WHETHER it’s for a fancy event, exciting experience or thrilling sightseeing adventure, we all love a special day out.

Thankfully, for residents in Colchester, there is a variety of appetite-whetting top trips on offer which are only a drive away.

Whilst some of the better excursions may require a plane or train, there is also plethora of great trips accessible by coach.

Galloway Coach Travel, one of the leading coach and bus operators in East Anglia, has so much on offer, providing a full range of road passenger transport solutions.

These include tours in the UK, Ireland and on the continent, day trips, coach hire, school tours, local bus services and school transport.

Here are five of the best coach trips departing from Colchester this summer.

London Zoo

London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo, and a huge tourist hotspot every day.

Gazette: Humboldt Penguins are counted during the annual stocktake at ZSL London Zoo in JanuaryHumboldt Penguins are counted during the annual stocktake at ZSL London Zoo in January (Image: Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire)

With more than 720 different species of animal, ZSL London Zoo is a brilliant way to immerse yourself into the animal kingdom.

Guests can also get firsthand experience of lions, tigers, primates, giraffes and many more.

The coach pick-up date is August 3, from three stops in Colchester – at Colchester North Station, Colchester Stadium and McDonald’s in Tollgate, Stanway.

Warner Bros Studio Tour - The Making of Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling’s wonderful world of Harry Potter is hugely popular, bringing joy to millions of people worldwide.

Gazette: A member of the public photographs a dragon during a tour of The Making of Harry Potter at the Warner Bros Studio Tour LondonA member of the public photographs a dragon during a tour of The Making of Harry Potter at the Warner Bros Studio Tour London (Image: PA Media)

Warner Bros Studio Tour opened in 2012 and welcomes thousands daily.

It is a walk-through exhibition and studio tour showcasing the very best of props, sets, costumes and more, which helped bring the wizarding world to life.

The coach trip to the tour is on August 8, stopping at a large number of different stops over north Essex into Suffolk including East Bergholt and Felixstowe.

In Colchester, it will be picking guests up from stops at Colchester North Station, Colchester Stadium and McDonald’s in Tollgate, Stanway.

Camden Market

Camden Market is a diverse community of creative sellers, street food traders and independent stores next to the Regent's Canal.

Open every day, there is more than 1,000 places to shop, eat and drink in a historic central London location.

Explore an eclectic mix of stores and stalls selling vintage, original fashion, hand-crafted accessories, unique gifts and everything in between.

There's also plenty of food and drink to choose from at a range of cult cafes, terrace bars, top-notch street food and fresh-baked sweet goodies.

Galloway will be picking Colchester travellers up from Colchester North Station, Colchester Stadium and McDonald’s in Tollgate, Stanway on August 15.

Frozen the Musical

Based on the hit Disney animation, this brand new West End musical celebrates the extraordinary story which melted hearts across the world.

Gazette: Elsa pictured on stage for Disney's Frozen the MusicalElsa pictured on stage for Disney's Frozen the Musical (Image: Disney/Frozen the Musical)

Ground-breaking sets and special effects, exquisite costumes and innovative stagecraft combine to stunning effect in this magical experience which will delight audiences of all ages and sweep you away to the world of Arendelle with all its heart, humour and powerful storytelling.

The show features the cherished songs from the original film alongside new songs by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, the Grammy and Academy Award-winning writers of the global phenomenon Let It Go.

The trip is on August 27 and once again the coach will be picking theatregoers up at Colchester North Station, Colchester Stadium and McDonald’s in Tollgate, Stanway.

Legoland Windsor

Themed around the popular Lego brand, families have been enjoying this theme park for nearly 30 years.

Gazette: Guests pictured outside LegoLand Windsor ResortGuests pictured outside LegoLand Windsor Resort

With more than 50 attractions, it boasts a great day out for everyone, not just the Lego-lovers out there.

The park is split into 12 themed lands, with one of the most popular being Miniland, a miniature park in Lego form, depicting towns and cities from around the world, using nearly 40 million Lego bricks.

The land is divided into different areas as they are depicted, including the UK and mainland Europe.

The coach trip will be departing on August 29, picking guests up from Colchester Stadium and McDonald’s in Tollgate, Stanway.

  • There are also various other day trips on offer, to places such as Greenwich, Cambridge, Ely, Canterbury and more.

For prices and more information on any of the coach trips, visit travel-galloway.com/Tours/DX-Colchester.