Virginia is a lot more rural than central Maryland, even just a few miles outside of DC or Richmond. You're far more likely to encounter little mom-and-pop stores in rural VA that have limited credit/debit card readers, no free-standing ATM where you can get cash, and much smaller limits on how much cash back you can get from a debit purchase. In such areas, checks are still more commonly used for grocery purchases, and cash for almost everything, than in the more urban areas.

There is also an attitude difference. People in Virginia are more mellow, laid-back, and easy-going than those in Maryland. Speaking as a life-long, native Marylander, I have to admit - we're a bunch of a-holes. From the way we drive to the way we talk to waitstaff in restaurants to the constant demands for more and more and more free stuff from every business and government agency, Marylanders are seldom more than a few seconds away from impatient exasperation or a half-inch away from a profanity-filled blowup.

I wanna move...