Earnings Per Unit of the Operating Partnership (Details) (Tanger Properties Limited Partnership, USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Schedule of Components of Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Unit [Line Items]
Income from Continuing Operations Attributable to Partners	$ 14,194	$ 14,856	$ 35,853	$ 23,251
Net Income Availalbe to Partners	14,194	14,753	35,853	23,148
Dividends, Preferred Stock	0	(1,406)	0	(4,219)
Undistributed Earnings Allocated to Participating Securities	(164)	(142)	(521)	(454)
Income from Continuing Operations Available to Common Unitholders of the Operating Partnership	14,030	13,308	35,332	18,578
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations	0	(103)	0	(103)
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Unitholders, Basic	$ 14,030	$ 13,205	$ 35,332	$ 18,475
Weighted Average Common Units, Basic	24,248,000	23,090,000	23,512,000	23,074,000
Incremental Common Units Attributable to Notional Units	158,000	0	158,000	0
Incremental Common Units Attributable to Conversion of Debt Securities	29,000	23,000	29,000	23,000
Incremental Common Units Attributable to Share-based Payment Arrangements	18,000	21,000	18,000	24,000
Weighted Average Common Units, Diluted	24,453,000	23,134,000	23,717,000	23,121,000
Income Loss From Continuing Operations Per Basic Unit Concept	$ 0.58	$ 0.57	$ 1.50	$ 0.8
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Per Unit, Basic	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00
Earnings Per Unit Basic Concept	$ 0.58	$ 0.57	$ 1.5	$ 0.8
Income Loss From Continuing Operations Per Diluted Unit Concept	$ 0.57	$ 0.57	$ 1.49	$ 0.8
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Per Unit, Diluted	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00
Earnings Per Unit Diluted Concept	$ 0.57	$ 0.57	$ 1.49	$ 0.8
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Unit, Amount	46,250	0	46,250	0
3.75% Senior Exchangeable Notes [Member]
Schedule of Components of Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Unit [Line Items]
Number of Days in a Trading Period the Average Market Price of Common Stock Exceeds Exchange Price to be Dilutive			20
Number of Consecutive Trading Days in the Period for Determining the Dilutive Effect of Senior Exchangeable Notes			30
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Conversion Price	$ 17.83		$ 17.83

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