Accustom yourself to the presence of cinders.
I still have a 'souvenir' kerchief from the train ride from way back when I was a wee one.
Wish I could give you more specific info, as it was perhaps the family vacation I enjoyed the most. We spent several weeks, Royal Gorge, rented a jeep and drove around for a day in Big Boy Basin, recall a really nice RV park in Colorado Springs.
Of all, the best memory was parking the RV for the night just off the highway next to a mountain stream, and just taking a cup to the stream for a cup of the best water ever.
Garden of the Gods
Mesa Verde
Pike's Peak
Remember Cave of the Winds took forever to get to via switchbacks. The long drive stuck in my mind because some Asain tourists pulled into the parking lot way up in the mountains, and the ball joint holding the front wheel of the rental car promptly fell off. Can't imagine the tow out on that one.
Worst memory was Black Canyon of the Gunnison, but I'm sure it isn't applicable these days. When we camped there, the entire sewage system was FUBAR. The entire camp smelled like a Porta-Potty, with both the sewage smell, and the chemical treatment [blue goo] smell.
If you're driving through Kansas to get there, take a moment and savor the scene when the mountains first appear on the prairie horizon. Such a serene, beautiful sight.