Tracee Ellis Ross Brings Good Vibes, No Regrets in Her New Solo Travel Show—And a Bold Take on What to Pack (Exclusive) originally appeared on Parade.
If you’ve ever put off your dream trip because you didn’t have someone to go with, Tracee Ellis Ross has a message for you.
“I don’t have to wait for someone or something to lean towards what I want to do in my life,” she told Parade in an exclusive interview. “Having the courage to go towards what you want to be doing and experiences that you are looking for is often scary to do without having a partner to do it. But I think, even if you’re in a relationship, you can have the courage to go out and try those things.”
That ethos is the beating heart of her new docuseries Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross, now streaming on Roku. The black-ish star and certified jetsetter takes viewers with her as she explores the world — solo — in full glam, full introspection, and, at times, full chaos.
“My packing philosophy is: bring it all!” she declared. “I pack for beauty and disaster—both, just in case.”
Throughout the first three episodes, which take us to Morocco, Mexico, and Spain, Ross isn’t just sightseeing. She’s giving viewers a masterclass in rituals, reflection, and, yes, what to do when a TSA agent finds your hidden vibrator in your luggage. (Watch Episode 1 to find out!)
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Beneath the laughs and luxury, though, the show strikes a deeper chord about living intentionally and not waiting for life to start without you.
“I am single, but solo travel is not about being single,” explained Ross, who admittedly goes on at least one solo trip a year. “It’s really about: Can I be myself by myself, out in the world? Can I enjoy my own company and experience the luxury of just being?”
That luxury includes some seriously intentional routines, like what happens the minute she checks into a new hotel.
“I like to settle in, even if it’s two and three days. I totally unpack,” she said. “I do hygiene, wipe down, bathroom, sink, bathtub, floor of the shower, bedside table, toilet. You know what I mean? And then I like to take a bath.”
That bath, by the way, is non-negotiable. “It kind of settles you after floating in the sky in a tin can,” she explained. And if time allows, “a lymphatic drainage massage is next on the list.”
But don’t expect any bungee jumping or adrenaline-junkie moments with Ross.
“I don’t believe in adventure,” Ross said with a laugh. “Some people solo travel to meet people. I don’t really go to meet people. I don’t go to do adventure. I do not jampack my itinerary. I often don’t plan.”
She added, “Solo travel, for me, is about following my heart around. And the luxury of being, so I don’t schedule. I don’t plan.”
That mindset, Ross explained, isn’t just for single travelers. Even when she travels with friends — and she has, with the same group for 20 years — she encourages everyone to carve out their own experience.
“I’m a firm believer in listening to what you want to be doing,” she said. “Especially because we’re all now grown ups and have been doing it for so long together, we also break off and do our own things all the time, and then come back together for meals or whatever that is.”
Perhaps her most controversial travel take?
“Oh, I don’t believe in jet lag,” she revealed. “My strategy on jet lag is to not call it ‘jet lag’ and do a whole thing.”
Still, she does have thoughts: “Day two and three are the most important if there’s a big time change,” Ross advised. “If you lean into the fatigue at hours when you’re not supposed to be sleeping, your whole rest of your trip will be ruined. I’ve learned that the hard way!”
She also swears that by sitting in the sun with her pineal gland (aka third eye) facing towards the light helps to adjust her biological clock to a new time zone. “Your body reads where the sun is in the sky,” she said.
As for packing, don’t expect a minimalist carry-on queen. “I definitely pack by look,” she said. “For the show, because I knew it was gonna go on television, I was like, ‘Who cares? Bring the shoe!’”
Solo Traveling is more than about looks and luxury. It’s about coming home to yourself. For Ross, it’s her space to recalibrate.
“Introspection is a benefit,” she said. “I often am working seven days a week, so when I go away, particularly when I’m on solo vacations, it’s really an opportunity for me to have time to process and integrate everything that I’m doing in my life. Introspection is a part of that — and is the tool to process.”
Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross is now streaming on Roku.
Tracee Ellis Ross Brings Good Vibes, No Regrets in Her New Solo Travel Show—And a Bold Take on What to Pack (Exclusive) first appeared on Parade on Jul 25, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
