For Tracee Ellis Ross, Solo Travel Is the Highest Form of Self-care

“Solo travel, in particular, is how I’ve come to know and honor myself,” the actress tells Travel + Leisure on a trip to Sensei Porcupine Creek.

Fresh-faced, wearing a breezy cotton dress and her hair slicked back, Tracee Ellis Ross is nestled in a chair in a private villa at Sensei Porcupine Creek, in Rancho Mirage, California. Stretched behind her, visible through a wall of windows, are the Santa Rosa mountains. Ross chose Sensei Porcupine Creek as the site of her Travel + Leisure cover shoot and spent the morning posing around the property — in a sun-filled villa bedroom, on the ivy-covered veranda of the Sensei by Nobu restaurant. The vibe during the shoot was upbeat and fun, thanks to Ross’s energy and choice of energetic music.

Once the estate of Silicon Valley mogul Larry Ellison, Sensei Porcupine Creek opened in November 2022 as a 230-acre wellness oasis. The 22 rooms and villas are decorated with a touch of Japanese minimalism, while the landscaping overflows with dark green palms and pink bougainvillea. The grounds are dotted with artworks, like the massive puppy sculpture by Yoshitomo Nara that greets guests on the road to the resort’s entrance. But it’s the wellness offerings that set the place apart.

Experts in nutrition, rest, mindfulness, and fitness create customized, science-based treatments and activities, with the goal of making clients feel both pampered and healthier by the time they check out.

At the resort, wellness is both a luxury and a necessity. For Ross, who usually has a dozen projects in the hopper at any given time, taking care of herself is a non-negotiable. Roles on hit television shows like Girlfriends and Black-ish helped to make her a household name and earned her dozens of nominations and awards (including, for Black-ish, a Golden Globe and an Emmy). Ross sings — she sang five original songs for the 2020 film “The High Note” — hosts award shows, and produces projects like the docuseries The Hair Tales through her production company Joy Mill Entertainment. In 2019, she launched Pattern Beauty, an ever-growing collection of products and tools that supports and celebrates curly and coily hair.

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