A very nice place i visited for few days was mt Beauty!
You can rent out a nice house for a good price. Drive is about 3.5h away, but its a beautiful drive through towns and just before you get to mt beauty, you will climb this mountain, twisty roads and all, and when you get to the top, you will see a lookout looking down at the whole town and lake. Its a sight to see. And if thats not enough, falls creek is a short drive away for some snow! People are all laid back, has that country feel. -)