SeeCalifornia.com

Maya Schoop-Rutten knows her chocolate! Not only does the Swiss-born chocolatier visit the world in search of great beans and products, she also sells the finest quality chocolates at a shop she opened to fulfill the mission of providing the best to a public that deserves it. Growing up in Switzerland where chocolate is a necessity much like water, the California transplant found it challenging at first to locate reliable, steady supplies of the types of chocolate she had grown accustomed to. Chocolate Maya store is located at 15 West Gutierrez Street, Santa Barbara, CA. Call: (805) 965-5956, chocolatemaya.com

You can hear all about Maya’s journeys and sample chocolates on a vintage train that travels the Central Coast between Goleta/Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, then returns back again in the same day. “Chocolate Lovers Limited,” on Sept. 14, 2013 aboard the historic railcar, Overland Trail, flagship of the Central Coast Flyer fleet, is likely to sell out fast, as the summer train trip is sold out. Get tickets at store.goletadepot.org

Here are some chocolate festivals in California where you can pursue your passion.