News-Record.com

They missed the Asheville numbers by about a dozen if you are coming into Asheville from the west. Coming from the east there is very little tie up with traffic unless you are going to the Biltmore Estates. Avoid that area like a plague from 7:30-10:00 and then from 11:30 to 1:30 like wise from 3-6 on most days especially Fridays. Avoid coming in from the west at most of the same hours. The mess at the !-40-!-26 exchange is never really good. Trying to get to old 19-23 (now new !-26) is always a problem and should be avoided at any time considered rush hours. It's bad enough anytime. If you are visiting Asheville, NEVER, NEVER go to Patton avenue on Friday or Saturday nites. Wall to wall cruisers, all looking for trouble.

Skip Asheville, unless you really are into freak shows daily in downtown area and go on to Hendersonville, they need the money. Asheville has more tow zones than any city in NC and most of them are not marked with more than 3x5 signs and thats inches not feet. Asheville, the San Francisco of the east, lots of lost in space and time warped hippies and tons of granoloas. Now if that is what you want in a vacation, have at it.
Traffic is not too bad with the exception of the Exit for Hwy 25 and for 64 at rush hours. A nice drive on down to Saluda and all the little gift shops and NO PARKING signs everywhere (that's the way they make their money folks) Skip Tryon, we don't need the tourist go on down to Landrum SC only a few miles away. (First exit on the SC side of !-26)