Are you going to be traveling to New York City with children and need to take a stroller? Maybe you have multiple children who are young and you definitely need multiple strollers or at least you think you do. Are you concerned that you children will not be able to tolerate all the walking during all your sightseeing plans? Do you have an infant and are just not sure how to transport you little on in and out of the subway. How do you get from one place to the next with children in New York City?

These are all very common questions when planning your trip to the Big Apple. Trust me, I had these questions when I planned my Thanksgiving vacation to NYC to see the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with 4 kids who were 5 years old and younger. Yep, my husband and I did that. Trust me, we are not crazy, we just like to have a good time as a family and make lots of wonderful memories together.

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

How Do I Transport My Kids Through NYC?

I don’t know what situation you are in, how many kids you have, what strollers you own, how you are getting to NYC, but one thing I know is that if you came to read this post, you are looking for some answer on how exactly should I transport me kids through NYC in a convenient and comfortable way.

Related: 7 Important Tips For New York City Travel With Strollers

You will find the answers here. I will say, I didn’t have all the answers when I went on my trip to NYC with my 4 kids. We tried to google a few things before we packed for our trip like “What’s the best stroller for 4 kids in NYC?” “Are there elevators?” “How do you take kids on the metro?”

Some of the google searches came up slim and provided very little information to help answer our questions.

I hope to help you with your particular questions regarding strollers, give advice on the logistics to traveling around the city with children and how to get on the subway with children and strollers. Also, most importantly, the list of the best strollers for NYC travel will be outlined for you in order to help you decide which stroller is best suitable for your family dynamics when going to NYC.

Things to Consider about the Metro/Subway

Some keeps facts to keep in mind when traveling on the subway with children:

1. You need to enter the subway via STAIRS. Most offer only stairs as a means of entering the subway. That means you have to carry your stroller down the steps and back up again throughout the subway system. Expect to do that multiple times throughout the trip.

2. There are very few elevators and escalators. Some parents feel comfortable taking the strollers up the escalators.

3. You will have to enter into the subway via a turnstile. This area is too narrow to take strollers and pretty much is impossible to pass through with a stroller. You will have to ask for assistance from an attendant or another paying passenger to open up the emergency exit door from the inside in order for you and your stroller to enter into the subway ticketed area.

4. The subway train is narrow with vertical handrail poles throughout for passengers to hold onto. These poles make it more difficult for wider double strollers and longer tandem strollers to maneuver within the crowded train.

Now that you have a grasp of what it’s like in the NYC metro, which stroller do you think is best for your family?

This is not an easy questions to answer, especially if you have multiple little ones who can’t walk.

When we went to NY I only had one 5 year old who was capable of walking throughout the day. My 4 year old, 2 year old and 9 month old definitely were not capable of walking and thus we needed some way to get them around the city.

You can read more about how we traveled with 4 little kids by clicking HERE.

In the end, we just were not as prepared as we could have been. I wish someone else out there with 4 kids could have recommended some better options for us so we weren’t struggling to get through the subway and around the city.

Related: How To Stay Focused When Packing For A Trip

Based off my experiences with my 4 little kids and traveling throughout NYC during peak tourist time (Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade) I can recommend what strollers are best options for your New York City trip.

As I walked the streets and did my sightseeing I took note of the most common strollers, the strollers that were easiest to transport and what strollers were rarely seen being pushed around the city. I payed attention to which strollers fit the criteria for BEST Strollers Suitable For Busy City Travel. Here is a list of key features you want to look for when choosing a stroller for city travel (especially NYC)…

What You Want In A Stroller For NYC:

1. Light Weight
2. Easy To Collapse
3. Adequate storage
4. Weather resistant
5. Comfortable for child
6. Manueverability

So, with these key features in mind, here is the breakdown of The Best Strollers For NYC Travel! 

Best Travel System Stroller For 1 Child

Lightweight and easy to fold: The lightest stroller in its class, weighing less than 18 pounds, features a fast, flexible lift-to-fold capability that provides two easy ways to fold, allowing the stroller to conveniently stand on its own when folded.

Best Umbrella Strollers For 1 Child

Durable, stylish aluminum frame (13 pounds) with large seat area, 4 position recline with 5 point safety harness. Maximum weight and height of child: 50 pounds and 43 inches. New and improved easy compact fold with carry strap and auto lock

The ultimate lightweight, compact, feature-rich, travel around the world stroller for on-the-go parents! (11 pounds). It is Lightweight, Folds Super Compact, Fits in a Backpack and Virtually Every Overhead Bin on Airplanes, Can be Optionally Carried as a Backpack Itself, Comes Standard with High-End Options, and is Priced Affordably!

Travel friendly lightweight design (only 11.8 lbs), perfect for traveling and day trips. Convenient one-hand and self-standing fold, perfect for car travel and vacations. Large, easy to access storage basket holds all your child’s necessities. 

Best Jogging Stroller for 1 Child

Matching City Mini GT Stroller (25 pounds), City Go Infant Car Seat, and Adapters make it easy to travel with baby from day one. Taxi-safe belt path for installation without the base; push button LATCH and integrated belt lock-off for install with the base. Lift a strap with one hand and the City Mini GT folds itself: simply and compactly. Automatically locks for easy transport.

Multi-position seat recline, includes parent organizer, running leash, and tire pump, aluminum frame with shock absorbing suspension, easy compact fold (25 pounds).

Easy to maneuver, thanks to the swivel front wheel that locks into place for jogging, and to the 16” rear wheel. Multi-position canopy with side-ventilation windows ensures your child is comfortable. Suspension makes the ride smooth for both parent and child. One-handed, compact fold for easy storage and transportation. (25 pounds)

Best Stroller for 2 Children

Most versatile tandem stroller on the market today, the City Select was designed to keep your family rolling as it grows from one child to two. The City Select Double allows parents to mix and match seats, bassinets and car seats to suit their family’s needs. 35 pounds and has a 1-step fold for added convenience.

The lightest weight (23 pounds), most compact, and maneuverable full-size double stroller available. Full-size removable rear seat has a multi-position recline and holds a child from 6 months to 45 lbs. Rear bench seat and standing platform holds child 2.5 years and up to 45 lbs., rear seat canopy extension protects the rear child when seated.

Best Stroller for 3 Children

Most versatile tandem stroller on the market today, the City Select was designed to keep your family rolling as it grows from one child to two. The City Select Double allows parents to mix and match seats, bassinets and car seats to suit their family’s needs. 35 pounds for the entire system and has a 1-step fold for added convenience.

Designed for a second rider to stand with ease while holding the handlebar of the stroller it’s attached to. Compatible with a wide variety of City Mini Strollers, telescoping brackets are length adjustable, glider board stows against stroller frame when not in use

The VISTA stroller is the perfect solution for growing families. It accommodates your little one from birth to the toddler years. The versatile design allows for multiple configurations to transport up to 3 children- all while strolling like a single. Stroller frame weight is 14 pounds.

Quick snap on and off attachment. Conveniently lifts out of the way when not in use. Stroller can fold with PiggyBack attached. Suitable for children up to 55lbs

Stroller Accessories 

Stroller rain cover keeps child dry in the rain or snow, easy access zippered panel, provides proper ventilation, BPA and PVC free, attaches directly to the stroller

High quality material, outer fabric is made of 210 waterproof encryption cloth, inner fabric is made of fleece, soft and warm, surrounded by the middle zipper, suitable for 3 point or 5 point seat belt stroller, which can be fixed on the stroller.Double shoulder strap perforation, backrest two gears height adjustment, you can adjust according to the baby’s body.

Includes insulated cup holder, large covered storage pouch, and secondary pouch. Easily attaches to stroller handlebar. Secondary pouch can double as second cup holder. Interior pockets to stow away valuables

Keeps food and drinks cold while you’re out of the house. Holds up to 6 small baby bottles and a 12 oz. can. Easily attaches to rear stroller crossbar.

JPMA Certified Product designed to safely grow with your baby from newborn to 3 years. Four ergonomic front and back carrying positions, with wide seat area for the child: newborn, baby facing-in, baby facing-out and back carrying. Designed with extra-padded shoulder straps for added carrying comfort and a sturdier waist belt for for added stability and pressure relief.

I didn’t have this list available when I was planning my NYC trip, but I sure wish I did. We packed the wrong strollers, I didn’t have the accessories that I needed and I was just under-prepared. 

Now that you know what it’s like to take children through the city of New York and have a better understanding of which strollers are more suitable for the city, I feel confident that your travels will be much smoother than mine!

Having a plan is the key to your entire family having a great time on your trip. If you haven’t read it already, check out my post 7 Important Tips For New York City Travel With Strollers.

Let me know if you have any questions about the strollers and what might work best for your family dynamics. I would love to help you and offer any advice you need. Also, feel free to comment below with your experiences traveling with kids to big cities. Was your trip a success or was it rather a bit chaotic? 

Keep Smiling,

Dr. Jena Bradley, DPT

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

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-Jena