My husband has recently been stationed at Camp Horno, so we are in the process of finding an apartment or something for rent in the area off base.
Any info on which areas are great and which to avoid would be awesome. I've been looking around Oceanside because that is our first choice but I keep hearing more and more about how dangerous it is.
We would like something close to base obviously, but close to everything I would need as well (stores, etc.) because I am terrified of driving around California. We have two kids and a dog so somewhere safe, not super expensive (as I've heard San Clemente is).
I can't go look at the place before I lease it so my biggest fear is it looking so nice online then ending up in a terrible neighborhood. Any advice is appreciated! Especially from someone who has maybe lived in Oceanside before?

p.s. kids are not yet school-aged so we aren't worried about the school districts around or anything like that. 

I would live on base. You would have everything you need. Oceanside really isn't that bad, I know all you read online says otherwise. Before we moved to Oceanside all I could do was read online too and I was like dang!!! But really it isn't that bad. But that being said sounds like you'd be best suited for living on base. Many housing areas are offering one time bonus of like $1500 or something similar. I think San Onofre are housing would be closest to your husband work. 

Would there be a waiting list? And would we get something decent? What I hear about on-base housing is that you get basically the bare minimum. Like 2 beds 1 bath no yard. Mind you we're new to this, my husband is just now graduating ITB so we don't really know what stationed life is like lol. And he's expecting ME to figure it all out :P 

San Onofre Housing area would be a good choice. They have areas that are all ranks so no worries about that. Oceanside isn't horrible but I'd never live there.

lol, I had to edit my post...ITB for some reason made me think TBS (duh, I need more coffee obviously) 

Since you have two kids you would get a 3 bedroom house. I've only lived in Wire Mountain 3 and South Mesa 2. Both have pros and cons. SM2 is much nicer, newer with 2 car garage. But WM3 had awesome huge backyards. Honestly if your only going to be stationed here for a few years then housing isn't bad. Another option is renting/buying in Temecula area but very long commute. 

I live in Temecula now, the commute to Horno from here would be a deal killer for us. Dh is on main side and it already takes him anywhere between 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. Depends what time he tries to leave base.