Road to the Sea is just that, a four wheel drive road from Highway 11 to the ocean. There are agricultural parcels that are sometimes available along the road. The road can be quite rough so don't take your two wheel drive vehicle down. At the bottom of the road (perhaps an hour drive because of the rough road!) are some volcanic cinder cones which are being breached by the ocean. This forms a beautiful steep beach that is noted in The Big Island Revealed travel guide. It is not recommended for swimming, but shore fishing is commonly done here. At one time the road was gated, but it is now open for public access. There are no utilities or water available other than the by catchment.
Looking down Road to the Sea from Highway 11. Note the giant Ohia log on the left. This belongs to a small sawmill that is located there. The dry lava ohia forest extends down the road only part way. From that point on one sees miles and miles of bare lava. In South Hawaii you will find that as you get closer to sea level the the climate becomes dryer as these areas miss afternoon showers from the clouds that form at higher elevations. Anyone living on Road to the Sea (and some people do!) should be aware of the water challenges. There are no municipal water lines available. Water is by catchment. You should check with the various water hauling companies to see how far down the road they will deliver.
