You won’t need a sleeping potion here. The coyotes will howl you to sleep,” said the driver who picked me up at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport to take me to my meeting at the historic Wigwam, a storied resort I last visited as a child. I’m excited to return to experience its characteristic adobe casitas and wander through its acres of lush Sonoran Desert landscape. Despite the driver’s warnings of menacing coyotes, I gaze in joy at the otherworldliness of the anthropomorphic saguaro cacti rising like humans waving their arms to the sky. They pepper the roadside and mottle the horizon all the way to purple- hued Camelback Mountain, a supreme hiking destination that gleams in the sun. Immense pinkish boulders, purportedly eons old, litter the expanses. They look like colossal petrified tennis balls left from a rigorous rally from long ago. Suddenly, a roadrunner speeds across the highway. “Whoa,” said the driver. “At least it wasn’t a Gila monster.”

The Greater Phoenix Area, the jewel of the Sunbelt, sits in the Sonoran Desert, framed by mountain ranges. Stretching more than 500 square miles to shelter a population of approximately 5 million people, it holds 24 municipalities, each unique. These include ritzy Scottsdale and Tempe, home to Arizona State University, known among other things for its Sun Devils sports teams.

Phoenix reflects a diverse and buzzy urbanity, beloved by wealthy retired folk, up-and-coming entrepreneurs, athletes, snowbirds, families and young professionals. A paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, Phoenix and its environs harbor nearly 200 city parks and encompass more than 30,000 desert preserves. Denizens get out early to beat the sun as they partake in outdoor pursuits, jaunts that run the gamut from horseback riding to biking to trail running. The city area sports hundreds of miles of trails. Golf courses abound, as do fancy resorts, spas and swimming pools. Such a wealth of diversions contributes to an ideal environment for entertaining business associates.

PHOTO: © WREN & WOLF

If your clients are early risers, consider starting the day with a hot-air balloon ride over the desert or an early game of golf. Follow up with a power breakfast (or weekend brunch, if you extend your stay) at The Henry, which delivers a Bloody Mary cart and serves up cinnamon swirl French toast and a California burrito with Havarti cheese. Movers and shakers also gather for breakfast (or lunch or dinner) at Wren & Wolf, featuring inventive delights such as cheddar broccolini quiche or grilled chicken chopped salad sweetened with dates.

Famous for Mexican food (try Gallo Blanco for a casual lunch or Bacanora for Sonoran dinner specialties and signature cocktails), Phoenix also grills up iconic steaks. The Stockyards Steakhouse, open for lunch and dinner, has been the place for 24-ounce Arizona cut, bone-in ribeye since 1947. Dinner hours begin at 4 p.m. at Durant’s, set in a pink stucco house, where locals have entered through the kitchen since 1950 (don’t miss a perfect martini at the bar!). Famed Pizzeria Bianco started in a grocery store in the 1980s, likely ushering in America’s artisanal, wood-fired pizza trend.

If time allows, visit Phoenix Art Museum (which offers public and private group tours) for its trove of 20,000 works of art spanning myriad periods and cultures. Another option, The Heard Museum, celebrating indigenous people and their artwork, has drawn culture buffs for nearly a century. Peruse The Churchill, a creative food, shopping and entertainment collective built from shipping containers; or head to Old Town Scottsdale, the landmark local spot for boutiques and galleries.

© VISIT PHOENIX / @EMITOMS

Ease into the end of the day on a sunset horseback ride (consider Cave Creek Trail Rides) or with a relaxing spa treatment at one of Phoenix’s 5-star wonders such as Arizona Biltmore or The Royal Palms Resort and Spa.

Consider celebrating the day’s accomplishments at one of the spots offering views of the world’s best sunset. Boltholes old and new pour up divine drinks. Cocktail bars such as Quartz, paying homage to geology with libations inspired by the 12 precious birthstones, prove mixology is an art form. Also wonderful for sippers: Bitter and Twisted Cocktail Parlour, whimsically located within the former Arizona Prohibition Headquarters at the Luhrs Building, and Little Rituals, where its popular Big City Nights cocktail comes capped with a replica of the bar’s Phoenix- themed mural.

I ended my time in the Valley of the Sun without hearing one coyote howl. But after days exploring the area at breakneck speed, I don’t need a lullaby from a roving beast to sleep well. I just need a comfortable bed — and The Wigwam does the trick.