It feels like the word “iconic” gets tossed around so much that it’s almost lost its meaning. But if there’s one place in California that truly deserves the label it’s Big Sur.
What other spot in the Golden State so perfectly captures the state’s wildness and its simultaneous love of the ocean and the mountains?
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So it felt like a really big moment this week when the state announced that, for the first time in three years, the entire 100-mile stretch of Highway 1 from Carmel to Cambria had reopened to vehicle traffic.
My colleague Grace Toohey reported how the coastal route had been closed at different locations through the last three years. The last stretch of the highway that remained closed was a remote, 6.8-mile span from just north of Lucia until about a mile south of the Esalen Institute, according to Caltrans.
A $162-million repair project
Officials had been working to finalize repairs on that stretch and to work around what’s known as the Regent’s Slide, a notoriously steep section of the coast that gets persistently pummeled by erosion and rising sea levels, linked in part to climate change. Caltrans has spent an estimated $162 million on roadway repairs, landslide stabilization, debris clearing and complicated engineering on the road since January 2023.
Local businesses joined Gov. Gavin Newsom in heralding the reopening.
“This will be a return to normalcy,” said Ryne Leuzinger, chair of the board of directors for the Big Sur Community Assn., calling the reopening a reunification of north and south Big Sur. “2026 will be a really nice time to visit Big Sur.”
The operators of the Post Ranch Inn declared on Facebook: “For the first time in almost three years, Big Sur feels whole again…. Every breathtaking curve, every impossible ocean view, reminds you why this stretch of coast is on every traveler’s bucket list.”
For some locals not as dependent on the tourist trade, the reopening signals the return of “the traffic and chaos along the road sometimes created by tourists unfamiliar with the area,” said one man who has lived in Big Sur for decades and asked to not be named. Indeed, one post on Facebook proclaimed: “Now the insane traffic begins again!”
A life-changing college road trip
Of course, part of Big Sur’s allure has always been its feeling of apartness. I remember venturing there decades ago during a first big weekend getaway with my college girlfriend. The inky nighttime darkness became even harder to navigate in a thick fog.
It felt like our inn was clinging to the edge of the earth because, in a sense, it was. Alison and I bonded over books and a tiny Christmas tree, which we adorned with our own found decorations. Our connection deepened that weekend and today she is my wife.
Everyone knows that Highway 1 has not seen its last road collapse or landslide. Future closures are virtually guaranteed. But at least for that one weekend long ago, I’m really glad they kept the road open for us.
Today’s top stories 
Brandon Guerrero, 34, of Compton receives flu and COVID-19 vaccines at CVS in Huntington Park on Aug. 28, 2024.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Flu is surgingTrump and the Insurrection ActTrump threatened to use the Insurrection Act to clamp down on protests in Minneapolis.An ICE agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good on Jan. 7, and another federal officer fired on a man Wednesday, escalating tensions.Meanwhile, Homeland Security officers blinded a second person at anti-ICE rally in Santa Ana.Devolving homelessness lawsuitA federal judge is weighing whether to hold the city of Los Angeles in contempt of court for violating terms of a settlement of a case over homelessness.The judge has said the city engaged in a “pattern of defiance” in how it has reported its progress. An ecosystem in declineA new scientific assessment finds California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is in poor ecological health.A big reason is the amount of water being pumped out.What else is going onCommentary and opinionsThis morning’s must readsOther must readsFor your downtime 
Bending Energy / Visit Big Bear
Going outTravel: It’s time to explore Big Bear beyond the slopes. Here are 9 things to do in the cozy alpine town.National parks: With Yosemite ditching reservations for firefall, will it be a mess? Here’s what to know.Staying inA question for you: What are the best L.A. movies?
We grappled with our list of the 101 best Los Angeles movies for weeks — Is this one ranked too high or too low? — but what did we forget? Was there a film you were expecting? We welcome your thoughts, counterarguments, even a healthy dose of outrage. L.A. contains multitudes and if there’s one thing our city inspires, it’s remakes. Tell us your favorites by Feb. 2 to be considered for an article sharing reader picks.
And finally … your photo of the day 
Ted Judah came across a rare king-of-the-salmon ribbonfish while diving in Monterey on Dec. 30, 2025.
(Ted Judah)
Today’s great photo is from Ted Judah, a diver who floated across a rare king-of-the-salmon ribbonfish while diving in Monterey.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Jim Rainey, staff reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, fast break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, weekend writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
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