What Are the Best Travel Stroller and Car Seat for My Trip?
- evesymington
- Apr 3
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 5
What Car Seat and Stroller Should I Buy?
This question can drive any new parent completely insane. I researched strollers and car seats until my eyeballs turned red—and I was this close to pulling my hair out. In the end, here’s what I learned and what we finally landed on.
Just remember: there is no perfect system. Every option has pros and cons, and as soon as you think you’ve found “The One,” your baby will grow out of it. So at a certain point, you just have to pick something and go for it. It’ll be fine!
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WS&T Packing Tip: Don’t get too bogged down in Reddit subs, Facebook boards, and endless review sites. It’s way too much information, and people get really opinionated. It's like finding an apartment. If you know you can't live without on-site parking and in-home laundry, you might be willing to sacrifice on some other features.
Decide what's most important to you and pull the trigger. Otherwise, you'll never get out of the stroller/car seat game alive.
Best Travel Car Seats (Our Faves) :
Infant-Safe Car Seat:
We been using the Uppababy Mesa car seat during AJ's pre-toddler phas\]=[-po';l[, which we scored in great condition on Facebook Marketplace. (Side note: If you need to clean a particularly snack-crusted car seat, take it to a self-car-wash station and use the hi-pressure spray hose – works like a charm!)
Because it’s such a crucial safety item – especially on a long road trip – we’ve decided to travel with our own car seat so we always know what we’re getting.
Lightweight and Budget-Friendly
When AJ grows out of her infant car seat, we will traveling with the
Cosco Scenera NEXT. It’s a hugely popular, budget-friendly travel seat – and for good reason:
Cosco Scenera NEXT Pros
Affordable: usually between $44–$59.
Lightweight: only 6.8 lbs.!
Highly rated in crash tests (though not the plushest).
Rear-facing limit: up to 35 lbs. or 36 inches.
Scenera NEXT Cons
Installation with a seatbelt can be a bit trickier than your average car seat.
No big handle, so it’s less convenient to carry around.
At some point, you might just bite the bullet and bring your (heavier) regular car seat on trips. But for little ones up to about +/- 2.5 years, the Cosco Scenera NEXT can be a real game-changer.
If you’re traveling to a destination where you have access to a car seat (or if your rental car company can provide one), you may not need to lug your own through the airport. Just be sure to figure out how you’re getting to and from your home airport: whether that means ordering an Uber with a car seat option or arranging a safe ride another way. Safety first!
Best Travel Strollers
Infant-Friendly Travel Stroller
After an unhinged amount of research, we ended up with a super affordable travel stroller: the Snap N’ Go.
It’s basically a frame that lets you clip in any car seat in the world, no adapters required. One of the most convenient features of our regular stroller is being able to pop the car seat right on, so having that ability on the go is huge.
We paid around $90 for it. For a glorified granny shopping cart, it has surprisingly survived 20+ flights and multiple countries. Does it handle like a dream? Definitely not. We practically hug our Uppababy Vista (another Facebook Marketplace find!) when we get home. Still, the Snap N’ Go more than earns its keep for a few reasons:
We don’t care if it gets banged up. We’ve all seen those viral TikToks of airport staff tossing strollers around. If it gets damaged, well… it’s already paid for itself.
It’s much lighter than our regular stroller. One of our main goals is to stay nimble while traveling; hauling a 17-pound stroller around the world is not ideal.
It has a big storage basket. Perfect for stashing a diaper bag, souvenirs, or extra snacks.
We don’t rely on a stroller overseas. In many foreign cities, there are cobblestones, hills, and bustling tourist areas that aren’t exactly stroller-friendly. We mostly use the Snap N’ Go for cruising through airports, hitting the occasional museum, or giving our baby a “seat” at the lunch table.
WS&T Money Tip: Every stroller company has a sexy travel case that perfectly fits their product, but we’ve been totally fine with our much cheaper, universal Amazon bags for stroller and car seat. Often, what makes the best travel stroller or car seat (and accessories) is nailing that perfect confluence between features and price, right?
BUT…
If you’re traveling with an expensive stroller which you purchased new, I do recommend splurging on the manufacturer-specific travel case. (E.g. If you purchased a new Uppababy stroller and use the Uppababy travel case, they should compensate you for travel damage.)
Travel Strollers: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly
All-In-One Travel Stroller Systems (aka Doona vs. Evenflo)
If you’re considering a convenient, all-in-one car seat and stroller combo, here are two popular options:
Doona Car Seat & Stroller: This is a big hit with many traveling families – we often spot it at airports. Before we decided on our Snap N’ Go, we actually considered renting a Doona from a baby gear rental service to test it out. That’s definitely something you could do before investing.
Buyer Beware:
I spent several weeks hunting for a used Doona on Facebook Marketplace, but every single listing turned out to be a scam. I’m not sure why Doonas specifically attracted scammers, but here’s what tipped me off:
They messaged me constantly (normal sellers aren’t that persistent).
They addressed me as “ma’am” in a strange way (just felt off).
Most importantly, they wanted a Venmo deposit up front. Never send money before you’ve actually got the product in hand!
Doona Pros:
All-in-one car seat and stroller, so you only manage one piece of baby gear.
FAA approved if you purchase an airplane seat for your baby and need a car seat on board.
Great if you’re in and out of Ubers or taxis – no need to lug around a separate stroller.
Easily collapsible.
Ideal for big city living with lots of public transport or quick taxi rides.
Doona Cons:
Price: it costs around $550 (without accessories).
Weighs 16.5 pounds on its own, so things get heavy fast.
The handle is pretty short, which can be awkward for taller parents.
Can be a little clunky to load into a car.
Not approved for use in Canada.
Minimal storage and limited sun canopy – you might need to bring a light blanket or an extra shade.
Good for babies up to 35 lbs, and it’s rear-facing only.
Evenflo Shyft Dualride: This is the other stroller/car seat combo option. This is a fan favorite – except for the weight.
Evenflo Pros:
Offers the same main benefits as the Doona, plus it’s typically more comfortable for baby, has a bigger sun shade, and is Canada-approved.
Better price: around $375 (without accessories).
Both Doona and Evenflo Shyft have the same weight/height limits (up to 35 lbs/32 inches), but parents report they can use the Evenflo longer due to its design.
Taller stroller handle—more comfortable for taller caregivers.
Evenflo Cons:
The heaviest combo option: about 19 lbs with the car seat and stroller components (without the base).
Unlike the Doona, you have to remove the front wheels to install it as a car seat without the base (which you’ll likely do if traveling).
What About When My Baby Can Sit Up on Their Own?
Even though I was convinced AJ would stay my sweet, tiny baby forever, leading research suggested she would have to grow up.
Here are the options for travel-friendly strollers once your little one isn't quite so floppy...
Travel Stroller:
Once your baby can sit upright, a whole new world of super-compact travel strollers opens up. There are several similar models out there—each with its own features and price point. You’ll find fans who swear by every option, so you can’t really go wrong. Check for secondhand deals, too!
In general, going cheaper makes sense for travel strollers. If it gets banged around or lost, you’ll be less devastated. Plus, if you’re like us, you might not use it a ton while actually on the road.
Here are a few popular lightweight contenders (most fit in an airplane’s overhead bin):
Gb Pockit All Terrain: 12.3 lbs, around $188.
Mamazing Ultra Air: 11.6 lbs, around $219.
Colugo Compact Stroller: 16 lbs, around $225.
Uppababy Minu V2: 16.9 lbs, around $400; might fit overhead.
Bugaboo Butterfly: 16 lbs, $479.
What about baby-wearing while traveling?
I love baby-wearing because it enables me to be much more mobile and flexible while we sight-see. T and I often switch off wearing AJ, though I tend to wear her more often because I love sniffing her head. And it’s a great workout (haha)!
I’m sure you’ve figured out which carrier you like, and the great thing about wraps and carriers is that you can easily take them on the road. We use the Ergobaby Embrace which I find quite… ergonomic – as the name suggests. T finds it a little less comfortable for him over long periods. When AJ got to the age where she wanted to be outward-facing, we switched to the Ergobaby Omni Classic. We're big fans!
We are excited to start using a kid backpack soon where AJ can really see the sights in a seated position. Our fellow traveling parents love using backpacks around cities and on hiking trails. We will report back about our favorites.
Beyond the Stroller/Car Seat. . ? Click below to check out some curated picks for making life easier when traveling with (and without) small children.
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