How do you design an island that feels calm but still has a clear "flow" for getting around?

I jumped back into the game after a long break and I'm trying to plan an island that feels relaxing to walk through. I don't want it to feel like a maze, but I also don't want one giant open grid where everything is boringly symmetrical.

I live in a tiny city apartment and my brain is usually fried after work, so I want the island to gently guide me from area to area without me constantly checking the map. For example: you step out of Resident Services and naturally end up at the shops, then a little park, then the museum, then a quiet neighborhood.

My problem is that every time I start placing paths and cliffs it swings one of two ways: too linear, like a straight shot everywhere, or too cluttered, with lots of cute corners that end up feeling cramped and confusing.

For people whose islands feel calm and easy to navigate, what principles do you follow? A few specific things I'm stuck on:

- Do you use one main path with branches, or several loops?

- How wide do you make your main paths so they don't feel tight?

- Do you group buildings by function (shops together, museum near a plaza), or spread them out to encourage wandering?

- Any small details that help with wayfinding-landmarks, lighting, fences, trees-that don't make the island feel busy?

Would love opinions before I commit to a bunch of terraforming and then regret it. Thanks!