Equity-Based Compensation of the Operating Partnership (Equity-Based Compensation Expense) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012
Equity-Based Compensation Expense by Award Type [Line Items]
Number of common shares each Operating Partnership unit is equivalent to	4				4
Tanger Properties Limited Partnership [Member]
Equity-Based Compensation Expense by Award Type [Line Items]
Equity-based compensation	$ 2,925,000		$ 2,406,000		$ 5,399,000		$ 5,797,000
Total compensation cost not yet recognized	33,800,000				33,800,000
Total fair value of restricted units vested during the period					9,600,000		7,900,000
Period of recognition					3 years 4 months 1 day
Restricted Units [Member] | Tanger Properties Limited Partnership [Member]
Equity-Based Compensation Expense by Award Type [Line Items]
Equity-based compensation	2,118,000	[1]	1,864,000	[1]	4,020,000	[1]	4,714,000
Restricted Units [Member] | Fully Vested [Member] | Tanger Properties Limited Partnership [Member]
Equity-Based Compensation Expense by Award Type [Line Items]
Equity-based compensation							1,300,000
Number of restricted units granted to CEO							11,250
Notional Unit Performance Awards [Member] | Tanger Properties Limited Partnership [Member]
Equity-Based Compensation Expense by Award Type [Line Items]
Equity-based compensation	764,000		490,000		1,292,000		979,000
Options [Member] | Tanger Properties Limited Partnership [Member]
Equity-Based Compensation Expense by Award Type [Line Items]
Equity-based compensation	$ 43,000		$ 52,000		$ 87,000		$ 104,000

[1] For the six months ended June 30, 2012, includes approximately $1.3 million of compensation expense related to 11,250 units issued related to a restricted share grant that vested immediately upon grant under the terms of the Employment Agreement for Steven B. Tanger, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.