TikTok star stops in Minnesota on 10-day road trip to 13 cities named Cleveland

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Joey Kinsley, who goes by the name @SirYacht on social media, poses for a selfie in Cleveland, Minnesota (FOX 9)

CLEVELAND, Minn. (FOX 9) - A social media creator from Ohio is traveling through Minnesota on Monday as part of a cross-country road trip.

Joey Kinsley, who goes by the name @SirYacht on social media, is traveling through 13 cities in 10 days. The cities only have one thing in common: They’re all named Cleveland.

Kinsley’s hometown is Cleveland, Ohio, but FOX 9 met up with him in a much smaller Cleveland city. It’s in Minnesota, northeast of Mankato in Le Sueur County.

"(The Cleveland cities in) New York and North Carolina and Florida were really small. (Minnesota’s Cleveland) might be like the fourth smallest, but it's like what, 700 people?" Kinsley said.

Kinsley’s road trip stemmed from a tweet in which he told his followers that if it could get 10,000 likes, he’d take a Cleveland road trip. He said it was a very spur-of-the-moment decision to take the 5,700 mile road trip.

"Everybody asked like, ‘What are your rankings for the Cleveland towns?’ And I think it's like ranking your children," Kinsley said

He does very little research before going to each city to make the experience more authentic. He saw the Grammys Museum in Cleveland, Mississippi and got the key to the city in Cleveland, Tennessee.

The content creator found some hidden gems in Minnesota’s Cleveland, like a bar called the Cleveland Muni, a name which he says is a nod to his homeland.

"The biggest tailgating spot for the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland, Ohio is called the Muni lot," he explained.

He even met a fan at the bar, a regular customer who actually heard about Kinsley’s journey on the radio.

"He said he’s going to make it to Cleveland, Minnesota, and I said, ‘God, I hope I'm there when he does!’ and Sure enough, there he is," said Gayland Hamilton.

He has set some rules for himself in each Cleveland city: get a souvenir and find a Browns fan. He said Minnesota's Cleveland is the coldest one yet. And though the lack of sleep has been challenging, the trip has been a risk worth taking.

"It's been more than just like YouTube videos. It's been like a life-changing experience," he told FOX 9. 

In future years, he plans to visit the 15 unincorporated towns named Cleveland. But for now, you can find him in his truck using podcasts to stay awake as he makes his way back to his hometown.

"So after this is Cleveland, Wisconsin, and then back to Ohio, and then immediately to my bed," he said.

Kinsley has a GoFundMe page set up, and all the proceeds will go straight to a food bank in Ohio.