Kaatsheuvel is a village in the province Noord-Brabant, located in the south of the Netherlands. The village lies north of the larger city Tilburg and belongs to the municipality Loon op Zand. The village also is close to municipalities Waalwijk and Drunen and it is close to the larger cities ‘s Hertogenbosch to the north and Breda to the west.

The name Kaatsheuvel consists of two words: Kaats and Heuvel. It is not completely sure where the name comes from. The word Heuvel means hill. The word Kaats could come from St. Catharina or ‘kaatsen’, a popular Dutch game. It is however more likely that the name of the village is a deterioration from the word Ketshoeve, the name of a former guest house.

For a long time the people of Kaatsheuvel lived from the shoe industry. The circumstances for producing shoes were ideal thanks to the oak barks and the many stream-lets. Most households even had their own small shoe factory. The village thrived mainly on the shoe industry before the mayor in the 1950s decided to attract other industries to its village. That resulted in the build of theme park The Efteling on 31st May 1952, the largest theme park in the Netherlands. The tourist industry soon replaced the importance of the shoe industry.

The Efteling is the absolute main attraction of Kaatsheuvel. You can easily spend a whole day here. It is fun for everyone, young and old. It can be pretty busy during summertime since there are a lot of tourists that visit the park. During the winter the park is transformed into a real wonderland winter theme. In Kaatsheuvel you can also see the mill The Eendragt and the corn-mill The Couwenbergh. This last mill was restored in 1995 and is now home to a restaurant.

The area of Kaatsheuvel is popular for hiking and bicycling trips. Travelers to the village need a valid passport and visa. American citizens are allowed to stay up to 90 days without the use of a visa. The best time to visit the village is during daytime summer from July till August. You can also visit the village during winter for enjoying the Winter Theme of The Efteling.