Tilarán is an attractive and pleasant mountain village lying on the northern end of the Cordillera de Tilarán. The town is found at 550m/1,804km above sea level and is only 5km/3mi away from Lake Arenal, the area's principle attraction.
As in other towns and villages in the Guanacaste province, cattle farming is the most important industry. A popular rodeo and festival (Días Cívicas) takes place annually on the last weekend in April. The climate is Tilarán is pleasant and comfortable.