NorthlaneHighway 1 through Big Sur is one of the most beautiful drives in the country, and one of the most fragile. Winter storms regularly trigger slides that close sections for weeks or months.
Before any Pacific Coast itinerary we check Caltrans QuickMap and the district road information line, then build two versions of the middle days: the through route and a detour via US-101 with spur drives back to the coast.
If a section is closed, the north and south ends are often still reachable. Carmel to Bixby Bridge and Cambria to Ragged Point make good out-and-back drives either way.