Island resident organizes Spooky Tour

Ghosts, ghouls and goblins have found a home on Daniel Island, all thanks to the spirits of one islander family – Scott and Heather Engler. 

 

Some call this month October, others view it as Halloween time. Scott and his family only know it as spooky season, a time for haunted houses and eerie specters to roam the streets. 

 

In 2021, he took it upon himself to transform the neighborhood into a thrilling maze of ghostly abodes, all for the pleasure of fellow neighbors and Halloween fanatics. The Daniel Island Spooky Tour was born out of a simple desire: to bring the spine-chilling joy of the spooky season closer to home. 

 

Engler, the mind behind this frightful festivity, was inspired by the excitement his daughter Austen found in exploring haunted houses on James Island.

 

“When we first moved here in 2019, we saw the [James Island] houses and said, ‘Oh my gosh, this is better than Disney,’” Engler said.

 

Determined to create the same magic within Daniel Island (and tired of driving 30 minutes away), he organized a group of willing neighbors in transforming the island into a haunted wonderland, a place where families and friends can experience the thrill of the spooky season without venturing too far from home. 

 

“At first it was just for friends, but then it blew up. Now I feel like I have an obligation.”

 

Now in its third year, the Daniel Island Spooky Tour invites all islanders and visitors to cruise around the neighborhoods and explore the front yards of 31 haunted houses – and counting. 

 

In addition to the hair-raising tour, each haunted house is named in relation to their Halloween decorations. The creativity of the residents knows no bounds, as each house boasts its own unique theme. Residents can expect to see spine-tingling displays at houses such as “House of Skulls,” “Tarantula Lair,” “Web of Death” and more.  

 

Lisa Strehmel, who has her “House of Dragons” on display, says she chose her theme based on her daughter’s love for dragons from a young age. “Our girls are out of high school now but we love continuing to decorate every year because the kids in the neighborhood love seeing the dragons so much!” 

 

Fellow resident Joanna Loiselle has found the seasonal house transformation to be a family tradition. “We absolutely love Halloween on Daniel Island! The kids look forward to golf carting around to see the decorations each year. This is such a special community!” 

 

Brace yourselves for a hauntingly delightful experience. This year, the Spooky Tour is taking it up a notch. Engler said since there will be so many people, it will have to be a “shotgun” or “choose your own adventure” kind of tour where everyone can start at different places and drive to see all 31 houses on their golf carts or cars.

 

This year’s tour will also include a contest of four categories, judging the houses on the spookiest house, most creative, most fun and overall best haunted house. 

 

Residents and visitors are invited to decorate their golf carts and ride along the haunted houses on Sunday, Oct. 29, beginning at 6:30 p.m. and vote for their favorites.  Post your photos and comments in the DI Spooky Tour 23 Facebook group.

 

For those who prefer to explore at their own pace, a handy map of the participating houses has been made available. Whether you travel by foot, golf cart, car or bike, Engler has created a self-guided tour of each participating house that has decked out on decorations. Each house can be found on the Maps app by visiting tinyurl.com/a336d5f3.

 

For fans of the island’s decorative tour, fear not. Engler is also the driving force behind the Cheer Tour, a festive neighborhood decoration tour featuring houses adorned with dazzling Christmas lights and ornaments. 

 

Engler’s dedication to fostering a sense of community through these projects has evolved Daniel Island into an ever-vibrant hub of seasonal celebration.  

 

“It gives you something to look forward to and feel like part of the community,” Engler said of his decoration tours. “It also gives people recognition of their homes. They put a lot of work into this.” 

 

Engler and each Spooky Tour resident invite all islanders and visitors to stroll through the haunted streets of Daniel Island, a realm where the spooky and the spectacular collide. Happy hauntings, everyone!

 

The Spooky Tour houses are available to view from now until Halloween. Engler’s Christmas Cheer Tour will begin shortly after Thanksgiving.