A THUNDERSTORM spoiled my plan to head straight for the beach after dropping my bags in my room at the Lodge at Gulf State Park. Instead, I grabbed a book and sat alongside other hotel guests on a porch facing the Gulf of Mexico. Soon I was paying more attention to the slow-moving, violet clouds than my reading. When rain blew on us, we scooted back our rocking chairs and enjoyed the show.

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Locations: Gulf, of Mexico