Day trips

The 9 Best Day Trips from Colchester

Drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan for every place worth the trip.

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There are 9 good day trips from Colchester, United Kingdom, led by London, Reading, Southend-on-Sea. The closest is Ipswich, about 40 min by car, and 2 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.

Day trips from Colchester at a glance

Destination	Distance	Drive time	Best as
London	83 km SW	1 hr 20 min	Full-day trip
Reading	138 km W	2 hr 10 min	Full-day trip
Southend-on-Sea	41 km S	45 min	Half-day trip
Brighton	138 km SW	2 hr 10 min	Full-day trip
Milton Keynes	115 km W	1 hr 50 min	Full-day trip
Northampton	129 km W	2 hr	Full-day trip
Luton	91 km W	1 hr 25 min	Full-day trip
Barking	69 km SW	1 hr 20 min	Full-day trip
Ipswich	26 km NE	40 min	Half-day trip

Drive times are estimates from the distance. Check live traffic before you leave.

The best day trips from Colchester

1
London, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 20 min by car83 km south-west of Colchester2 hr 40 min round trip
Known for Cyberdog.
Also nearby: Brent, Islington, City of Westminster, Bexley, Archway, Croydon.
2
Reading, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 2 hr 10 min by car138 km west of Colchester4 hr 20 min round trip
3
Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom
Half-day trip
About 45 min by car41 km south of Colchester1 hr 30 min round trip
4
Brighton, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 2 hr 10 min by car138 km south-west of Colchester4 hr 20 min round trip
5
Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 50 min by car115 km west of Colchester3 hr 40 min round trip
6
Northampton, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 2 hr by car129 km west of Colchester4 hr round trip
7
Luton, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 25 min by car91 km west of Colchester2 hr 50 min round trip
8
Barking, United Kingdom
Full-day trip
About 1 hr 20 min by car69 km south-west of Colchester2 hr 40 min round trip
9
Ipswich, United Kingdom
Half-day trip
About 40 min by car26 km north-east of Colchester1 hr 20 min round trip

A sample day trip: Colchester to London

A realistic pace for London, 83 km from Colchester. Packy AI builds this for any place on the list, with a route, opening hours and timings you can edit.

08:30Leave Colchester
09:50Arrive in London (1 hr 20 min drive)
10:05Cyberdog
12:05Lunch
13:20Explore the old town, markets and cafes of London
15:50Head back to Colchester
17:10Home in Colchester

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What are the best day trips from Colchester?: The best day trips from Colchester are London, Reading, Southend-on-Sea, Brighton, Milton Keynes. The closest is Ipswich, about 40 min away by car.
What is the closest day trip from Colchester?: Ipswich is the closest, 26 km north-east of Colchester, roughly 40 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
Where can I go within an hour of Colchester?: 2 places are within about an hour's drive of Colchester: Ipswich (40 min), Southend-on-Sea (45 min).
What is the biggest city near Colchester for a day out?: London is the largest city in day-trip range, 83 km south-west of Colchester and about 1 hr 20 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
How far is too far for a day trip from Colchester?: Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Brighton at 138 km, around 2 hr 10 min by car.

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