Ariel Winter Hits The Beach In A Tie-Dye Bikini & Packs On PDA With BF Luke Benward

Clint Brewer Photography / A.I.M / BACKGRID

It’s not even spring, but Ariel Winter was in a summer state-of-mind during a beach trip. She was also in the mood for love, as the ‘Modern Family’ star got cozy with her boyfriend, Luke Benward.

June 20, 2021, marks the first day of summer, but don’t tell that to Ariel Winter. From the way the 23-year-old actress looked on Friday (Feb. 26), she had already skipped Spring and was in full-on beach mode. Ariel, in a sharp blue-and-white tie-dye bikini, took in some sun and sand while walking the shoreline in Santa Barbara. In the photos – which you can see here – Ariel is enjoying her best life, and she has her best man, boyfriend Luke Benward, by her side.

Ariel kept on a loose floral kimono to ward off the late-February chill (though temperatures are in the high 60’s F, it’s still winter after all.) She also got a bit ‘cheeky’ while skipping stones in the waves, her bikini riding high to show off her backside. During the fun trip, Ariel wrapped her arms around Luke in a sweet moment of PDA. Later, she was seen reading a copy of Abigail Dean’s bestseller, Girl A, while lounging on a beach chair.

Ariel and Luke’s beach trip comes nearly a month after he took her on a romantic picnic in honor of her 23 rd birthday. “A birthday picnic for my bunny:))))),” Luke captioned an Instagram photo of him planting a kiss on Ariel’s lips, their picnic spread out underneath an overcast sky. “I love you so much. You are so life giving and such a beautiful soul. The world needs what you have to offer, and so do I [heart emoji] another year around the sun with you, and it feels so good :) happy birthday, buns. I love you.” He also shared a picture of him goofing off in front of the camera.

Luke and Ariel have been a couple since December 2019. The two have endured the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 together. They were “going strong, and they’ve definitely discussed their future together,” a source shared with HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY in July. Ariel “sees long-term potential” with Luke, which means spending the rest of her life with him. Marriage, according to the insider, “been a topic of discussion.” At the time, Luke’s youngest sister, Gracie, had just gotten engaged, and Luke – like any good big brother – didn’t want to steal her thunder by proposing. “So, [there are] doubts Luke would be popping the question anytime soon,” shared the insider, but judging by this beach trip, Ariel is having the time of her life without a ring.