Best place around LA to play in the snow?
 

We're looking for a good place to go play in the snow that's within a couple hours' drive of the LA area. We don't actually want to ski or anything - just sort of play around and get our snow fix and then drive away. Any suggestions?

Grinchmas at Universal Studios :)

Most parties in the Hollywood Hills

I don't think she meant that kind of snow.

Big Bear, Arrowhead or Idylwild and, possible, somewhere in Angeles Crest.

Agreed. Just wait a day or two after we have had any storms, so you don't have to put on chains. Use the Caltrans website to check to make sure there are no chain restrictions on the road you want to use (check highways 18, 30, 330, 38, 138). If you do decide to go, and use chains (I know, us californians are about the only ones left who use chains), test your chains at home where it is warm, or bring $20 or $30 to let the guy in the snow suit with the hydraulic jack put them on for you.

Personally, I prefer Arrowhead, just because it seems as if it has a little more an alpine flavor than Big Bear around the holidays (not too familiar with Idylwild.) Could just be me though. Either way, you are sure to have a nice taste of Winter. And neither are that bad of a drive. Take the advice on the chains though.

For me, Big Bear/Arrowhead is a little too far for a quick day trip. I don't like driving that far twice in a day. That's the nice thing about Frazier Park. It's about an hour closer. Certainly not quite as pituresque as most of the other options, but if you want to keep travel time down, it's the closest there is.

Besides, Frazier Park has some awesome hills for sledding. Unfortunately the best one leads to the parking lot, which makes for some interesting sledding ;)

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.