Equity-Based Compensation of the Operating Partnership Equity-Based Compensation Expense (Details) (USD $) Share data in Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011
Equity-Based Compensation Expense by Award Type [Line Items]
Number of Common Shares Each Operating Partnership Unit is Equivalent To	0		0
Tanger Properties Limited Partnership [Member]
Equity-Based Compensation Expense by Award Type [Line Items]
Equity-Based Compensation	$ 2,434,000	$ 1,840,000	$ 8,231,000		$ 5,458,000
Employee Service Equity Based Compensation Nonvested Awards Total Compensation Cost Not Yet Recognized	27,000,000		27,000,000
Employee Service Equity Based Compensation Nonvested Awards Total Compensation Cost Not Yet Recognized Period of Recognition			3 years 4 months 24 days
Tanger Properties Limited Partnership [Member] | Restricted Units [Member]
Equity-Based Compensation Expense by Award Type [Line Items]
Equity-Based Compensation	1,886,000	1,410,000	6,600,000	[1]	3,942,000
Tanger Properties Limited Partnership [Member] | Notional Unit Performance Awards [Member]
Equity-Based Compensation Expense by Award Type [Line Items]
Equity-Based Compensation	495,000	377,000	1,475,000		1,390,000
Tanger Properties Limited Partnership [Member] | Options [Member]
Equity-Based Compensation Expense by Award Type [Line Items]
Equity-Based Compensation	53,000	53,000	156,000		126,000
Fully Vested [Member] | Tanger Properties Limited Partnership [Member] | Restricted Units [Member]
Equity-Based Compensation Expense by Award Type [Line Items]
Equity-Based Compensation			$ 1,300,000

[1] ncludes approximately $1.3 million of compensation expense related to 11,250 units issued related to a restricted share grant that vested immediately pursuant to the Employment Agreement as described in footnote 9.