Management Agreements and Leases - TA Leases (Details) $ in Thousands			12 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2019 USD ($) installment quarterlyInstallment	Jan. 16, 2019 USD ($) travelCenter	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) travelCenter leaseOption mi	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Management Agreements and Leases [Line Items]
Rental income			$ 390,902	$ 390,156	$ 326,975
Straight line rent adjustments			2,621	714	10,719
Net proceeds from sale of real estate			51,412	167,542	816,450
SMTA Transaction
Management Agreements and Leases [Line Items]
Rental income			140,803	137,111	46,861
Straight line rent adjustments			$ 10,616	14,345	2,160
TravelCenters of America LLC | TA No. 5 Lease
Management Agreements and Leases [Line Items]
Percentage increase in non-fuel gross revenue to be paid by lessee			3.00%
TravelCenters of America LLC | Travel Center Nos 1, 2, 3, and 4
Management Agreements and Leases [Line Items]
Percentage increase in non-fuel gross revenue to be paid by lessee			3.00%
Travel centers | TravelCenters of America LLC
Management Agreements and Leases [Line Items]
Number of Travel Centers | travelCenter			179
Annual Minimum Rent			$ 246,110
Deferred Rent	$ 150,000		$ 22,018
Number of renewal options available | leaseOption			2
Term of renewal options			15 years
Aggregate payment to deferred rent receivable	$ 70,458
Number of quarterly installments | quarterlyInstallment	16
Quarterly payments to deferred rent receivable	$ 4,404		$ 17,616	17,616	13,200
Area of distance away to own property | mi			75
Rental income			$ 248,291	250,573	262,038
Straight line rent adjustments			13,237	13,156	11,894
Accruals for unpaid rent, including deferred rents			$ 48,168	55,530
Number of installments | installment	5
Number of properties sold | travelCenter		20
Net proceeds from sale of real estate		$ 308,200
Gain from sale		159,535
Decrease in annual minimum returns		$ 43,148
Additional percentage			0.50%
Amount of percentage rent from TA that was recognized			$ 7,085	$ 2,764	$ 4,075
Increase (decrease) operating leases annual rent fixed interest rate			8.50%
Increase (decrease) operating leases annual rent basis spread on variable rate			3.50%
Travel centers | TravelCenters of America LLC | TA No. 1 Lease
Management Agreements and Leases [Line Items]
Number of Travel Centers | travelCenter			36
Annual Minimum Rent			$ 49,707
Deferred Rent			$ 5,826
Travel centers | TravelCenters of America LLC | TA No. 2 Lease
Management Agreements and Leases [Line Items]
Number of Travel Centers | travelCenter			36
Annual Minimum Rent			$ 44,077
Deferred Rent			$ 5,411
Travel centers | TravelCenters of America LLC | TA No. 3 Lease
Management Agreements and Leases [Line Items]
Number of Travel Centers | travelCenter			35
Annual Minimum Rent			$ 42,409
Deferred Rent			$ 5,335
Travel centers | TravelCenters of America LLC | TA No. 4 Lease
Management Agreements and Leases [Line Items]
Number of Travel Centers | travelCenter			37
Annual Minimum Rent			$ 48,263
Deferred Rent			$ 5,446
Travel centers | TravelCenters of America LLC | TA No. 5 Lease
Management Agreements and Leases [Line Items]
Number of Travel Centers | travelCenter			35
Annual Minimum Rent			$ 61,654
Deferred Rent			0
Net Lease Property
Management Agreements and Leases [Line Items]
Annual Minimum Rent			$ 369,733
Net Lease Property | TravelCenters of America LLC | Real Estate Assets at Cost | Credit concentration
Management Agreements and Leases [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage			27.50%