JUNE 1, 2024 UPDATE: The MTA recently announced that it’s making some upgrades that will affect G train service to Greenpoint, where Stationery Fest is. Not to worry, it will still be easy to get there from Long Island City by bus. I’ve updated transportation info below.
Like many others I was super excited to see that one of my favorite stationery retailers, Yoseka, is putting on a multi day festival this summer in New York.
I noticed some folks saying they’ll be traveling to NYC for the first time for the festival, so figured I’d share some tips. I’m not affiliated with Yoseka whatsoever, I’m just a customer of theirs and I love that stationery is bringing people together and hope you all have a great time! For official information, you can visit their website here.
Note: there are more than 8 million people here and probably as many opinions so know that my recommendations are just one perspective.
1. What to know about the location of Stationery Fest
Stationery Fest is going to be in Greenpoint, a neighborhood in the northern part of Brooklyn. It’s changed a lot but that is for a whole other type of post about New York. For the purposes of planning your trip, it might be helpful to know it’s a very walkable neighborhood itself, and close to Williamsburg. It’s easy to get to Manhattan by subway (includes transfers) or by ride share, which is good because Stationery Fest programming will be between 11am and 7pm each day, which means you’ll have tons of time to do other things while in town.
2. Getting to New York for Stationery Fest
If you’re flying in, and planning to stay in the area, it’s probably ideal to fly in through either LGA or JFK and not EWR. If you’re staying in Manhattan though, EWR works.
You can also get to New York by train and bus, most of which will take you to midtown Manhattan, in Times Square or Herald Square. It’s pretty easy to catch a subway to Greenpoint from either of these places. (UPDATE: see new information below on subway closures)
If driving in, remember to factor in tolls and parking costs, also time for traffic and looking for street parking if you don’t put your car in a garage. It’s not as cheap to drive into NYC as it is to travel by car to other places.
3. Getting around NYC while at Stationery Fest
Everything is easiest and cheapest on foot. Yoseka and the venue are a very short walk from the G train, which runs between Queens and Brooklyn and is a quick transfer to the 7, which goes into midtown Manhattan (where you will find many other subway transfers) and also goes east into Queens where all along the line you’ll find some of the best food New York has to offer.
The subway system is 24/7 but you’ll find the trains can be slow and get rerouted late at night. Google Maps and all the transit apps are good for directions and train and bus statuses, but if you’re planning to be out super late you may want to emotionally prepare yourself for the possibility of delays or even coming financially prepared for occasionally deciding your best choice is to get out and catch a ride share or cab.
I don’t recommend renting a car if you’re getting here by plane, train, or bus. If you’re driving in, you might want to find a good deal in a parking app to just leave your car in a lot for several days. There is street parking within several blocks of the space but be aware that depending on time of day it can be competitive to get a spot, and you might run into parking restrictions at certain hours.
Driving into Manhattan at night can be pretty ok, because there’s much less traffic and streets that are reserved for commercial vehicles all day free up for passenger vehicle parking after 6/7pm, though some still require paying a parking meter. You can pay with the Park NYC app.
Edit to add: ferries are also a great choice in the summertime, when Stationery Fest is taking place. You can go from Greenpoint to midtown on a ferry but transportation aside it also offers great views. H/T @marv_guti on IG
New update (6/1/24): G train service will be disrupted during Stationery Fest due to system upgrades, but if you’re staying in Long Island City you can still get to the venue in around 15 minutes by catching the B62 or B32 bus on Jackson Ave. Google Maps will guide you. Mobile payment is accepted for bus fares. Live bus statuses can be checked here.
If you enjoy a nice walk and are coming from Manhattan or elsewhere in Brooklyn, you can also take public transit to Williamsburg, where there’s plenty to do, and take a 30-40 min walk (less than 2 mi) north to Greenpoint. Bonus tip: take a stroll in Domino Park along the water for some nice views. More info on places to eat and drink here.
4. Where to stay while at Stationery Fest
No matter what you do outside of Stationery Fest itself, you’ll find that anything in Manhattan between 14th St. and 45th St., north Brooklyn, or western Queens will be very centrally located so you can get pretty much anywhere (uptown, downtown, outer boroughs, etc.). It isn’t bad at all to stay outside of these areas, but those are closest to the widest variety of subway lines.
Hotels are more expensive in Manhattan. You can save a ton of money by choosing a hotel even one stop outside of Manhattan in Queens, Brooklyn, or New Jersey. But because New Jersey is west of Manhattan and Greenpoint (the location of Stationery Fest) is east of Manhattan, I wouldn’t recommend New Jersey for this event. There are many hotels in Greenpoint, Williamsburg, and Long Island City, that are reasonably priced and close to the venue.
New update for those staying in Long Island City (6/1/24): G train service will be disrupted during Stationery Fest due to system upgrades, but if you’re staying in Long Island City you can still get to the venue in around 15 minutes by catching the B62 or B32 bus on Jackson Ave. Google Maps will guide you. Mobile payment is accepted for bus fares.
5. Some general tips from a local
- The best way to experience New York is to walk through neighborhoods and take in the sights and sounds. Most neighborhoods have a unique vibe that is hard to get a feel for through a car window or just by visiting one point of interest.
- Don’t spend your entire trip in one place, whether that’s Greenpoint or going into Manhattan. Some of the best food and experiences in NYC are in other parts of the city.
- I might be biased, but the history of New York is really interesting and is foundational to the cultural history of the U.S. Consider mixing in things like the Tenement Museum, the Museum of Chinese in America, or the Jazz museum in Harlem.
- If you’re interested in a post about food recommendations, DM me your preferences at @gemcha0s on Instagram. [UPDATE] someone requested it, so here you go!
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