Have you seen Tracee Ellis Ross’s new solo traveling show? If you haven’t, consider this your sign to grab your passport, pack your carry-on, and book that flight for one. At 52, the Golden Globe–winning actress, producer, and founder of PATTERN Beauty is reimagining what it means for women to travel alone. Her new docuseries, Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross, which premiered on The Roku Channel in July 2025, is a vibrant love letter to independence, self-love, and the thrill of venturing out on your own terms. Check out the trailer for Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross here:
“I’ve been solo traveling since I was, like, 24 or 25,” Ross shared in a BBC interview, her signature exuberance radiating through every word. Across three episodes filmed mostly on her iPhone, Ross takes viewers on an unscripted journey through Marrakech, Morocco; Riviera Maya, Mexico; and Marbella, Spain, inviting us to rethink what solo travel looks like—and who gets to define it.
A Refreshingly Unfiltered Travel Lens
Unlike the highly produced travel shows that flood streaming platforms, Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross trades polished perfection for emotional honesty. There are no over-scripted tours or glossy influencer edits here. Instead, Ross offers a raw, intimate portrait of what it’s like to be your own travel companion.
In one memorable scene, she lounges in a plush robe at the opulent Royal Mansour in Marrakech, reflecting candidly on the “joy, loneliness, grief, [and] delight” that bubble up when you’re untethered from others’ expectations. Later, we see her scrap a planned excursion for a cozy room-service dinner, announcing with a playful grin, “One of the many advantages of solo traveling is that you can change your plans last minute. I don’t feel like going out anymore, and no one gets upset.”
That simple declaration is quietly radical. Ross isn’t just documenting travel; she’s modeling freedom—the kind that comes when you stop contorting your desires to fit someone else’s itinerary.
A Lifelong Love Affair with Going Solo
Ross’s wanderlust started in her mid-20s, when she took her first solo trip—a formative experience that laid the groundwork for a lifelong practice of carving out space for herself. As she explained to The New York Times, solo travel allows her to “explore things of [her] own humanity” outside the confines of romantic relationships or motherhood.
In a culture that often frames single, child-free women over 40 as objects of pity, Ross flips the script with contagious joy. Whether she’s savoring olive oils in Spain, championing a women-led restaurant in Mexico, or navigating Morocco’s labyrinthine souks in a chic Alaïa ensemble, her adventures are less about escape and more about embodiment.
“I wanna be the poster child for being and inhabiting your own skin,” she declares in the series. Watching her, it’s hard not to feel inspired to do the same.
Joy Meets Vulnerability
Of course, Ross doesn’t sugarcoat the complexities of traveling alone. Solo journeys can be exhilarating—but they can also stir up deep, unexpected feelings. In Morocco, after a quiet dinner for one, Ross reflects on the waves of loneliness that sometimes appear uninvited. “So much of what solo travel is about for me [is] not waiting for something in order to walk towards my life,” she muses.
It’s a striking reminder: waiting for the “perfect moment” or the “right travel buddy” is often just a way of staying stuck. Solo travel isn’t about proving you don’t need anyone—it’s about choosing yourself, again and again.
Psychologists have long noted the benefits: solo travel can boost resilience, sharpen problem-solving skills, and foster a deep sense of self-reliance. Ross embodies this in real time, whether she’s laughing at a mishap, basking in unexpected solitude, or gracefully navigating cultural differences.
Rewriting the Narrative
Beyond the lush backdrops and enviable outfits, what makes Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross special is its cultural weight. In a media landscape where women’s joy is often portrayed as contingent on partnership, Ross’s show offers a counter-narrative.
She celebrates the agency of choice—ordering that solo meal, reveling in the silence of a luxury suite, walking confidently through foreign streets without apology. She doesn’t travel to “find herself” in the clichéd sense; she travels because she already knows who she is, and she refuses to wait for someone else to join the journey.
A New Era of Travel Inspiration
For seasoned solo travelers, the series will feel like a warm nod of recognition. For newcomers, it’s a gentle push toward the boarding gate. Ross’s approach is both aspirational and deeply relatable: yes, she may prefer riads and five-star resorts to hostels, but her emotional journey—the hesitation, the joy, the vulnerability—is universal.
Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross isn’t just a travel show. It’s a manifesto for living boldly, proof that some of the most profound adventures happen when you decide to walk the road less traveled—alone.
