sedona
Bryce Canyon
Zion National Park
Grand Canyon
I hiked Devil’s Bridge, cliff jumped at Slide Rock, explored natural water slides, ATV’d through Dixie National Forest, and road-tripped to Vegas more times than I can count.
That season opened my eyes.
This life was real.
From the Desert… to an Island
After five months, the routine started to feel familiar. The money was good, but not great. I had explored almost everything nearby, and I could feel it was time for something new.
That’s when a friend told me about a job opening on an island.
An actual island.
Santa Catalina Island, off the coast of Los Angeles.
I packed my car again, road-tripped to Southern California (with a stop in Vegas, of course), and landed my next seasonal job.
Catalina changed everything.
This job came with unbelievable perks, free island tours, bison sightings, semi-submarine rides, ocean views every day. Housing was subsidized and deducted from my paycheck, so I never had to stress about rent.
I worked at a bar, met people from all over the world, and lived somewhere most people only get to visit for a day.
That short season, only end of July through October and it was enough to make me fall in love.
But winter was calling.
My First Ski Resort Season
Next stop: Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
Free ski pass? Say less.
The season started slowly, so I spent extra days snowboarding at A-Basin, hiking through snowy forests, chasing frozen waterfalls, soaking in hot springs, and even taking a scenic train ride through the mountains.
Once winter truly arrived, my days off were spent shredding powder.
I saw moose and elk on the mountain.
Real life wildlife encounters, casually, on my way to work and heading down the mountain.
After winter ended, I returned to Catalina for a full busy season, this time working two jobs, bartending at night, working beach shifts during the day, and picking up banquet events whenever I could.
That island became my second home.
Tahoe Winters & Finding Home
The following winter took me to Palisades Tahoe.
No housing provided this time, which meant the great housing hunt. After some searching, I landed in a beautiful log cabin with a hot tub… and three male roommates (sheesh 😅).
But it was one of the best seasons of my life.
That year brought record snowfall. Free ski pass .Powder days. Epic Pass access to Northstar. Trips to Reno, San Francisco, and endless Lake Tahoe sunsets.
Every season brought new friendships, new adventures, and new versions of myself.
Eventually, I returned to Catalina again, this time staying for over a year and a half.
It became my family. My friends. My safe place.
What Seasonal Life Taught Me
Seasonal life taught me more than any classroom ever could.
It taught me independence. Adaptability. Confidence.
It showed me that you don’t have to follow one straight path. That you can build a life around experiences instead of routines .That sometimes the best decisions are the scariest ones.
You never know where seasonal life will take you or the people you’ll meet, or the stories you’ll come home with.
But I do know this:
Choosing seasonal work was the beginning of everything I’m building now.
And I wouldn’t change a single season.
In future posts, I’ll share exactly how to find seasonal jobs, my favorite websites, what to expect, budgeting tips, and the best destinations to start with — so stay tuned 🤍
— Tara
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