Let's Just Go

Kayla Shawley

Welcome to the Let’s Just Go podcast! I’m Kayla, a travel advisor, millennial, and professional suitcase-stuffer here to share stories, tips, and plenty of honest opinions from my adventures around the globe. Each episode, you’ll get destination breakdowns, planning advice, hilarious travel tales, and a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like working in the travel industry. Whether you’re planning your next big trip or just need a virtual escape, you’re in the right place. Fair warning: I swear sometimes and I’m not here to sugarcoat things. If you’re into real talk with a dash of chaos and a whole lot of travel love, hit play.

  1. 19h ago

    Let's Just Go to Chania, Greece

    Chania was our first port of call on the Disney Dream's Greek Isles itinerary, and I went in with a local advantage — an American TikToker who lives in Chania and gives restaurant and neighborhood recommendations. I followed her suggestions for the day and had one of the best port stops of the entire cruise. In this episode I am covering: How the DCL buses work getting from the ship into Chania and back — easy, no stressThe Jar: Freddo Cappuccinos, peanut butter banana toast, and a turtle pond I almost did not leaveWhat the old town of Chania actually looks like — Old World coastal, Venetian architecture, nothing like the Santorini and Mykonos photos in your headWhy Chania does not need a tour and rewards independent wanderingThe best port shopping of the entire cruise — clothes, souvenirs, a hat for 15 euros, and Brian's outfit that tore the first time he wore itLunch at Chrisostomos: a pork platter, Cretan bruschetta with mizithra cheese, a Cretan salad, local beers, and complimentary donut holesWhy Cretan food is a great option if you are not a seafood personThe street cats of Chania (an important topic)Finding out that the next day in Mykonos was going to be the busiest day of the month at that port — and booking a private tour immediately Next episode: Mykonos — a private tour with a guide named Fotis, a cat sanctuary with a grocery store stop for cat food, a septum piercing that finally happened, and a server at a bar called Duck who we are still following on Instagram. Find me at kaylareneetravel.com and across all socials at Kayla Renee Travel. Until next time — let's just go.

  2. Jul 27

    Let's Just Go to the Greek Isles with DCL

    I have been on multiple Disney cruises. I have also cruised Greece multiple times. This was my first time combining the two — nine nights on the Disney Dream through the Greek Isles and Malta. I am a Disney adult and a travel advisor who sells DCL, and I want to give you my honest take on what this experience was actually like. In this episode I am covering: Getting to the port from Rome and what the check-in situation was actually likeWhy you should join the WhatsApp group and Facebook group for your specific DCL sailing before you goThe Disney Dream — what it does well and where it feels dated compared to newer DCL shipsThe honest food take: rotational dining, why Palo is always the right call, and why the main dining room quality has declinedThe rainforest room add-on — approximately $200 per person for nine nights and worth every dollarThe teenager situation: real, documented in the WhatsApp group, and something to know going inTwo active volcanoes — Stromboli and Mount Etna — on the same morning before breakfastChurro Mickey waffle day and why guests plan their mornings around itThe VAT refund process on DCL European sailings — do this the same day you make your purchases or you will regret itThe honest verdict: who DCL in Europe is right for and who might want to look at alternatives The ports — Chania, Mykonos, Corfu, and Valletta — are each getting their own episodes. This one is all about the ship. If you are trying to figure out whether a European cruise is right for you, or which cruise line fits how you travel, reach out. This is exactly the kind of thing I love helping people think through. Find me at kaylareneetravel.com and across all socials at Kayla Renee Travel. Until next time — let's just go.

  3. Jul 20

    Let's Just Go to Malcesine

    This entire trip to Europe started with one reason: my friend Hannah, who I met on the Disney College Program back in 2010, was getting married. In a castle. On Lake Garda. In Italy. She said she was only inviting people she knew would show up. I showed up. In this episode I am talking about: Getting from Verona to Malcesine by private transfer — the beautiful drive, the narrow roads, and why you want someone else behind the wheelLast-minute shopping in Verona: Scout, OVS, and a pair of Birkenstocks I am pretty sure do not exist in the USArriving in Malcesine and why it immediately felt like a fairy taleThe Hugo spritz — what it is, why it is better than Aperol, and why I now have a bottle of St-Germain at homeThe castle wedding: a bilingual ceremony on a cliff above the lake, a 30-minute walk along the water to the reception, and a bride and groom who arrived by boatThe best lasagna I ate in three weeks in ItalyBeing the only Americans at a very international weddingGetting up early and finding a grapevine terrace before the tour groups arrived — the quiet morning version of Malcesine is a completely different place Next episode: the Disney Cruise Line Greek Isles itinerary — Mykonos, Corfu, Valletta, a sea day with an active volcano, and a septum piercing somewhere in the Aegean. Find me across all socials and at kaylareneetravel.com — travel planning, blog posts on every destination from this trip, and TikTok videos of that harbor view that people genuinely cannot stop watching. Until next time — let's just go.

About

Welcome to the Let’s Just Go podcast! I’m Kayla, a travel advisor, millennial, and professional suitcase-stuffer here to share stories, tips, and plenty of honest opinions from my adventures around the globe. Each episode, you’ll get destination breakdowns, planning advice, hilarious travel tales, and a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like working in the travel industry. Whether you’re planning your next big trip or just need a virtual escape, you’re in the right place. Fair warning: I swear sometimes and I’m not here to sugarcoat things. If you’re into real talk with a dash of chaos and a whole lot of travel love, hit play.