Solo Travel

Hi Y'all!

This week, I stumbled on something interesting: Tracee Ellis Ross’s new show on solo traveling. For those who don’t know her, Tracee is Diana Ross’s daughter, but she’s also carved her own space as an actress, entrepreneur, and fashion icon. I first discovered her back in the mid-2000s through the show Girlfriends—a series I was completely obsessed with at the time. Tracee played Joan Clayton, the ambitious lawyer juggling career, friendships, and her search for love. That show was iconic. Later she went on to star in Black-ish and other roles, but I’ve always admired her personality, her energy, and her style. So of course, I had to check out this new show.

I watched three episodes where Tracee traveled to Morocco, Mexico, and Spain. What I enjoyed most was watching her pack. For five days, she carried three suitcases and a carry-on. She says she packs for comfort, for disaster, and for the possibility of meeting the man of her dreams. I laughed because I saw myself in that—an unapologetic overpacker. Even for a weekend trip, I’m guilty of packing “just in case” items. Tracee also mentioned that traveling is one of the few times she gets to wear her own clothes, since her job often requires costumes and stylists. That felt so personal and relatable. I am not an actor but I tend to go out of my comfort zone while travelling, finally wearing that outfit I could not see myself wearing back home in my regular life. 

The show itself is fun to watch. Tracee’s joy and curiosity are contagious. And her outfits are gorgeous and ridiculous. She wears her Prada shoes to go have a drink at the bar of the hotel. Or wear her fringed shoes and oversized sunhat just to lounge around the pool. But here’s the thing—it’s not the kind of travel show I usually go for. She travels like the celebrity she is: first class flights, private cars, luxury resorts, shopping in designer stores, dining in five-star restaurants. She rarely steps outside her resort because everything she needs is already there—private pools, activities, room service. It’s glossy, curated, and yes, luxurious. I’m used to watching travel shows where hosts hop on crowded buses, explore messy markets, eat street food, and mingle with locals. With Tracee’s show, there’s little chaos, no unpredictability—except the moment she got sick in Spain.

This was my fave outfit of the entire show. Such a bright outfit to boost one's mood*. 

The dramatic straw hat by the pool

I may or may not have looked for a similar outfit in Dakar this week.

Monochromatic look for a boat ride. 

This is what she wears to go play Tennis in Mexico

Another thing that struck me was how much she repeated that she was alone. Every episode circled back to her single status—sometimes lonely, sometimes empowered, but always highlighting that she was doing this on her own. It made me pause. Because I used to stop myself from doing certain things unless I had someone to go with—a friend, a partner. But life taught me that waiting too long can mean missing out. Divorce taught me that I needed to be “enough” even by myself. So I started small: going to restaurants, movies, even a dance party alone. And last year, I took the plunge into solo travel with a trip to Ivory Coast. I was nervous, but it turned out to be one of the best decisions I made. I wasn’t lonely. I wasn’t incomplete. The trip was a little messy and unplanned, but it was mine—and that made it unforgettable.

So yes, I get Tracee’s message about not waiting for someone else to enjoy life. And I agree with her. Still, I couldn’t help but feel she focused too much on being single when she insisted the show was about solo travel. It left me wondering if she was lonelier than she wanted to admit.

Even so, watching the show reminded me of how much I love traveling. If money and time weren’t an issue, I’d already be circling the globe. At least once a year, I try to visit a new destination. And while group trips are always fun in theory, they often get stuck in the planning stage. I’ve had one trip in the “group chat” with girlfriends for years now, and at this point, I’ve given myself a deadline: if we don’t finalize it soon, I’ll go solo. Maybe not this year—I have other goals to focus on—but one day soon, God willing. Stay tuned to see where I head next.

* All pictures were taken from Tracee's instagram