I recently did the drive from LA to Big Sur and it was amazing for the last 2 hours of the ride. We spent four nights in Big Sur, then went north to Marin County, and looped back inland (101) en route to LA.
Doesn't matter if you have ocean on left or right of you as you drive (nice try) to or from Big Sur (as example) because your eyes had better be on the road

as it gets hairy in some place.
You must stop at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo for great hamburgers ^