Drievliet

Drievliet, formally known as Familiepark Drievliet, is a family amusement park in The Hague, South Holland, Netherlands. The park occupies the historic grounds of the former Drievliet country estate, whose name refers to the meeting point of three waterways: the Vliet toward Leiden, the Haagse Trekvliet, and the Delftsche Vliet. Although the estate has a documented history extending back to the seventeenth century, the modern leisure business developed gradually from a café, tea garden, and playground into a permanent amusement park. The estate was recorded on a 1611 map and was later associated with several Dutch owners, including Johan van Gogh, who is believed to have built the manor house. It changed hands repeatedly over the following centuries. In the nineteenth century it was acquired by C.H.Th.A. Hooft Graaflant, who retained the property until his death in 1923. The Faaij family subsequently developed the grounds as a recreational destination. They opened a café in the manor house and added a tea garden and playground in 1938. After the Second World War, the site broadened its entertainment offer with puppet theatre, ventriloquism, magic performances, additional attractions, and donkey rides. Growing visitor numbers led to the purchase of the entire estate in 1950 by N.V. Maatschappij Drievliet. A mechanical carousel was installed beside the existing playground in 1951, marking the transition toward an amusement-park format. The park initially combined traditional playground facilities—such as swings, seesaws, slides, a maze, and donkey rides—with fairground-style attractions. Its later development added rides for different age groups, including carousels, bumper cars, a swinging boat, a caterpillar ride, a pirate ship, an amusement arcade, a mirror attraction, and a child-friendly haunted house. A notable historic installation is the Drievliet monorail, which opened in 1968 and is among the oldest attractions still operating at the park. The park also expanded its thrill-ride portfolio during the 1990s and 2000s, including the Star Dancer, which operated from 1997 until 2025, and other attractions designed to complement its family offering. The overall proposition remains centered on accessible day trips rather than a resort model, with a mixture of gentle rides, family attractions, and selected thrill experiences. Drievliet's historic setting remains part of its identity. The former manor house is a Dutch Rijksmonument, and the park has also served as a filming location for Dutch feature films, including De Griezelbus, Dik Trom, and Mees Kees. In 2024, the park was acquired by French leisure-park operator Looping Group, which also owns Avonturenpark Hellendoorn. The acquisition placed Drievliet within a larger European amusement-park group while preserving its role as a family attraction in the The Hague area.

Drievliet takes its name from the junction of three waterways near the historic estate: the Vliet, the Haagse Trekvliet, and the Delftsche Vliet. The estate is visible on a 1611 map by Floris Balthasars, where it already included an extensive garden. In 1625, the heirs of Ysbrand van der Does sold the estate and approximately 33 morgen of land to Johan van Gogh, a clerk of the States General. Van Gogh is generally credited with constructing the manor house, which is later documented in an inventory from 1682 and on an early-eighteenth-century map of the Delfland water authority. The property passed through several prominent families. Johan van Gogh gave it to his daughter after her marriage to Arnout van Beaumont, president of the Council of Brabant. It subsequently passed to their descendants and was later sold to Nicolaas Evert Fournier, an advocate before the Court of Gelderland. Fournier sold the estate in 1736 to the widow of Jan van der Burg, an advocate before the Court of Holland. In 1874, C.H.Th.A. Hooft Graaflant acquired Drievliet and also owned the nearby Burchvliet estate. He remained associated with Drievliet until his death in 1923. After 1923, the Faaij family began turning the estate into a recreational destination. A café was established in the manor house, and a tea garden and playground were added in 1938. Following the Second World War, the site offered puppet theatre, ventriloquism, magic performances, additional attractions, and donkey rides. This combination of hospitality and entertainment attracted increasing numbers of visitors. In 1950, N.V. Maatschappij Drievliet purchased the entire estate. The manor house was converted into a restaurant and later, around 1985, became a Chinese restaurant. The building is recognized as a Dutch Rijksmonument. The modern amusement park began taking shape in 1951, when a mechanical carousel was installed next to a basic playground containing swings, seesaws, slides, a maze, and a central monkey cage. The site continued to add fairground attractions over subsequent decades. A monorail opened in 1968 and became one of the park's oldest surviving attractions. Later additions included pedal-powered racing vehicles, bumper cars, swinging boats, further carousels, a puppet theatre, a caterpillar ride, an amusement arcade, a distorted-mirror cave, a child-oriented haunted house, and the De Piraat pirate ship. During the 1990s and 2000s, Drievliet broadened its offer with more thrill-oriented rides while retaining a strong family focus. Star Dancer operated from 1997 until 2025 and was part of this period of expansion. The park has also been used as a location for Dutch films, including De Griezelbus in 2005, Dik Trom in 2010, and Mees Kees in 2012. The bus associated with De Griezelbus was retained as decorative theming beside the haunted house. In 2024, Drievliet was acquired by Looping Group, a French operator of leisure parks. The transaction connected Drievliet with a broader European park network that includes Avonturenpark Hellendoorn in the Netherlands. Drievliet continues to operate as a family amusement park in The Hague, using its historic setting and varied ride portfolio to attract primarily domestic and regional visitors.

• 2025

  Star Dancer operating period ends

  [1]Familiepark Drievlieten.wikipedia.org

  The Star Dancer, which had operated since 1997, is recorded as operating through 2025.

• 2024

  Acquired by Looping Group

  [1]Familiepark Drievlieten.wikipedia.org

  French leisure-park operator Looping Group acquired Drievliet and added it to its European park portfolio.

• 1997

  Star Dancer begins operation

  [1]Familiepark Drievlieten.wikipedia.org

  The Star Dancer thrill ride opened as part of the park's expansion of its more intense attractions.

• 1968

  Monorail opens

  [1]Familiepark Drievlieten.wikipedia.org

  Drievliet introduced its monorail, one of the oldest attractions still operating at the park.

• 1951

  First mechanical amusement ride installed

  [1]Familiepark Drievlieten.wikipedia.org

  A carousel was added beside the playground, establishing Drievliet as an amusement park.

• 1950

  Estate purchased by N.V. Maatschappij Drievliet

  [1]Familiepark Drievlieten.wikipedia.org

  The entire estate was acquired by N.V. Maatschappij Drievliet as visitor numbers and recreational activity grew.

• 1938

  Tea garden and playground added

  [1]Familiepark Drievlieten.wikipedia.org

  The Faaij family expanded the estate's recreational role by adding a tea garden and playground beside the café.

• 1625

  Estate acquired by Johan van Gogh

  [1]Familiepark Drievlieten.wikipedia.org

  The heirs of Ysbrand van der Does sold the estate and surrounding land to Johan van Gogh, who is believed to have built the manor house.

• 1611

  Estate appears on a historic map

  [1]Familiepark Drievlieten.wikipedia.org

  The Drievliet country estate, including an extensive garden, was depicted on a map by Floris Balthasars.

A traditional Dutch family amusement park combining children's rides, family attractions, selected thrill rides, and a historic estate setting. Drievliet primarily serves domestic visitors and families seeking a compact day-out destination in the The Hague region.

• Transportation ride · 1968

  Drievliet Monorail

  A monorail attraction opened in 1968. It is one of Drievliet's oldest surviving rides and represents the park's transition from a traditional playground and fairground-style venue toward a permanent amusement park.

• Family thrill ride

  De Piraat

  A pirate-ship swinging ride forming part of Drievliet's broader collection of family and thrill attractions. It complements the park's traditional rides with a more dynamic experience suitable for older children and families.

• Children's amusement attractions · 1938

  Children's rides and playground attractions

  Drievliet offers a broad group of attractions for younger visitors, rooted in the site's historic playground. The portfolio has included swings, slides, carousels, a caterpillar ride, pedal-powered vehicles, a maze, and other gentle rides designed for family visits.

• Amusement rides

  Family and thrill rides

  The park's wider ride collection combines traditional fairground attractions with newer thrill-oriented experiences. Examples include bumper cars, swinging boats, carousels, amusement-arcade activities, a child-friendly haunted house, and the former Star Dancer.

• Thrill ride · 1997

  Star Dancer

  A thrill ride that operated at Drievliet from 1997 until 2025. It formed part of the park's expansion into more adventurous attractions during the 1990s and 2000s.

• 2024

  Sale to Looping GroupM&A

  Background

  Drievliet was operating as a family amusement park in The Hague with a long-established local identity and a portfolio of rides for children and families.

  Action taken

  Looping Group acquired Drievliet and incorporated it into its European leisure-park portfolio.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition linked Drievliet with a larger leisure-park operator that also owns Avonturenpark Hellendoorn. No further operational or financial consequences are specified in the available reference material.

  Source

1. 1Familiepark Drievlieten.wikipedia.org
2. 2Drievliet official websitedrievliet.nl