Another fun thing with the Idylwild option is going to Palm Springs and taking the Tram. You get an afternoon of snow play and then perhaps an evening meal in the desert.

Big Bear/Arrowhead is my favorite place to go for snow. Every year when in college we used to go skiing and one year we were up in blizzards right before Xmas and it made the holiday that much more special skiing in freshly falling snow.

We usually go to Michigan.

Sadly, Michigan is out of the "there and back by dinner" zone.