With countless baby strollers on the market—ranging from as little as $30 to upwards of several thousand dollars—starting your search can be overwhelming. The right stroller transforms daily life with your baby. From walks in the park to afternoon errands, the right gear makes a difference. But before you order it in the box, assemble it, and then find out the hard way that it doesn’t meet your needs, it’s crucial to take them for a test drive.
This firsthand experience lets you evaluate a stroller’s maneuverability, weight, ease of folding, and storage compatibility. With so many retailers closing their brick-and-mortar locations and moving their inventory online, many parents are wondering where they can still go to try out strollers before buying. We’ve got you covered with our list of the best places to shop in person. Inventory will vary at any given time, but you can count on these stores to have at least a few floor models you can spin around the aisles.
Plus, we’ve included some tips to keep in mind when taking strollers for a test spin.
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BabyBliss
With a large selection of state-of-the-art traditional, jogging, lightweight, and double strollers, BabyBliss is a prime spot for parents wanting the latest and greatest safety features and stylish designs. This Snider Plaza baby shop offers combo car seat/stroller travel systems in top brands like Nuna and UPPAbaby, and they welcome moms to take strollers for a cruise around the store before they purchase.
Location: 6721 Snider Plaza, Dallas
Hours: Monday–Saturday 10am–6pm; closed Sunday
Contact: 469/232-9420
Website: shopbabybliss.com
RELATED: The Best Baby Stores in Dallas
Nebraska Furniture Mart
This national chain store, thanks to its vast size and extensive warehouse space, offers everything from home furniture and flooring materials to electronics, but also a wide selection of baby gear and items. The store at Grandscape carries most stroller brands, including popular choices like the Venice Child Ventura Single to Double Sit-n-Stand Stroller for growing families and the Delta Jeep Hydro Sport Plus Jogger for active parents. Typically, floor models of these brands are available for guests to test out.
Location: 5600 Nebraska Furniture Mart Drive, The Colony
Hours: Sunday–Friday 11am–8pm; Saturday 10am–8pm
Contact: 800/336-9136
Website: nfm.com
Nordstrom
As a leading luxury retailer for adults, it’s no surprise that Nordstrom carries those same style standards to its baby products. Pop into the Galleria Dallas or NorthPark Center locations to test out several brands, such as the Rolls Royce of strollers, the new Orbit Baby Jog, Sleep & Ride G5 Car Seat, Bassinet & Travel System, or the all-terrain City Select that can work as a single, double, or triple stroller.
Location: Nordstrom Galleria, 5220 Alpha Road, Dallas
Hours: Monday–Saturday 10am–8pm; Sunday noon–6pm
Contact: 972/702-0055
Website: nordstrom.com
Location: Nordstrom NorthPark Center, 8687 N. Central Expressway, Ste. 2000, Dallas
Hours: Monday–Saturday 10am–9pm; Sunday 11am–7pm
Contact: 214/231-3900
Website: nordstrom.com
Once Upon a Child
Despite their ever-changing inventories, these resale stores are always stocked with a variety of strollers—single, double, convenience, jogging, and umbrella—that are on display and ready for parents’ inspection. For moms on a budget, Once Upon a Child lets you get quality without the hefty price tag.
Once Upon a Child has eight stores in DFW, including locations in Carrollton, Colleyville, Denton, Flower Mound, Garland, McKinney, Mesquite, and Plano. Among the largest is the Carrollton location, where parents will have ample to room to take strollers for a spin. Its social media pages are also regularly updated with new inventory items.
Location: 2661 Midway Road, Ste. 225, Carrollton
Hours: Monday–Saturday 10am–8pm; Sunday 11am–6pm
Contact: 972/250-6603
Website: onceuponachild.com
Pottery Barn Kids
Pottery Barn Kids has every type of infant travel system under the sun, with many of the most popular models available in the showroom for parents to experience. Both functional and fashionable, the selection of the highest-rated brands includes traditional and convertible strollers, tri-wheel styles, one-hand folds, and the latest wagon cruisers that can accommodate up to four infants or toddlers. Special add-ons can also be purchased at Pottery Barn Kids, such as weather accessories, cup holders, snack trays, organizers, and even stroller basket coolers.
Location: 3220 Knox Street, Dallas
Hours: Monday–Saturday 10am–7pm; Sunday 11am–6pm
Contact: 214/522-4845
Website: potterybarnkids.com
Location: 2601 Preston Road, Frisco
Hours: Monday–Thursday 10am–8pm; Friday & Saturday 10am–9pm; Sunday noon–6pm
Contact: 972/731-8912
Website: potterybarnkids.com
The Happy Lark
All employees at this darling toy store are extremely knowledgeable about UPPAbaby strollers, the only brand in its inventory, making them a valuable resource for parents starting their journey in finding the right baby gear. While they might not have the robust selection offered at the big box retailers, every item is carefully curated with excellence and safety in mind. Owners Caitlin Deville and Suzanne Fluke are happy to demonstrate special stroller features for shop visitors.
Location: 5015 El Campo Avenue, Fort Worth
Hours: Monday–Friday 10:30am–5pm; Saturday 10:30am–2:30pm
Contact: 682/841-1027
Website: thehappylark.com
REI
Nature lovers who want to bring their babies along for their outdoor adventures will find an extensive selection of strollers made for running, hiking, and camping at REI. Popular brands like Thule, Veer, Burley, and Larktale are perfect for off-roading and readily available for an in-store trial at all four locations in DFW.
Location: 5924 Convair Drive, Fort Worth
Hours: Monday–Saturday 10am–9pm; Sunday 11am–6pm
Contact: 817/732-9539
Website: rei.com
Location: 5929 E. N.W. Highway, Dallas
Hours: Monday-Friday 10am–9pm; Saturday 10am–8pm; Sunday 11am–7pm
Contact: 214/368-1938
Website: rei.com
Location: 1011 E. Southlake Blvd., Southlake
Hours: Monday–Saturday 10am–9pm; Sunday 11am–7pm
Contact: 817/416-0948
Website: rei.com
Location: 2424 Preston Road, Plano
Hours: Monday–Friday 10am–9pm; Saturday 10am–7pm; Sunday 11am–6pm
Contact: 972/985-2241
Website: rei.com
SCHEELS
Spanning over 330,000 square feet, SCHEELS in The Colony is the company’s largest store (and the only one in Texas) and an ideal destination for stroller testing. Children tagging along to shop with their parents will stay occupied with kid-friendly attractions like a 65-foot Ferris wheel and video arcade. Being a sporting goods store, it’s no big surprise that SCHEELS’ jogging and all-terrain stroller selection is off the charts.
Location: 4450 Destination Drive, The Colony
Hours: Monday–Saturday 9:30am–9pm; Sunday 11am–7pm
Contact: 469/854-7500
Website: scheels.com
Kid to Kid
Kid to Kid was founded more than three decades ago on the concept that “kids grow faster than paychecks.” The store has high standards when it comes to its inventory of gently used baby items, thoroughly inspecting products for safety and cleanliness. A vast selection of name-brand strollers at affordable prices is accessible to test in-store. As a bonus, when your baby outgrows their stroller, you can sell it back here and invest in the next stage of gear for your child.
With several Kid to Kid locations around DFW (in Allen, Arlington, Burleson, Fort Worth, Frisco, Greenville, Keller, Lake Worth, Rockwall and Weatherford), its inventory may vary at each store. We’ve found that the Rockwall store has one of the larger selections and is a safe bet for finding a great selection of strollers.
Location: 2455 Ridge Road 143, Rockwall
Hours: Monday–Saturday 9am–7pm; closed Sunday
Contact: 972/722-2980
Website: kidtokid.com
Tips for Testing Strollers
These are some crucial things to consider when you go stroller testing:
Safety: Check to ensure that the stroller has working brakes, a properly working safety harness, and a wide wheelbase that will prevent the stroller from tipping.
Maneuverability: When taking the stroller for a spin, try taking it around some sharp turns to test the stroller’s agility.
Comfort: Ensure the handlebar is comfortable and you have enough walking room while pushing the stroller.
Function: Practice breaking down and opening the stroller, and then do it with one hand since, a lot of the time, you will be holding your baby.
Weight: Pick up and carry the folded stroller to see how heavy it is and consider how difficult it will be to lift into your car or pack for trips.
Storage: Check for adequate storage for items such as your diaper bag, snacks, phone, and purse.
Tires: Consider the type of tires on the stroller. If you plan to put a lot of miles on it, you may opt for air-filled or rubberized wheels because they hold up better than plastic wheels.
Fabric: Make sure the fabric is removable and check for recommended cleaning.
For more detailed recommendations on how to find the right stroller for your needs, check out Consumer Report. Its stroller experts have crafted comprehensive tests to evaluate every aspect of a stroller. They help parents by ranking which models are the safest, easiest to use, and most comfortable for you and your baby.
Another important resource is the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association. It reports on child product recalls and provides a seal of certification for gear that meets American Society for Testing and Materials standards, as well as federal and state requirements.
RELATED: A Week-by-Week Guide to Your Pregnancy
Top image courtesy of The Happy Lark
