Partners' Equity of the Operating Partnership (Details) (Tanger Properties Limited Partnership [Member])	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Tanger Properties Limited Partnership [Member]
Schedule of Partners' Equity of the Operating Partnership [Line Items]
General Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding	250,000	250,000
Limited Partners' Capital Account, Units Outstanding	24,453,637	24,304,887
Partners' Capital Account, Units	24,703,637	24,554,887