A Detailed Guide to the Tanger Outlets in Riverhead, New York

When I used to live in Queens my mom and I would take a road trip out to Tanger Outlets. It seemed like the end of the world and it took forever to go to. I also remember going to the Outlets with my friends to go Christmas and Holiday shopping. I always thought we were getting great deals. We would spend hours walking around shopping and stopping at almost every store possible, and of course the eatery. It's funny how life works. Fast forward to 10 years later and I find myself living not 15 minutes away from the Outlets. I live in East Moriches and all I have to do is jump on the LIE and I am there. Almost a little too convenient. Great for shopping, not so great for my wallet.

My favorite thing to do is take my 2 year old son to the Outlets. When the warm weather comes I love to take a drive and put my son in the stroller and just browse through the stores. He loves to look around and say hi to everyone. I can't get much shopping done but it's nice to just get out of the house. Years ago when I used to go with friends there was only Tanger One. You were able to hit almost every store and have lunch. Years later Tanger has expanded unbelievably. It is almost impossible to do it all in one day. Tanger One is still there but Tanger Two is wonderful. I much prefer going to Tanger Two. Tanger Three only has a couple of stores so I don't usually bother. My main complaint is that you have to drive from one to the next. I tried walking from Tanger One to Tanger Two with my son and my sister in law and it was a huge mistake. There is no short cut so you have to walk all the way around. Not the smartest idea when it is over 80 degrees outside.

You could go to their website to see a complete list of stores with locations and phone numbers. The website is www.TangerOutlet.Com. You can click on any center you want. I visit the Riverhead Center.

When you start shopping you should ask each store if they offer a "club". Some stores will give you a "club" card which will entitle you to special deals and offers. Most of the time if you make 10 purchases of a certain dollar amount you will receive the 11th purchase free of that same dollar amount. Definitely sign up with your email address too. I have received so many great coupons and deals through emails. I tend to frequent the children's stores and have saved a ton of money. Make sure you keep all receipts just in case you need to return an item. If you bought something from a retail store you cannot return in at an Outlet store. Not all stores make this known at the time of purchase.

My favorite stores are Carters, OshKoshBgosh, Jockey, Children's Place, Little Me, Gap, Baby Gap, Old Navy, and JCrew. Tanger Two built a fantastic food court. They have anything from pizza, hot dogs, McDonald's, wraps, Chinese, Salads, Ice Cream, and pretzels. They have the indoor playground by the McDonald's sitting area. My son loves this feature. When he gets a little older I can't wait for him to be able to play on the play set and I can watch him while we eat. Right now I take him on the little rides on the sidewalk in front of the stores for $.50 a pop. They don't really last that long but he loves them. This is a great afternoon out for us on a quiet Saturday.

The Outlets also have plenty of rest spots where you can use the bathroom or just sit and have a snack. At the rest stops you can buy a Tanger Coupon Book. I haven't purchased this as of yet but I see a lot of tourists using this. It seems like it offers great deals if you are spending the day out shopping.

The biggest problem is the parking. You have to get there very early in the morning to get a good spot. They fill up so quickly. I am lucky to live close because I can go on the off hours. But if you are going for the day give yourself plenty of time for parking.

Enjoy your shopping experience I know I always do!